The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-20
BAN AGAINST
FALSE TALES
FAR { ] |: !. E|ACHlNG
Council u Defense Announces 1t
Extends to Papers Out "
side the State
MAY NEED MANY CENSORS
Suggested That the Press Dis
patches Should Be Care
fully Edited Now
MAY NEED MANY CENSORs

In what Is now popularity known as
the "Tostevin resolutions" because
their adoption by the council OF de-
tense followed an arraignment of the
Mandan publisher following his pub
lication of an editorial allegation to
the effect that Frazier's $4,000 major
ity represented pro-German vote,
the defense board believes it has
q bludgeon which it can turn upon its
newspaper enemies outside the state
as well as on the press within North
Dakota which has acquired the habit
OF saying unpleasant things.
Interviewed today, a legal advisor
for the council OF defense who pre-
ferred to not have his name used,
stated that the councils recent order,
directing newspapers, organizations
and individuals to place soft pedal
on charges OF pro-Germanism, dis
loyalty and sediti0n, undoubtedly
would apply to newspapers published
outside the state, but circulating In
North Dakota, as we'll as to those
domiciled within the state. sd.
How will you enforce your author
ity in the case of Twin City newspa-
pers, for instance?" the attorney was
asked.
1--WE will exclude their circulation
from the state" replied the attorney.
May Be Hard to Work Out.
How a solid barrier erected at the
eastern frontier of North Dakota
!, against newspapers and periodicals
which are obnoxious to the council Of
defense may be reconciled with the
postal laws and with the regulations
kovaerning Interstate commerce, the at
tornsey was not prepared to state.
He was confident. however, that the
council of defense can enforce its ban
against obnoxious news and editorial
matter, in publications originating out
side the state for circulation within
the state in the same manner in which
the .state\ has placed the lid on liquor
and cigaFet advertising IN outside
newspapers brought into the state for
t.4. May Need Censors.
s:F5Whether taa Official press censor is
to;5ber appointed could not be learned.
The logical thing to do, it was pointed
out, would be to have in each large
center in North Dakota and in the
Twin Cities an official press censor
to whom printed copies of every
newspaper aSad periodical must be sub
mitted before they could be allowed
to circulate in the state. 1t was also
suggested that press dispatches orig
mating in the state for outside con-
sumption, or; outside of the state for
domestic pefusal should be carefully
censored in the same manner, In order
that nothing incompatible With the
regulationssof the council of defense
may find its way into or outside OF
the state. The censoring Of private
mail matter! has not to date been given
any consideration, 1t is understood.
ZOIifRgs Law M, Help
In the Lease of periodicals OF ma
tionai circulation it has been sug-
gested that the new postal coming law,
If 1t goes through, would enable the
council of defense to maintain cen
sor at the nearest zone center to whom
copies of any magazine intended for
circulation in this state would be sub
mitted before the periodicals would be
introduced into the mail. With the
censor's official permit the magazines
would come on If he found objec-
tionable matter they would be re-
jected and returned to the office of
publication. Inaslnuch as foreign
language papers have large cir
culation in this state, it would be
necessary to engage as censors men
thoroughly conversant with the sew
eral alien tongues principally spoken
and read in the state.
Twin City newspapers are much in
terested in the council Of defense's
latest project, Judging from the num-
Der Of queries as to the scope of the
scheme which have been received
here. They have been advised that
the North Dakota council of defense's
legal counsel holds that the new rul-
ings undoubtedly will apply to any
matter affecting North Dakota pub
lished in their columns.