New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-19
War Censorship in England
Blu Arthur S. Draper

|, future proves that opinion was correct w
shouId I be deprived Of expressing u no"
That is one Of the arguments OF tnose Up
nosed 70 censorship of opinion, but oei'eso
il 70 be true that the adjustment OF t"o
censorship of opinion would relieve the ce,
sors of the most difficult part OF their 'aSH'
There is no censorship Of political OPINION,
bu. that is n minor issue IN the Droao He''
Of opinion. 81.
Fortunately for Britain it has a man az
tho head of the censorship who IS proau-
minded. liberal in thought and aple 20 Seo
ho,b aides Of the question. There have been
o,rors of Judgment in the acts OF the CEN
sorsbip-some Of commission and some OIL
omission-but its fundamental poncy -
right and fair. It's head is not dlcta'o,
il is natural that he should view inc proo-
lem of censorship through the eyes o. +"
soldier. but he is remarkably faIr ana open
minded | state this to meet the cri,cIs''.
of those who would argue no censorship OF
opinion should be controlled by military
representative. -
The easiest thing censor has to do IS 70
delete copy. to blue pencil articles, 10 pan
exnort of publications. 1t is a simple bust
ness. when in doubt to destroy an article
But there the trouble begins. Suppose an
Il
furnishes material for its propaganda pur-
poses. The mere forbdding of its export
does not solve the problem; it is broader
and deeper than that. The censor must weigh
on one side its value to the enemy and on
the other the effect of his refusal upon tne
minds of his own people, the allied nations
the neutrals and the world. Justification IS
only half defence for a censor, though II
il the strongest Great Britain set up a
black list of American and other neutra'
concerns: it was perfectly justified IN It's
action. but / have never heard IT was ieIt
that the gains justified the disadvantages OF
the measure. The black list has been with
drawn. "The Nation" is another case IN
point and one worth close study by Ameri-
cans. Did the encouragement Germany
gained from "The Nations" articles help the
| Germans as much as the ban on its export
injured Britan's cause in the eyes OF other
democracies? That is the problem for the
British censors and for American censors
as well.
The People Must Know
What is going to determine the power oil
the censor? The people. The nations leg
islative body makes the rules. but the mem
bers of Parliament and the Congressman VINO
PASS the laws get their authority from the
PEOPLE. The press furnishes material on
which the people form their opinion, ana
upon that opinion the individual representa-
tive Of the people acts. How can the people
act wisely unless they have access to all
shades of opinion? The advocates OF free
press in all free countries hold that the peo'
rle are always competent to judge when
! they are taken into full confidence. The wal
las proved this contention correct. Britain
above all European nations, is jealous OF
her freedom of speech; she is willing to
sacrifice anything except this.
1t is easy to make out a good case for
the dictatorship in war. Germany is me
! illustration of the coordination of all parts
Of the state COR the prosecution Of the war
It's press is part of the military machine;
il does what it is directed to do, No one
can say that as war machine Germany is
rot success But practically the whole
world is arrayed against her because she
is a war machine. The mere accusation made
by an honorable member of Parliament that
another's action savored of "Prussian mill
tarsm" brought forth a challenge to duel
which, fortunately, at this writing, there
seems little chance of being fought in this
bloody world.
democracy has the choice of a censor
| ship of fact alone or of fact and opinion
! but it has no for a dictatorship.