New-York tribune., 1918-05-15
Too Much To Believe
From The Neao York Times

1t is probable that most people who read
attentively the report of George Creel's
address on Sunday night before the open
forum of the Church of the Ascension
read it with constantly growing surprise,
and that the feeling left with them at the
end was one of positive disquiet. Mr.. Creel,
at the close of his address, answered ques-
tions from the audience concerning the
policies of the Administration, and an
swered them as if he were the authorized
spokesman of the Administration. Some of
the questions were searching ones, like
"Why does America object to Japan enter
ing Russia? ?" and "Why does not the gov
ernment suppress the Hearst newspapers?"
Offhand and glibly, Mr.. Creel answered.
and without the least reticence; nor was
there anything in his words to indicate that
he was standing before that audience
as the other self of the President. For
instance. the question about why "the gov
crnment"-the government, mind-does not
suppress the Hearst newspapers was an
swered by Mr.. Creel as if he were "ths
government":
'In the first place do not believe in
the suppression of anything"
So. when asked concerning Mr.. Roose-
velt's activities he replied in the same man.
ner:
81 tell you quite frankly that l would
regret deeply if anything were done to
rob US of Mr.. Roosevelt's criticism"
"Us!" Asked concerning the suppression
Of the Lusitania memorial meeting in New
York City in 1916, he used the same tone
exactly:
"That was the work of your New York
police, and do not assume responsibility
for them"
When he was asked why America objected
to Japan's entering Siberia he made no
reservations; he answered straightforward
ly on behalf of the government: Because
we feel" etc. He even gave a little ad-
vance news about the governments tax
alton intentions: "The rich man is going to
be taxed higher and higher, until he will
have but little left"
Now, while MIR. Creel was thus openly as
suming the post of official spokesman of
the Administration, he did not assume 20 be
spokesman for the whole government He
spoke with perfect assurance and con-
fidence for the executive branch, but as
soon as any other branch of the govern
ment was mentioned he ceased to assume
responsibility and ceased to appear as pos
sessing perfect knowledge. This makes it
impossible to conjecture that Mr. Creel's
confident way of speaking is merely man.
nerlSm he speaks conndently Tor the Ad-
ministration because he does count himself,
OR wishes others to count him, as the voice
of the Administration; but when another
branch of the government is asked about
he does not pretend to any special knowl-
edge. For example, asked a question about
Congress, he replied:
II don't like Summing, so I won't cx-
plore the heart of Congress for YOU"
1t cannot be possible that Mr. Creel is
really the Presidents spokesman, or that,
if he is, he is authorized to go about the
country barring the Presidents mind ex-
temporaneously on public platforms in re-
ply to casual questions. 1t must be that
Mr.. Creel has mistaken his position, his
mission, his powers. 1t must be that he
has too high an opinion of himself, that he
has taken too seriously some kindly intended
compliments which the President may have
given him in conversation. 1t simply can
not be that the President has authorized
the chairman Of the Committee on Public
Information to discharge the Presidents
mind at the top of his voice whenever some
unknown person rises. in public meeting
and asks him a question about important
national policies.