The Irish standard., 1919-09-13
ENeLAND's GREATEST
WEAPON IS u.s.PREss

WEAPON Is Us. PRESS
(By Nicholas Conner in the Tribune)
Right at the present time, England
and the British statesmen are pursu-
ing very wise policy in particularly
cultivating the American press, after
the apparently successful efforts to tie,
the United States to the tail of the Brit
ish lion. There is very great signitl-
canoe in the determined, systematic
! work of increasing the already intense
and intimate intercourse between Brit
ish journalism and American newspa-
| perdom. If one observes closely the
careful attention Which the British
powers are giving this proposed jour
nalism and newspaper alliance between
the United States and England, the diff
ference between the British and Prus-
sian methods is apparent.
While the Prussian element for di-
plomacy did not even succeed in cap
turing one comparatively weak Ameri-
can daily paper for the pro-German side
before the war. The British statesmen
and money power were accused, i'll open
in congress, of having purchased out
right a good string of the largest and
most influential papers of the United
States.
1t is especially significant that the
alleged deep laid plot for making the
United States suEservient to British in
tel3sts during the war, was done with
out the construction OF any alliances or
combinations appearing in print or in
any of the usual methods that could be
used as tangible evidence against the
English or American statesmen pro
noting concerted action.
| 1t has been asserted of certain Anglo
Saxon statesmen, that they had public
ly proclaimed the principle: do it,
but don't say it, and don't put it on the
record" BY this is meant that action
should count more than verbal or writ
ten arguments since the latter are
means leading to practical results.
This is, of course, but hard-boiled
diplomacy, which looks for results, and
is not scrupulous as to the means to
the end. This policy alone will explain
many occurrences in the intimate rela
tions that are being cultivated now be-
tween British and American statesmen
and the press of the two countries.
The United States senate and the
republican members of same are un
doubtedly trying to carry out the wishes
of the American people and prevent the
entangling alliance with Great Britain
which is not on paper, but which is tC
lie made fact. One OF our Washington
correspondents recently wrote as fol
lows:
1T has now developed that the tele
} graph and cables are in absolute con
} troll of Great Britain and that nothing
without being first censored by th'
| British censor.
American newspaper correspon
dents have frequently complained tina
their communications are being cut ant
slashed by censors so as to make thei
news letters almost without point O
value.
"If, therefore, the people of thi:
country are not receiving any news O.
} the real events in Europe, except those
} kindly permitted to be sent by the Brit
ish censor, it is very plain that we are
cropping in the dark.
I'm order to get any information tt
this country the correspondents arr
actually compelled to make the trip tt
} America, for the American mails stant
as little chance with the British censor
as the cables or any other methods o
} communication.
"a senator remarked few days agt
} about this amiability toward British
} violators of the American mails, ant
} pointed out that if any American mai
carrier so much as tampered With {
letter he was hauled up and put int
} the penitentiary for years. Yet, he said
the British have during the entir
} course of the war, even before we wen
} into it, seized whole cargoes of Ameri
} can mail bags and submitted them t.
} the most careful search, greatly to tn
} injury of American trade and to th
benefit of the British trade. And thi
} was allowed by the American govern
} ment with a complacency which is no
} understood even today.
1T was stated in one of these com
} munications some time ago that mem
} Der of the United States senate sait