The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-12-19

can only print what is favor
able To the army"
That is the sort OF thing thai
every newspaper correspondent
hears as soon as he is five miles
away from the camp.
The word censor seems to
have taken the place of "bogie
man in the English language.
The censor gets credit for read
ing love letters and stealing the
ideas; for suppressing news of in
su bordination among the men AMI
of midnight executions and the
like.
He's Pleasant Gentleman.
The average civilian pictures
him as a stern, narrow minded
loon with brain thoroly bandaged
in red tape.
/ | don't know anything about
the other camps but at this camp
he's a pleasant faced gentleman
who puts himself out to treat cor
respondents with courtesy.
His name is Capt. NJ. ID. Welty
and he saves the stamps torn from
the mornings mail for his son to
play with.
He doesn't suppress news" nor
does he temper the winds of pub
licity for the shOrn lamb COM
monty known as dear reader
He merely follows the general
censorship rules laid down by the
committee of public information
in Washington. They provide
that information which would
give aid and comfort to the en-
envy" shall not be printed.
Doesn't See Copy.
/ Under this head comes troop
movements until they are COM
pleted.
The arrival of ordnance and sup
| plies here and the progress of the
/ drills are also included in the
brief list of mot for publication"
Capt. Welty sees only small
J percentage of the copy" news
paper folk write. He will not see
this article until he reads the
paper.
Newspapers are "accrediated to
camp" when they are given ere
dentials by the censor. These
credentials call upon all officers
and men to treat them with con-
sideration and they also place the
correspondent within the jurisdic-
ton Of military law.
No Midnight Executions.
They are officially camp re-
tanners" and must wear uniforms
like that of a second lieutenant
with a white patch carrying a
scarlet &c" on the right arm.
Every newspaper man is on his
honor to obey the rules of the
censorship.
When he has "story" that he
is afraid cannot pass the censor
he takes it to Capt. Welty and sub
| mits 1t for his consideration. In
this way information which en-
emies of the camp would find val
liable is kept from them.
There are no midnight execu-
!, tions and the morale is good.
When you hear a rumor that
the food Is rotten and the cloth
; ing poor you may know 1t isn't
the censor but German propa-
gandist who prevents you from
hearing more than a rumor.
Dozen on Job.
There are perhaps a dozen writ
ers representing score of papers
J stationed at the camp. Thus far
; the government has made no pro-
vision for housing hem or giving
! them work room. Some of them
! live in Tacoma and others have
rooms in Dupont, half mile from
the camp.
Thru the courtesy of the Hur-
lley-Mason Co., builders of the can
tonment, at first the newspaper
men were given tables in the con-
struction headquarters. Later
when the Hurley-Mason Co. was
thru and the Construction Co.
took up the work this arrange
ment continued.
Some of the reporters are ac-
commodated in the office of Capt.
T. G. Cook, athletic director.
1t is probable that the govern
msnt will provide building soon.
No Whitewash Needed.
| / have endeavored in this brief
lspace to give some idea Of the
censorship at this camp.
| I am not whitewashing anybody
Ior anything. There Is no need to.
mistakes sometimes occur. Oc-
OCCASIONALLY some correspondent
thru bad judgment lets some IT.
tie thing slip by that would better
be left imprinted but this is the
Exception.
On the other hand pictures
which the censor here has refused
to permit published have been re-
leased for publication by the war
department. He's mortal like the
reporters he deals with.
So, summed up, 1t amounts to
this-you are getting all the news
as a part of this government you
are entitled to.
You are getting Information
which would do you httle good
and the Huns great deal.
The government here 10
playing fair with you and the
man who says 1t isn't is a liar
| or q German and he probabIv