American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-07-17
BEHIND III SCREEN.


democracy Undecided and saying:
Il hope that America may permit
her newspaper and magazine Writer'S
10 be absolutely frank about what Is
going on. II Is az important for the
nation 10 know the worst as II o. for
he nation to know the best. For one
thing-and We have found Il out from
actual experience ~ Is a great stlmu-
has for the men lighting IA the Held
20 know that they are being written
about at home and that the country
they are hghting for knows precisely
" hat they are doing.
In England they nave discovered
things about the censorship. They
know that IL was partly 70 blame for
the lack 81 explosive shells FOR the
army 30 France. Il covered up the
stupid and disastrous Gallipoli ex-
pedltlon. and IL postponed public ven
geauce upon the criminal conduct Of
the hrst campaign IN M~esOpotamia
Now they have pretty well discarded IL.
But over here Il isn't good for us 10
know too much about the deeds OF
our rulers. Put up and shut up. are
the orders. The newspapers are In
structed 10 print only news officially
communicated by the committee on
public Information direct from Wash
lngtou They obey with a meekness
equally ~commendable and unexpect-
Cd. n you read one Of them. you read
them all
II f. easier 20 run a newspaper now
adays that Il used 10 be. The con-
tents are supplied In carbon copies
from Washington. The administration
viii write the headlines II asked to.
Putting Out the Enemy's Eyes-Pro-
digiOus and Unparalleled Efforts OF
Administration 10 Think OF Deciding
20 Prepare TO Invite Aviation Experts
TO Consult on Plans 20 Build Aviation
Fleet OF 100. 900 Airpianes, 10 be Fin
lshed Before August /. 1917. or Not
Later Than January 1. 1917" ITO
Destroy the U-Boats Secretary Dan
iels orders Fleet Of Birch-bark Can
oes Armed with T~hlrty-inch Howitzers,
AAAM hAAAH ANRM AAA Wv ANA1 VI AANA
marans 70 Surrender Them 10 the
Government" Clash Between Hoov-
or and Denman- Food Controller Com
plains That Shipping Boards order
for Flour Paste for Single Merchant
Fleet viii Interfere with Wheat Sup
ply Tor Allies" Seven Million Men
for Francol-several Thousand Now
There or on Their Way-Intense Ac-
tivity at War Observation-Disclosures
Guns VIII BE Ordered-Talk OF Max
ing Bayonets-B Bids for Cantonments
About 70 BE Opened Powder About
TO Re Tested-Contracts for Ammuni-
ton About to Be Slgned-Secretary
Baker Attending Convention of Flor
lists at Kankakee %" To Crush the Huns
Secretary OF Navy Issues Drastic
order Directed Against Germany
Forbids Games OF Pinochle on Amer
lean Warships."
The official inventors OF publicity
for pale people could 20 a step further
and save the publishers the cost OF
composition by supplying them with
boiler plate" George Creel would
not scruplc 10 write the editorials. He
r. pretty busy. but he Is also energetic,
full OF spiritual uplift and ambidex-
trous. lie could relieve the editorial
writer's on the New York World
and other circulars. who must be tir-
cd OF the language Of compliment
about the nonexistcnt and the void.
The public Is curious TO know what
IL going on behind the screen. and
worried. but without cause. Il would
be disappointed Il It poeked But the
heroes OF the cabinet are not issuing
martial orders. Some OF them are an
%nouncing TO the public that after IN
f%erences lasting far into the night for
nearly a month they have succeeded In
compelling predatory manufacturers
to reduce the price OF door knobs iu
the war state and navy building me
tenth OF one per cent Others are die
tating a daily chapter OF their auto
biographies the sad. Lincocnian stor-
ies OF their greatness and their trials
Later on. History. with an eraser In
one hand and a fountain pen loaded
Nith Invisible lux In the other. will
edit compositions which thus far are
as blazing ON the title page as the ad-
ventures % Sir John Vaudeville and
as m%otlonless tn the contents as a
novel by Jane Austin. Having had
a glimpse OF the forbidden scene. We
can assure the country that since the
war began nothing has happened ex
copt what they have seen in the pa
pers and very little OF that-Col-
Hers.