The sun., 1917-05-28
CREEL WARNS OF
SPIESIN OFFICE
Greatest Danger to Be Feared
From Them. Says Official
Censor.
WILL AVOID HARD RULES
Committee Will Subordinate
Gag Methods to Giving
Information.

WASHINGTON, May 27.--The Commit
tee on Public Information. empowered
by the Administration TO frame regula-
tions for the conduct OF newspapers In
war time. made public the result OF its
labors to-day in twenty page pamphlet,
including also a preliminary statement
to the press" and a foreword by George
Creel, ex-Police Commissioner OF Denver,
the committees chairman. 1t contains
only one sentence printed in italics,
which Is dutfully emphasized here:
THE only news which we wish to keep
from the authorities of Berlin Is the
kind which would be of tangible help to
them in their military operations"
Conceding the impossibility, as proved
BY the experience Of European censors.
who are now passing news which they
stopped at first. Of laying down hard
and fact rules in advance. the commit
tee says new bulletins will be issued
from time to time announcing changing
policy as new conditions arise.
Discoveries which Mr.. Creel has made
regarding spies are feature Of the COM
munication. 1t appears that the news
most desired by the enemy will not be
collected from our newspapers after all.
but will be gained by high grade and
highly placed spies" And the really
dangerous spies are not naturalixed wait
ers and nursery maids They are high
officials or officers in high command"
One hastens to add that In making this
statement Mr.. Creel cannot have Amerl-
can officials or officers In mind he says
there has been much senseless hysteria
abroad" regarding the walters and nurse
maids: also that damaging information
10 hard to come by and. In spite of the
cleverness Of the code makers. hard to
communicate
Three CateEories Of News.
Editors are asked to make sharp dis
tinction between three categories Of
news
1. Matters which obviously must
not be mentioned in print.
2. Matters OF doubtful nature
which should not be given publicity
until submitted to or passed by the
committee.
8. Matters which do not affect the
conduct OF the war do not concern
this committee and are governed only
by peace time laws Of libel, defama-
tion Of character. &c.
Under category g" says the COM
mittee, would come such matters as
narrative descriptions Of units OF the
army or navy or Of their operations. We
will want many Of such stories pub.
lished. but they should first be submitted
for vise as II is extremely easy to give
inadvertent information of great value
to the enemy. The Kipling stories OF
the destroyers In the battle of Jutland
were very carefully scrutinized by the
Admiralty experts before release. The
committee will strive to meet the wishe.
Of the publishers in this matter as far a,
possible, and so to encourage them tt
submit all doubtful items and manu-
scripts"
Correspondents in America Of foreigr
papers are to be exempted from the re-
strictions placed upon American writer.
for American papers. The pamphle
says:
Regularly accredited correspondent
from allied nations will be allowed Il
cable to their papers free from inter
ference by our censor. We can, ant
should. rely on the discretion Of theil
editors. II cases arise Of foreign cor
respondents sending to their home pa
pers false. misleading or INTENTIONAL!
discourteous dispatches a word to thei
Ambassadors would certainly brinl
down the necessary reprimand. 1t will
be great loss OF prestige to US II We lie
the feeling get abroad among our allie
that we are hiding the truth from them.
The committee promises to avoid tn
error into which some European pres
bureaus have fallen OF trying to keel
Objectionable news from their own peo
pie as distinguished from keeping dan
serous news from the enemy For ex
ample. one of the Allies forbids the pub
lication Of reports concerning outbreak
Of epidemics in training camps" fearin
that the people will bestampdeed b.
scare rumors The committee says:
"The danger feared is real. but tn
experience Of Europe indicates that cen
sofship regulations do not solve tn