New Britain herald., 1918-11-13
THE CENSORSHIP.

newspapers have been restricted since the United States entered the war would be removed in the near future, permits the revelation of how the censorship has operated Tn this coun- try.
 When it was first decided that cen- sorship was necessary government officials very wisely called practical conwrlted them in regard to proper methods to be pursued. It was en- tirely a novel situation but by the liberal use of common sense a, set Of rules for regulating the censorship was adopted and Q copy sent to every newspaper in the land with the re- quest that they be observed. From that moment to the present, the gov ernment and the newspapers have worked in harmony. They have been frank with each other and the re- suit has been mutual cooperation that could not have been effected if pompous officials strode brusquely into publishing houses and peremp- torily demanded the observance of arbitrary restrictions
 At first there were minor infrac- tions of the rules but after editors had become more experienced in handling war news these became in frequent. The most glaring violation of the censorship was the result of 8 high officer connected with a Con- necticut military unit cabling from abroad that his troops had safely ar rived on the other side of the ocean. Coming from an officer of such high rank, the newspapers published the information believing no harm would be done. Later it was realized that the officer should not have cabled the news and the papers should not have published it as the identification and location of a regiment were thereby revealed. It was a case of general misunderstanding and thoughtless patriotism all around
 
 But it has been events of greater import that have tested the spirit of the news editors and had the gov ernment not taken the newspaper men into it's confidence hearty CO., operation never could have resulted. It is not generally known, but it is true that newspapers have been aware in many cases Of forthcoming events weeks before they actually occurred. State and war departments have openly informed them that men of national importance have been going abroad many days before they actual ly left port, it being understood that newspapers were to treat such infor- nation as strictly confidential. Hard ly a foreign mission has arrived in this country, or departed, that the newspapers have not known about it in advance. The editor who violated the privileges of his office and pub lished such information has yet to be found. Had such an incident oc- cured, the guilty man would have been subjected to the everlasting scorn of those who labor in the news felds.
 The most recent inform ation given out. by Washington to newspapers concerned the employment of big guns by American forces in the region of Metz. Several weeks ago a Paris paper announced "It is said the Yankees are preparing a reply to the German guns that have been bonn barutng Paris" It is possible that statement was copied in American papers. Within a short time every newspaper was requested by the war department not to comment on\ large calibre naval guns in the hands of American troops in France. It was not long before the country was thrilled with the news that Americans 1 in the Metz area were pouring huge projectiles into enemy positions miles and miles away. Since then more i specific descriptions of these biz guns have found their way into print, but not until sanction was received from government quarters.
 Men holding public office would do well to take a page from this lesson. Newspaper men can be trusted. They have been through the fire and have not been found wanting. It is the ! secretive, back-stair public official ] that arouses the curiosity of the men who write the daily news His very attitude arouses the extra sense-the news sense-of the reporter, who