The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-07-11

FOR FAIRY TALE
Representative Walsh Dis
cuSSeS "ElabOratiOn' of
U-BOat Attacks.

WASHINGTON. July l0.--A fairy tale"
prepared by an official OF somewhat
doubtful authority" In order to cause
unnecessary apprehension and terror"
among the American people Is the char
acterization OF the elaboration" by
George Creel OF the engagement between
U-boats and American transports. made
in a speech in the House to-day by Rep
resentative walsh, Republican. Massa-
chusetts.
Discussing the section OF the trading
with the enemy act" which governs the
censoring OF mails Mr. Walsh said
This is the section which gives to the
Secretary OF Commerce powers which
would be contrary to law. II seems
that certainly one other department OF
something which in its results was very
surprising to the American people. on
the eve OF July . in many OF our large
communities our good citizens were
awakened by the cries OF the newsboys
announcing the adventurous journey
which had been taken by some OF our
transports.
Censorship Perils shown.
1T might have been poetic license or
possibly Imagination aroused by the ap-
proach OF the nations holiday that
prompted the receipt OF Official des-
patches from an Admiral OF our navy
and prompted their transcription and
translation relating to an attack that
was made upon our ships in force and
the defence that was made by our heavy
gunfire and the accuracy OF that fire
and the fact that the torpedo discharge
became increasingly scattered, but up to
the present moment We have only this
fable coming from high official source
about what actually took place.
I'VE have had exemplifed what would
possibly occur should We authorize any
sort OF censorship either In this bill or
n any other measure which may come
before Congress. When the gentleman
who is in charge of this bureau OF infor-
nation, founded upon somewhat doubt
full authority, as ] view 1t, was asked TO
give the official news. he stated that II
he did that. as understand the press
reports. he might disclose the latitude
and longitude where this attack OF u
boats was made upon our feet. as II per-
chance the captains of the U-boats were
interested in knowing the latitude and
longitude of the ship which they were
at that moment attacking.
Condemns Methods.
Il say that method OF arousing and
seeking to frighten the people of Amer
lea by transposing official news is to be
condemned and ought to be looked into
We should take all steps necessary In
order that we should not be aroused by
any such fairy tales or accounts made
public In order to give the American
public a happy American holiday. To dc
things like that viii have an Ill effect
upon our people and cause them unnec-
essary apprehension and terror.
"As a matter OF fact, as l understand
1t. the Associated Press had a CORE
spondent accompanying our troops. He
sent dispatches to this country which
were intercepted and were not delivered
until they were taken to one of the ex-
ecutive departments, inspected and posi-
| bly, do not know-censored and they
were delayed for several hourS
"Those dispatches simply related what
took place and possibly because they die
! not correspond with the highly tinget
account which had been published and
which bore the approval of one of tn,
| secretaries OF one OF the executive de
partments OF this Government, they were
withheld from those for whom they wer,
| Intended and to whom they were ad
dressed.
THAT is another exercise of assumed
or pretended censorship that the Ameri
can people ought not TO tolerate"