Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-08-02
CENSORSHIP
TRIED This time
Associated Press Refuses to Kill
Story Of Troops Landing
for CreePs Com
mittee.

Washington, ID. c., July 30.-At $40,
o'clock this morning, five hours after
its receipt, the Associated Press re-,
ceived from h committee on public
patch from a European port announce,
ing the safe arrival Of another contin-
gent Of American troops.
The Associated Press saw no reason;
for killing the dispatch inasmuch as it
disclosed no military information Of a,
character to betray the location Or de-
scription Of the troops, and furthermore
because the dispatch had been passed,
through the official Censorship in,
Europe.
United States Censor Surprised.
The chief censor of the war depart
ment old a representative Of the AS,
sociated Press he was surprised that,
The dispatch had been passed by the
censor abroad because he supposed an
understanding had been reached with
the allied governments as to what,
character Of news respecting American
military forces was to be transmitted
freely to the United States.
The Associated Press, too, has been
given to understand that such an ar
trangement had beef made.
Furthermore. the Associated Press
mas before 1t no request from any re-
spons1bie official to submit news Of
such a character passed by the censor
to officials in Washington before be-
ing distributed to its members. On the
other hand the secretary Of war on July
b, In a statement to editors, permitted
press cables from France to go directly
to addresses without reference 70
Washington. with the stipulation that
certain classes of information must not
be contained in them. No such pro-
hih1ted information is contained Nm the
dispatch today.
Since July S, no request has been
mad of the Associated Press to with
hold or submit dispatches from abroad
prior to publication.
Baker Backed Down.
On July 3, the secretary of war by
official order arbitrarily took possess
sion of all cable dispatches to news
paper and press associations relating
to American troops abroad and on July
and 5 dispatches from France adj
dressed to the Associated Press in New
York were diverted to the war depart
ment without notice and later delivered
to the Washington bureau with, on one
occasion, q request for deletion which
was complied with.
On July a, Secretary Baker in New
York said to h Associated Press:
The present arrangement is only a
temporary n m will be maintained
only so long as it is necessary to perfect
~ w NANAAo HASNAA " S44lo
matter without imperiling the lives Of
American citizens"
On July s, in an official statement;
Secretary Baker announced:
THE emergency having passed, the
war department states that press cables
from France are again permitted to go
directly to addressed without reference
to Washington. These precautions, how
ever, must continue to be observed"
Then followed an outline of military
information which must not be dis
closed. Today's dispatch in no way con-
flicts with the order.
The Associated Press had no further
communication from the government on
the subject until today.
It was generally supposed in Wash
ington and the belief has been shared
by many officials including the army
censor and presumably the secretary
OF war, that an arrangement had been
perfected with the censors abroad. To
days events are the first Indication
that such is not the case.
Censor Wants New Rule.
The Washington bureau did not know
n does not NOW whether the troops
referred to landed In England or France.
The Associated Press always has stood
ready to cooperate with the government
observing any request in the national
interest.
The committee on public information
today asked hat all dispatches relat-
Ing to troop movements be referred to it
for wise, put declined to say whether q
representative could be reached
throughout h night to pass upon in
Quiries.