The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-06-26
GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE
PUBLIC INTO ITS con-
FIDENCE.
DANIELS CRITICIZED
Grapevine Information Stimulates Hys-
terics and Leads to Dissatisfaction
Secrecy and Mystery Lead to False
hood-Declared Policy of Frankness

M0eT
he made his frank and unequivoca
statement denying the rumors of disas
ter that have been circulated widely
throughout this country
Secretary Daniels did a less wise
thing when he, in the same announce
ment, sealed every lip in the navy to
prevent the slightest information from
reaching the public, directly or indirect
ly' through conversation, through the
newspapers or any other channel
Does 1t not occur to the government
In It's annoyance at the mouth-to.ear re.
ports of vague catastrophe, that II is
itself to blame largely for the preva.
lence of these stories, and responsible
for the harm they do?
The effort to compel a censorship.
the attitude of secrecy; the grudging
of any share to the people OF what the
government is thinking or doing-all
these things encourage the people TO
listen to whatever tale the winds NAV
carry
Secretary Daniels in his statement
says
THE country is being poisoned bv
rumors Of battle and disaster that are
absolutely without the slightest founda.
ton in truth. Reports from the com.
mandants of naval districts, kilograms
from newspapers and letters from indi-
Viduals have forced me to the conclu.
sion that there is an organized conspi.
racy on foot to alarm and distress the
people Of the United States"
The theory of an organized conspira
cy to pass around false tidings of disas.
ter seems hardly necessary to account
Tor the circulation and persistence of
the rumors.
Secrecy Breeds FalsehOods.
Secrecy and mystery breed falsehoods
as a swamp breeds MOSQUITOES. Edu.
cate the people to disbelieve their le-
gitimate sources OF information. and
they cannot fail to lend credence TO
whatever fabrication fear, or desire. or
idle speculation may engender.
Secretary Daniels, therefore. in max.
ing more rigid his rules to deprive the
public OF all accurate information. is
merely making the spread Of terrifying
rumors wider and more persistent.
Suppose, in ordinary, times. the word
goes about that an American battleship
or transport has foundered-such rli.
mors have not infrequently gained
headway-the people watch for the
word of II in the newspapers. II no
such word appears. they know the rI.
NOR Is baseless and go about their bust.
ness without questioning ana without
passing II along. and so il dies.
But in war time. and II such a sit
uation as the policy Of mystery AT
Washington has brought about, a ru-
NOR once born. thrives and grows with
every repetition. The man who heard
II from woman. who got il from a
manicure who did the fingernails of the
wife of a naval officer. who was hurry.
ing to hospital, adds that the news.
papers have been forbidden by the gov
ernment to make any mention of the
disaster. The next carrier assures his
hearers that he had 1t from the editor
OF n newspaper that he was forced TO
destroy his whole edition because IL con.
tained n list OF the casualties.
Government Should BE Frank.
Let the government adopt policy
of frankness; let IL be known that. ex.
cept for actual military plans and move
ments Of our army and navy, the peo.
pie are entitled to and are going TO be
given every shred OF information about
the war and no false rumor will last
overnight.
Instead OF trying to crowa through
congress n censorship bill, despite two
verdicts In congress refusing to gag
the press and blind the people. the gov.
ernment should make an effort 10 see
how much. instead OF how little. the
conduct OF the war permits IL TO dis.
close.
Secretary Daniels, with more intelll.
gence and more appreciation OF the
spirit OF the country than some other
members OF the administration have dis.
played. made fine beginning In this
direction when he said:
NO such engagement has taken
place. The American fleet has not been
In action. No ship has been lost. There
are no wounded sailors or marines In
any hospital.
The declared policy OF the navy de.
partment is one OF absolute openness.
II disaster comes no effort win be made
TO minimize IT,"
That has the right ring. but Il is rath.
er difficult TO reconcile this brave and
sensible announcement with the order
20 the officers OF the navy to speak no
word on any subject connected with
the war. The enforced silence OF the
officers would be taken as confirming
even 80 Wild a story as that which pro.
voked Mr.. Daniels complaint.
II Secretary Daniels would take steps
TO let the people be Informed. as far as
is consistent with military necessity, he
would do more toward, abating idle ru.
mors than he can hope TO do by endeav.
oring TO shut OFF all sources OF public
information.
Censorship Encourages Mysteries.
Indeed. one OF the most potent argu.
ments against censorship Is that the
more II Is extended the more suspicious.
the more hysterical the public becomes.
30 that censorship in the end defeats
It's own objects,
a military censorship. limited to such
Information as would be OF value to the
enemy or would interfere with the sue.
cess OF our own military plans. is, OF
course. necessary-regardles OF what
anSieties the suppression OF such news
a. the presence in a particular place