New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-18
FIRST ARTICLE

No minor issue Of the war has aroused more
interest throughout Great Britain than the
ban which has been placed on the foreign CIR
culation Of "The Nation" a Liberal weekly,
edited by II. W. Massingham. The House OF
Commons devoted several hours Of its valu-
able time to a discussion of the case. The
Prime Minister found it necessary to defend
the governments action; the House OF Lords
debated the question; the English press have
printed columns Of protest.
] have had long talks with Mr.. Massing-
ham and studied closely the speeches Of the
Prime Minister. Mr.. Bonar Law and Lord
Derby in which they justified and explained
the principles by which the censors are
guided In their difficult tasks Censorship
is such broad, vital issue OF the war it
may be worth while for American readers
to consider the question in the light of Brit
aims experience after three years of war
On the surface the fate of "The Nation"
il of comparatively little consequence in
these times of world changes and epoch max
ing events, but it serves n text for a con-
sideration of censorship in general. Mr..
Massingham has the weight of press opinion
every writer and editor of England, whether
Liberal or Conservative. warlike or pacifst.
/ have full details of the actions leading
up to the final decision to prohibit the ex-
port of "The Nation" | have talked with
Mr.. Massingham and know his views of the
prohibition and the war In general. This
is a domestic question. which should be set
tied easily and quickly, but it contains a
lesson America should learn and profit by,
for the censorship of the United States will
WELD tremendous influence upon the course
OF the war.
'The Nation" Episode
The history of the latest episode in the
life of "The Nation" can be traced briefly.
It's issue of March contained an article by
It. military critic maintaining that Britain
had been slow in following up the retreat
ing Germans and that the withdrawal amount
ed to strategic defeat of the Allies. This
comment was reproduced verbatim by the
German wireless service as propaganda ma
teria The article. was not, however, en-
tirey responsible for the ban; it was the
last straw which forced the War Office to
act because it considered "The Nation" was
"habitually" trying to bring about peace by
negotiation and building up "stalemate'
in the minds of the public to strengthen
its case.
With hardly an exception "The Nations"
supporters have made it plain that they do
not accept nor approve the views expressed
by the military writer In "The Nation" but
that their protest was based on the broad
ground that there must be freedom of opn-
ion and comment. Their argument was that
il the policy Of prohibition was carried to
extremes there would be a gag-rule of the
press, which is not the general conception OF
the proper way to conduct press censorship
in democratic country. Such censor mp
would be based on the premise that all OFF,
Gals are always right and therefore above
criticism whereas the advocates OF free
press hold that the people should have all
the facts and decide the case on its merits.
II the people of democracy are qualified to
select their leaders, the press reasons that
they are qualified to judge those leaders and
there must be freedom of opinion If they are
to judge fairly. The supporters of The
Nation" are firmly agreed Britain's cause is
hurt more by the ban on the publication than
by any encouragement it could give to the
enemy.
The German System
NO one can lay down nara ana iaSt ruies
for censor; you cannot measure opinion by
a yardstick or weigh it by the pound Amy
censorship depends largely upon the person
atty of the censor. There is one exception.
That is one where iron-clad rules are en-
forced. forbiddng the publication of any
kind of criticism-military, naval or political.
In Britain there is supposed to be no censor
ship of political news and comment; in Ger
many there is drastic censorship of every
thing. But German newspapers and period
icals are just as much a part of the state
and under its order as are the army and
navy. They say what Prussian autocracy
wants to say; certainly not always what the
German people feel and believe. There are
two sides to the question whether this is the
proper thing to do in war to attain the high