The Washington times., 1917-05-25
BRITAIN HEAUSLES
OF WAR THAN U. S.
Strict Censorship Covers All
Military Operations.
WORRIED ABOUT BLOCKADE
All News About Anti-Submarins
Campaign Is Suppressed.

LONDON. May aS.-Americans in
England nnd themselves constantly
wondering how their country would
behave IL il were engaged in a great
war for its very existence. and the
authorities told them a. little about
what was going on as the people OF
Great Britain know
II Is possible to know q good deal
more about this war in America than
Il IL here in England America gets
information from England. even.
which frequently 10 not published
here II gets news from Norway.
Sweden, Denmark, Holland. Russia
Italy, every other quarter OF the world
that 10 never given to the public here
Maritime information II sternly sup
pressed. In some regards this policy
seems to be oVerworked, but the Ad
miraIty guesses IL knows what u 10
doing. and In England the admiralty
Is sacred.
A few weeks ago. when a new
plan OF announcing the lOss Of vessels
mined or summarized was adopted u
was most instructive to observe how
humbIy the British public accepted
the terms. Formerly Il had been Gus
tomary to announce each day th~
names and description Of vessels
sunk. their ports Of departure and
destination, and frequently q good
deal Of information about the cireum
stances OF their loss. The new plad
n to issue a brief tabulated statement
once sae.. week showing the number
Of vessels sunk. the pumber OF arrtV'
ais In and sailings from British ports
and the total tonnage lost Except
in rare instances. the names or indi'
vidual descriptions OF vessels lost are
suppressed
NAVY Men Uphold Plaza.
There is widespread divergenee OF
opinion whether this extreme develop
ment OF the policy OF seeretiveness Is
having a desirable effect. The ex-
PLANTATION. OF course, ls that IL keeps
the Germans from getting Informs
tIon that might be useful. Even 70
mention the name OF a sunken snip
might be q means of conveying to the
German admiralty information about
the route which certain linss were
following. In many cases to indicate
the tonnage Of vessels sunk during
a given week would enable the
enemy, already possessing too much
information as to what vessels were
on the seas and whittier they were
sailing, to form judgments altogether
too accurate as to the best cruising
grounds.
The men OF the navy, from the
highest to the lowest. not only be-
Iieve In the efficacy Of the embargo
on information. but rather enjoy the
mystery OF Il. Jack ashore will
appear In his uniform. but the letter
ing on his cap will read n. II. $.
- ard IL you ask Jack what ship
he is attached to now he changes the
subject.
At least twice in the war. once In
the battle of the falkland Islands,
and again in that unprecedented naval
battle on Lake TangaDyika in the
heart Of Africa. results OF the utmost
Importance were achieved that would
have been utterly Impossible II the
enemy had lad even a hint OF what
the British sdriirslty was doing. The
dispatch Of Admiral Sturdee's fleet to
the South Atlantic was conducted so
secretly and its success was 80
sweepinE that the Imagination Of
both the British and the German
peoples was immensely impressed.
Worried About blockade.
Ol course, the oest known luuStratlon
Of this wonderful secretiveress OF the
navy is found In the absolute suppress
sion Of all reports about the progress Of
tie war against submarines. There ls
no longer any difference OF opinion as
to the advisability OF this course, al
though some people question whether
tho effect on the British people OF sup
pressing so vigorously the Information
about shipping losses is altogether good
But whether Il Is entirely good or part
ly bad. John Bull and his wife and all
the little Bull children are perfectly
convinced that even 4 mistake the ad-
niralty might make would be q mis-
take on the right side, to be con-
doned instantly.
England Is worried about the subma-
rins blockade. very much worried. u
knows that its stocks OF food are getting
lower. and that the demands upon its
merchant tonnage are increasing In pro-
portion to the tonnage available. On the
other hand. IL also knows that all the
shipbuilding capacity Of the worli Is
working overtime In the effort to repair
the losses caused by German ruthlesS-