New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-17
CONSIDERABLE smoke where there
was no fire appeared last week as

CONSIDERABLE smoke where there
was no fire appeared last week as
the result of a report that the
mails had been closed to the March issue
of "The Metropolitan Magazine" owing to
an article by William Hard entitled els
America Honest?" The postmaster at
New York got letter from Washington
which was intended to put him on his
guard and cause him to examine "The
Metropolitan" and similar magazines in
the future before dispatch. Owing TO
misunderstanding, the postmaster at New
York notified THE Metropolitan" that the
March issue was unavailable. Then it
transpred that the government had not
ordered any such ban, nor was the gov
eminent considering the revocation of
"The Metropolitan's" second class mail
ing privileges.
The mistake. however, revived interest
in the relationship Of the American press
to the war censorship and the matter of
criticism of the governments prosecution
Of the war.
1t will be recalled that early last sum-
\
tated over a proposed press gag law"
After more than month Of excitement,
mild bill was passed and the incident was
forgotten In the fall, however, the pres
ent espionage act, much more drastic than
the first bill, was passed. Yet SO recon-
ciled has the country become to the ne
cessity for secrecy regarding military af
20; fo,
locations that the passage of the second
bill hardly raised ripple on the stream of
journalistic comment.
Apparently, the reason was that, until
Congress late in 1917 began its investiga-
ton into the conduct Of the war, the press
CT the country had practically withheld
severe and partisan criticism of the gov
eminent. But the Congressional investi-
cation into the arms, munitions, shipping
and other situations restored the tongue
of the press, and the most severe criticism,
both partisan and nonpartisan, began to
appear.
Even more notable was the appearance,
along with the demand for a War Cabi-
net and Ministry of Munitions, of the
IL.
Previously the President had been prac-
tically immune, but since the agitation for
reorganization in the War Department his
critics have come out into the open. Only
when many friendly critics joined the nat
ural partisan critics Of the Administra-
ton was it apparent how very consider
able difference of opinion between the
country and the President had accumu-
lated in nine months.
When, therefore, it was reported last
week that the March issue of "The Met
ropolitan" had been unfavorably criticised
by the Postoffce Department, it appeared
that the matter Of restrictions on tho
American press passed definitely out of
the realm Of criticism designed to hinder
the prosecution Of the war-that is scdi-
tious critjcism~-and had entered the field
OF "patriotic" or "advisory" criticism. For
it was cited, "The Metropolitan" could not
possibly be classcd with various other
newspapers and magazines which had been
denied second class mail privileges for
printing of-color criticism Of the war
Ever since August ! 1914, this magazinc
has been rabidIy pro-Ally, and demanded
war with Germany following the sinking
OF the LuSitania. Uisplcagure With "Thc