The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-06-21
NELSON, JOHNSON AND PRESS
CENSORSHIP

ing Senator Hiram johnson of Cal
fornia on their respective stands on
press censorship.
One great trouble with the average
newspaper man is that he is so con-
foundedly jealous of his imaginary
rights and prerogatives that he per-
mits some shrewd shyster to cut him
off from what he is legally entitled to
T and smiles while the amputation is
going on.
The war department should have
mailed copies of both speeches, print
ed in bold face type to every editor in
the United States and then they woult
have discovered that Nelson was talk
ing sense and Johnson was talking
flamboyancy.
The addresses disclose that Mel
son is a patriot and that Johnson i
any old thing that will put him in the
lime-light.
Nelson knows what war is; he serv-
ed three years in the ranks in time
war. He kept his eyes open all the
time he was in the service and he has
kept them open ever since; he knows
from participant knowledge the meal
cucable damage that was wrought to
both the northern and southern armies
during the war, by premature publ
cation of military movements and un-
timely disclosure of military plans.
Nelson is a soldier capable of COM
manding a division in time of war.
Johnson knows nothing of war. He
was not born when the struggle took
place. He was an irresponsible kiC
when the great questions growing out
of the war were settled and he has
never grown up. He does not realize
the difference between a political anc
military campaign. He can no more
bride his tongue than he could bride
a cavalry horse and he is incapable OF
even commanding himself.
The difference between their two po-
sitions are substantially these:
Nelson stoutly maintains that no
paper should be permitted to print
anything that would give information,
aid or comfort to the enemy, or that
in any way smacks of treason under
the heaviest pains and penalties.
Johnson argues that the press has
the inalienable right to publish any
news they can obtain by hook or crook
whether based on fact or rumor, re-
CARELESS of it's effect on the success or
failure of military operations, and tc
criticize without stint governmental
authorities, to shout opposition to
governmental methods of raising mer
and money, to carry on the war an
to intimate if not advocate sedition
and no one be held responsible TO.
such action.
The editors, it seems, imagine that
Nelson is trying to stop them from
doing something and they go up in the
air without inquiring whether the!
want to do the things prohibited or
not.
They laud Johnson, and the freedom
of the press, for insisting that they b.
allowed to take action that not one
out of a hundred would take to save
CQ6lT lives.
We know the editors of the country
especially the country editors; we
have wintered with them and summer
ed with them. We know as a class
they are as loyal as any set of mer
beneath the stars. Ninety-nine out
of every hundred would turn their out
fits over to the junkman and go saw
wood for their daily bread before they
would publish anything inimical to
governmental interests in war time
harmful to military or naval maneu-
vers or that would lessen the chances
of American victory even if they coulc
gain fame and fortune by such publ
cation.
There are a few, however, like alta
rats, who fatten on the church sacra-
ment crumbs, who would proclaim the
most important military and naval Sc
crets, regardless of how it would af-
feet the welfare and success of the ar
my or navy, or lessen their chances o.
victory, if such action they could Sc
cure SCOOP" over their competitors,
Sell al extra paper VI put IucHlSSlNSs
in the limelight. These should be re-
strained and held in leash by the
strong arm of the law.
There are still lesser number who
hate this government and all it stand
for, who would delight in it's over
throw, who would do and are doing
everything they can to bring about
this result; reasonable vipers tina
would sting the breast that warmed
and nourished them. These should be
interned, deported, imprisoned or shot,
preferably shot.
How any reasonable, loyal editor
can complain of the government TAX
ing rigid steps to prevent others from
doing things that his own loyalty and
honor prevents him from doing is more
than we can comprehend.
1 These are stern days. 1t is no time
for mushroom sympathy for sycho-
phantic sculduglers who SWIVEL about
a suspension Of their privileges.
Liberty Of the Press and Freedom