New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-18
War Censorship in England

news TO the British cable or post.,
IL want to tell the readers Of The T.a
about coming political crisis in g,.,.s
must submit my article TO the cen,or
rule the news correspondent is tre,,.x
leniently, because he becomes bette, ,-e
to the censor, and for another reason ~
more later.
The policy under which the ban on III.
port OF "The Nation" was placed seem,
that publications habitually contains.
ter which may be useful to the enemy 49,,
lowed to leave the country only il tia, =.
ter is insignificant by comparison wiz. :
propaganda value TO the Allied cans. -
news they report and the views wai,s a
express. The animus Of the publIe,s..
also taken into consideration. II seem. ~,
involved, but il is simple. Suppo,. ~
Times" Of London happens to contain -
ticle which the German propaganda r.
seizes upon and sends out in its wirele,. -.
vice. The British censor holds thr !.
propagandist value Of "The Timesv a, a.
more than compensates for the plur 80
Germany has found in the pudding. n. -.
ish authorities responsible for the H..
"The Nation" considered practically ev.,.
sue was more plum TO Germany than ,uil..
to Britain.
The Question Of Animus
There is a wide ocean between IA. va.
Of II. ". Massingham, the editcr Of ~.
Nation" and those Of the War OAse, a,
pounded in both houses Of Parliament Ia
to reflect them accurately, in the hon. A..
Americans will use them as guide in ~.
own censorship. Those VINO support II. a.
sh censorship contend there is great vi,.,.
in the words "habitualiy" and "animu,-
used in the declaration Of policy. O, 4.
other hand, its critics contend tina. il ,ivr
too much rein to the judgment Of the e.,,..
II must make it plain that the follsx,,
defence of the government in no war rear,
sents my own views, but practieall, ,,,.
phrases the defenders arguments, ssd tks,s
it is a composite expression Of their yiev,
shall put it within quotations)
"Since December last The Ns.iss IA,
preached peace by negotiation. Week an,
week this paper has sought to prove that \.
government ought to have given nor, eo,
dial welcome to Germany's peace proos.,l,
in December last, and ought to seek u,,e.
now by negotiation. Public opinion in ,si,
country does not support Mr.. Massnsh,n',
views, and the entry of the United States IN.
the war very clearly proves that in that ees,.
try, too, il has become quite obvious Tia,
there can be no peace with Germany until h~
forces have been beaten decisiyely on lui
and sea. and her people have been compelt.
to realize that further resistance is hopeless
AT time when those who direct Cernr
policy are seeking to keep up the drooprs
spirits of their soldiers, when the Gerun
people are losing confidence in themselves !,
their army and in their leaders, at suet 1
time as this The Nation published xra
Of articles belittling the achievement Of Bn,
sh armies, belauding the enemy's command
ers and encouraging the enemy to prclsas
hopeless struggle. No analogy can be fsft
drawn between the action OF The Nation al
that of other newspapers. In seeking to yisc
before the country the need for the yiesps,
prosecution OF the war, the latter may .sv,
employed language which, divorced from its
context, has been used by the enemy for the
purposes Of his propaganda; identes! in ain
with his own and calculated to encourage the
German people to continued resistance. Even
If, in the sacred name Of liberty, Nr. Mas
singham must be allowed TO 20 on writing
and publishing German propaganda, i. i
surely too much to expect that he should b
permitted to export it to the enemy"
The Msssingham Defence
That is the case of the prosecutor; h
defence is pretty well known in Anna
Mr.. Massingham holds that in demsenT
there must be no censorship Of opinion; kn
perfectly willing to have the world iptr
whether the sentiments expressed In IN
Nation conflict with the policy outlisst u
President Wilson'S address TO Congress
whether he has given encouragement 10 TIE
enemy. whether his articles have not expressed
desire to overthrow German militsriisn. "
does not fear for the fate of The Napsn
but he is deeply interested in the question .
whether any organization can be set W Y
censor opinion.
That raises two important points IN ~
censorship-the personality OF the censor ~
whether he shall be armed with power to co
sor views as we'll as news
(TO be concluded tomorrow