New-York tribune., 1918-03-30
Creel Committee
Is Arraigned for
Fraud ON Press
Senators Attack Use of Ad.
1nittedly False Caption in
Official Bulletin
[Staf Correspondence

Staff Correspondence
WASHINGTON, March 29.-Publica
tion of misleading statements regard
ing progress on the aircraft programme
in the Official Bulletin issued by the
Committee on Public Information to-
day caused bitter arraignment of the
Creel organization in the Senate.
The material printed in the bulletin
which aroused the Senatorial wrath
had been condemned by the Senate Mil
itary Affairs Committee two days ago.
1t appeared in a photograph caption
sent out to newspapers several days
ago in which it was stated that "hun
dreds Of aeroplanes have already gone
to France and thousands upon thou
sands will soon be ready"
As against this statement, the Com
mittee on Military Affairs on Wednes
day discovered only one plane has been
sent over. An investigation to estab-
ish the source Of the caption writer's
information was begun, and Lawrence
Kubel, director Of the division Of pict
ures of the Committee on Public In
formation, who was called as q witness,
admitted the information was mislead
ing, and when the committee voted to
request it be withheld from publication
gave the body his pledge it would be
suppressed.
Inserted in Official Bulletin
Despite the pledge of Rubel that the
captions would be withdrawn from
newspapers to which they had been
sent and would be suppressed entire
ly, they were inserted in the Official
Bulletin issued last night.
When the Senate convened this
morning Senator Wadsworth, of New
York, who first discovered the falsity
Of the statement that airplanes had
gone to France, told the Senate the
whole story of the last two days.
"Mr. Rubel gave the committee his
word that these captions, fairly brist
ling with misinformation, would not
be published anywhere" said the New
York Senator. "and yet here We arc
two days later Witnessing publication
of these falsehoods in the Official
Bulletin, upon which the people of the
United States rely for correct informa
tion.'
Senator Knox asked:
"Is it not fact that the justifca
ton for the Official Bulletin is that
the public is apt to be misinformcd
by the secular press and that they
are entitled to absolute facts-thus
the Official Bulletin ?"
yes" replied Mr.. Wadsworth, that
is the theory OF the bulletin, but it
does not seem to be the practce.''
Senator Thomas, OF Colorado, char
actcrized the captions as entire false
hoods and asserted that Morris
Strunsky, who wrote them, had admit
ted his imagination had something 10
do with their wording
"But my condemnation" he contin-
ucd, Il want to concentrate upon the
appearance Of these falsehoods in the
Official Bulletin after the positive as
surancc of these gentlemen that it
would not appear at all
WAS not the statement primarily
direct fraud upon the press of the
country?" asked Senator New, of Indi-
ana. Il newspaper publisher.
Primarily, secondarily, dire ctly and
indirectly" answered Thomas
"The publication OF these statements
in the Official Bulletin" Senator
Thomas continued, "convinccs me the
indictment after all must be laid
agains. those who arc At the head OF
the Committee on Public Information
&nd who have DEVELOPED such unprcce-
dented lack Of organization and such
general loose system Of operating the
aH '-s &C tho huroau"
Senator Reed, Democrat of Missouri,
- 'h7 dohato. but he in
cluded in his remarks an attack on the
fuel administration for publishing, at
Govcfnmcnt expense, pamphlets con-
tanning tho recent address Of Senator
James. Of New Mexico. praising the Ad-
mlnistration and defending it against
attacks made in Congress-
One Airrlane, Ten Engines Sent
"Wbat difference does It make"
asked Senator Kirby, Democrat, of Ar
kansas, an Administration follower,
"when we need men on Tho battle line
in France whether these captions com
planned against here today were q trifle
hamboyant or misleadng"
Eoth Senator KnoX and Senator
Hitchcock, Democrat, Of Nebraska. as
sailed this attitude Senator Hitch
cock declared the statement was "calcu-
lated 10 deceive the people," and he Wig
orousG denied Kirby's statement that
we hHvc moro than one airplanc in
France. Kirby had stated that we had
thousands there senator Hitchcock
replied We have sent total Of one air
plane and a total Of ten arplanc en-
;sines to the other side.
Senator Knox said:
Does 1t make no difference as to
whether foreign countries receive the
truth as to these mmaterial matters.
or whether it receives misrcpresenta-
tons?
"'It issues an official daily news
paper, and here the director states
specifically the relation of the official
bulletin to the Bureau OF Public IN
formation. It issues an official dailv
newspaper tor the government with a
circulation of 10000 copies q da,,
"' 1T prepares and distributes. advises
upon and ceNaors photographs and
moving pictures to the number Of more
than TOO day"
o.