The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1917-04-04
CENSORSHIP RULE
HAS Been DRAFTED
Regulations For Voluntary Use
In Emergency Criticised.
ONE ESPECIALLY ATTACKED

1
National PoIicies-The Regulations In
FuII-Editors Generally Expected to
Abide by Them.
Regulation relative to censorship"
which newspapers of the country were
asked to accept and follow voluntarily
pending the enactment of press cen
sOrship law by congress, have been an
nounced after a conference between
representatives Of the state, war and
navy departments and of four press
| assOciat ions.
Most of the principles laid down in
the censorship regulation have been
and are being observed in spirit by the
newspapers, which have endeavored to
follow the wishes of officials as to what
to print and what not to print at this
critical period. Practically all the criti-
cism heard after the regulations were
made public was directed to the sixth
regulation, which reads:
| 1t is requested that no information, re-
| ports. or rumors attributing a policy to
the government in any international sit
| udtIollI IlOl dulUQTlZeu by the 1,TeSlQent or
a member of the cabinet be published
| without first consulting the department of
state
Officials of the three departments
represented were made aware that
the newspapers of the country would
unquestionably find cause for objection
to several of the regulations and par
ticularly to No. G. 1t was made plain
that the press associations had no
right to speak for the newspaper press
Of the country, which reflect opinion
and seek to give an idea of the impress.
sion made by governmental policies.
In this connection it was brought out
that the head of one of the press asso-
Citations had proposed, prior to the
meeting. that hereafter the govern
ment should forbid the publication of
any matter not contained In official
statements handed out by the proper
authorities and that copies of these
should be furnished only to press as
sOciations and not to individual news
papers. Ii this proposal were adopted
the people Of the country would be
kept from knowledge of public happen
ings which government officials did not
choose to make know Ii. ana as q result
1t Is suggested there probably would
be suppression of everything that
might tend to eXxte criticism. 1t is I'M
derstood that officials concerned
will reject tl1iS suggestion as uu-
worthy Of adoption in a country fn
which free press is guaranteed by
! the constitution This guarantee Is con-
tanned in the first amendment. which
provides: Congress shall make no law
abridging the freedom of
speech or of the press
Text Of the Regulations.
This statement. embodying the text
Of the regulations, was given out after
the conference:
'In view Of the desire Of the press
of the country to refrain from the pub
dcation Of information harmful to the
public interest and with the intention
Of securing the maximum publicity
with the least injury thereto the fol-
lowing regulations are hereby issued
LIZA LIS w lllCu IL lS tdEu6SIly
requested be closely observed:
! Regulation mo information. reports
| or rumors should be published which tend
to disclose the military and naval policies
! Of the government of the United States
! CThis regulation is directed against the
| publication of any news or comment which
might reveal the strategic disposition or
operation of armies or their subdivisions
or the fleet or its subdivisions; any meas
ures which might be adopted in con-
sonance with the department of state
for the furtherance of American defense
and, in general, any plans for the use of
the army and navy during the existence
Of national emergency
Regulation 2.-No Information, reports
or rumors should be published which tend
to disclose:
Ia Movements or employment of armies
and their subdivisions. fleets and their
subdivisions.
(b) Movements Of vessels of the navy or
their arrival at or departure from any
port.
tc) Departures of merchant vessels
should not be mentioned, and it is desired
that the name of the port of arrival be
omitted.
ID Assignment or movement, whether
as groups or individuals, of officers and
men of the military and naval establish
|, ments.
(e) Transportation of mails. supplies or
munitions.
IL Information of any designs, inven~
lions or test thereof, or of manufacture,
transport or distribution of implements of
war.
, (g) Concentration of military or naval
supplies or location of such supplies.
CHI Activities in or about arsenals, forti-
. fcations, army posts. naval magazines,
navy yards. naval bases and radio sta
lions.
, Regulation adjudication of any maps,
, diagrams or photographs which in any
way might seem Of military or naval
value.
) Regulation 4.-No moving pictures should
be displayed which are of military or
naval value. ,
7 Regulation S. - Any doubtful matter
, should be submitted to the authorized
representatives of the department con-
cerned, who shall give an immediate de-
cision thereon and keep the inquiry made
strictly confidential.
Regulation CIT Is requested that no in
formation, reports or rumors attributing
a policy to the government in any inter-
national situation not authorized by the
president or a member of the cabinet be
published without first consulting the de-
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