Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-07-22
THE CENSOR'S SIDE OF 1T

The general public has little conception of the prob
lens which entered into the handling of the censorship
Of military news during the wal, and especially pertain
ing to the sending of information from the battle fronts.
And, while newspaper men, by reason Of their associa-
tons, were more closely in touch with the situation. they,
as we'll as their readers, were at times disposed to be Sc
verely critical Of censorship rulings, the occasion for
which they were not in a position to understand. Doubt
less many unwise and unnecessary things were done by
the censors, but some Of the things which at the time
were popularity considered plumbers have since been shown
to be entirely proper and necessary. A recent magazine
article by Major Gerald Morgan, who was chief field
censor with the A. E. F, presents in an interesting way
some Of the problems which confronted the censors, and
tells how they were handled.
One part of Major Morgan's s. article will do much to
clear up some popular MISUNDERSTANDING relating to one
important incident. Readers who followed closely the
dispatches published during the eventful days Of July.
1918, may recall the prominence which was given to the
marines in those dispatches. Almost every story told of
the heroic work Of the marines at Chateau Thierry, and
in the fighting near that little town. 1t was some time
before any other branch of the service received any men
tion at all, and the first general impression was that all
the fighting on the American side in that sector had been
done by the marines. Soon there began to be heard ex-
pressions Of resentment, sometimes from infantrymen and
others who had been in that series of battles, and often
from the friends Of these soldiers, who thought that they
were being improperly ignored. The tone OF the dispatch
60 was attributed In very many cases to . successful: effort
on the part Of the marines to have themselves lnduly ad.
vertised At the expense Of their fellow soldiers.
Major Morgan accounts for the handling Of the newu
In a way which must remove that impression. He admits
at the outset of his explanation that a mistake was made,
but it certainly was a natural mistake whose consequences
were not likely to have been foreseen. For obvious rea-
sons every military commander seeks to withhold from
the enemy as long as possible all information as to the
number. disposition and character Of the forces which he
is using. II tha enemy is alert he is bound to get tina,
him the better. Hence, everything is excluded from the
dispatches which can afford even a hint of the identity of
any Of the troops that are engaged until it is known that
the enemy has informed himself.
At q certain stage in the Chateau Thierry affair it
became known that the Germans had identified the ma
rines, and, there being no further reason for secrecy on
this point, correspondents were permitted to mention the
marines, which they did quite freely. It was not until
some time later that other branches Of the service had
been similarly identified or. at least, that the American
ton Of the other branches was not permitted. The result
was that for some time the marines were lauded in the
American papers. while others who fought side by side
with them, and had fought Just as splendidly, were no,
mentioned.
! It II easy now to understand that this result should
have been foreseen. But it vas . very natural thing no,
to foreses 1t. and not to provide against it.