The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-07-21
CENSOR HELPED
DEFEAT GERMANY
Performed Great Service in
Guarding Allies interests
During War.
THWART MANY FOE SCHEMES
British Official Expunged "Lord Of
Hosts" From Lloyd Georges Speech
as kaiser's "Aid de Camp"
Smuggling Prevented.

The British postal censor is soon &c
ing the way Of the telegraph and cabl
censorship Judging from crit
cisms in America, such as that of tn,
Merchants association to the postmas
ter general, the going OF this war in
stitution will be just as joyously wei
coined abroad as in England. Blu
| whatever the petulance of those who
think war restrictions have held over
too long, the postal censor, in the opin.
ion of those who have watched his
work from the viewpoint of British and
allied security throughout the war,
has been Of the greatest service IN
defeating Germany. ~---
The nearness Of the date of the de-
mise of this institution has called forth
considerable information about Its
work. Thus far, however there has
been no amusing side such as was
shown during the obsequies for the
cable censorship.
Just after Mr.. Lloyd George succeed
ed Lord Kitchener as secretary for
WAL 1t Is ItIdJcu- tJldt llc PIOFluCU luG
ammunition for the censor to give the
photographers lease on war life. Mr..
Lloyd George went to Bramshott to
bid good by to Canadian division
about to cross the channel After
the inspection he made speech from
his motorcar, concluding with quo
tation from the Bible: And may the
Lord of Hosts be with YOU Core
spOndents who sent their dispatches
first to the censor were surprised to
find the final words of the secretary 4
in this fashion: "And may
- be with you" It
was amusing, but also serious, in the
minds of the news writer's, so they
However, they got their re-
ply from the censor's department:
The kaiser, having claimed the Lord
Is his aid-de-camp, no reference must
,e made to the Divinity in this connec-
iOn.''
Enemy Schemes ThWarted.
AS I said, the postal censorship has
ls yet turned up no morsel of rela- /
i've choiceness. The postal censor
hip, however, has thwarted many en-
my schemes that make just as in
eresting or more interesting read
ng. Furthermore, the British postal
censorship was a much farther reach
ny organization than was attempted
4 America, simply because England
Tas the channel through which virtu-
lly all questionable mail matter flowed
he postal censor in London was the
am which held the flood of continental
nil until each portion of it could he
assed upon and approved before be-
lg scattered over the wide world.
An idea of the immensely of the task
IN be obtained from the fact that a
aft of nearly q hundred expert lin
lists was constantly employed to ex-
mine and approve mail matter writ
red languages and dialects. Manu-
.ripts in every conceivable. tongue
und their place in this great mass
mail, estimated at about 10000 let
RS daily.
Much of the mail was passed with
lily mechanical Inspection. so sure did
e examiners become of certain cate
ries of communications. But con-
ierable more than the time saved on
rmless mail was consumed in eX-
ustive examination and tests of
eSti0nable matter. some of which
Is subjected to all manner of acid
d X-ray inquiry to detect hidden
sssages.
Smuggling Prevented.
There was also for a time a great
juggling campaign, harmless looking
ndles such as newspapers contain
: various commodities then obtain
lie in enemy countries, such as cOf-
). rice, tobacco sugar. and so on.
me even contained rubber hiddtn be-
cen the pages of the papers.
The most-sought-a evidence was
It of military character, and the
of mails more than repaid
expensive outlay in detecting in
nation that might have wrought
voc with allied arms, or at least
ped Germany in no uncertain de-
e. There is little doubt that none =
that character of information which :.
censorship obtained will be made
,lic. but officials, directing Britain's
/ machines have not been slow to say
t thanks to the postal censorship
ch valuable military information, of
ry conceivable character, came to
il attention.
Propaganda was the greatest and
It constant effort of the Germans.
, r,anct hnrnaInre annnarinn cots of