Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-02-08
GERMAN CENSOR
HAS Firm GRIP
ON NEWSPAPERS
Drastic Regulations Are Issued
to the Editors.
FEAR OF AMERICA IS SHOWN

TEAK Ut AMtklCA ID SnUUU
Required to Comment Only in Terms
Of Praise Concerning Events OF a
Military and Political Nature-Go
Into Veriest Details as to What Ger
man Papers May or May Not Print
Admit Eating Dog.
Sensational evidence of the extent to
which the Prussian government has
subjugated the press OF Germany to
the interests of the kaiser and his war
party has been supplied to the depart
ment of state at Washington.
Copies of secret and drastic regula-
tons issued to the German editors
show not only that the German news
papers are prohibited from printing
news that Is bad but are required to
comment only in terms of praise con-
corning events of a military and politi'
col nature.
Among the regulations issued is the
following setting forth how the Ger
man papers must comment on the dis
patch of Pershing's expedition to
France:
"Petit Parisien "a Paris newspaper)
Informs us that. five American divis'
Ions, numbering 125,OOO men, may be
expected in France in the autumn OF
1917. It is urgently requested not to
reproduce this information without
some comment. We do not wish to I'M
derestimate the ability Of America to
accomplish things, but we must not, on
the other hand, overestimate 1t. In
order to bring a division over from
America, $4,000 tons must make the
trip twice. Therefore, from the mere
fact of lack of space, the transporta'
ton of such q body of troops within
certain fixed time limits is impossible.
Moreover, it is impossible to train
these troops properly by autumn.
These facts, which have recently been
discussed in the German war news,
cannot be too strongly emphasized In
the discussion Of the French news"
.. ~ 0SS0V0 ~oVSsSOs
] The regulations go into the veriest
details in saying what the German pa
pers may or may not print. For exam
pie:
Advertisements in which dog flesh
Is offered for sale are not allowed.
Their acceptance is forbidden"
Some Of the regulations which COW
er q two-months period following the
entrance Of the United States into the
war last spring follow:
"News about excuses and unrest in
Prague may not be published.
"The publication and discussion OF
the resolutions adopted at a strike
meeting Of the Leipzig unions and OF a
telegram sent to the imperial chancel'
lor is not permissible.
''There is no objection to the print
Ing of the manifest of the independent
socialist party in case it is adversely
commented upon, even without 1rrltat'
ing sharpness.
+, I'm the interest of victorious car
rying through of the war, which is en-
dangered by every stoppage OF work.
expressions Of the press which recon-
mend q strike or express themselves
otherwise in favor Of a strike are for
hidden. Utterances which are directed
against strikers are, indeed, not sub
ject to censorship, but it is supposed
thereby that they are kept free from
lmmoderate sharpness which could Of
fer material for irritating the people.
"Reports concerning disturbances In
Koenigsberg, in Prussia, and concern
ing a warning from the commander of
the First army corps, which followed
In the Koenigsberg press, are upper
missible.
Can't Discuss Russiana
THE discussions Of the Austrian.
lower chamber may for the present be
published only in such light as they are
sent out by the official correspondence
bureau"
Last spring q large number of Rus
SLAMS were repatriated from Switzer'
land through Germany with definite
purpose of spreading German propa-
ganda in Russia. Here was one Of the
regulations issued to the press concern
ing this:
1.-THE printing and discussion Of the
article Terrible Conditions In War
saw for Obtaining the Necessities OF
Life,' in No. 80 of Napszod, of July H.
are not permissible"
Importations from neutral countries
and the occupied territories must be
carefl lilly concealed, for example:
1T is not desired to discuss or even
to mention the German importations
from abroad, especially from Holland.
"Offers of food from the occupied
eastern war zone may not be pub
lished. The acceptance Of such adver-
tisements is forbidden"
Other regulations, marked confiden'
tial, follow:
reports concerning the Chilean
bark Tinto with German seamen from
the crew Of the cruiser Dresden may