The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-06-17
wv. T. ELLIS HELD AS
VIRTUAL PRISONER
NOTED WRITER NOT AL
LOWED TO LEAVE CAIRO.
He Found Out Things That
Officials Did Not
Want Known.


w. T. Ellis, the man who wants the
Sunday school lesson published every
week In The News, is held virtually
as aprisoner in Cairo. Egypt. He has
been travelling in that country and he
tells the story Of his detention, In a
cable letter to the New York Herald.
In this letter Mr.. Ellis says:
IF an American journalist dares fol-
low the commonest rules OF his craft,
sees both sides OF question and gets
all the facts. he quickly finds himself
In a position where he In prevented
from travelling in lands where acute
problems exist and to which Americans
look for a partial solution of great
problems. The league OF nations prin-
ciples concerning pitiless publicity APP
parently are for home. consumption.
Because interviewed Egyptian ma
tionalist leaders as we'll as British ofti-
| cials; because / saw for myself the ma
tional soviet at Ii Azhar. the British
military authorities complained to
Hampton Gary. American diplomatic
agent, specifying these points.
The Same Gary.
This Is the same Gary who. after
frequent dinners at the residency. ship
wrecked extraordinary American pres
tige in Egypt by counseling recognition
of the British protectorate at the very
moment Egyptian delegates were in
Paris and when international recogni-
ton was but a matter OF a few days.
1t was not fair to America that she
| alone would kick in the face trustful
OF the infusion OF plain American 10y
atty In the official staff at Cairo.
Military Attache Brewster Sic,
Stanard Oil, man from Syria, publicly
echoed British attacks upon President
Wilson and upon natives. Because !
L l..k L. d.
| tiuence with the British to hinder my
| movements.
THE nearest military authorities Of
| fer me permits to go anywhere except
| as the American agency forbids them.
Meanwhile they are in close under
standing with the agency, which is be-
| ing run by the young Vice-Consul Ber-
| nard Gotlieb, who is interested more
| concerning his career than in upholding
American rights.
Just how the process of bottling UP
a Banner and Herald correspondent by
| orders from Washington has operated.
save by the compliance of Gary and the
| hostility Of Brewster, do not know.
| The consulate refuses me Information.
| although 1t Is avowedly operating with
| the British.
THE essential fact Is that my milf
| tary permit to go to Palestine. Syria
and the interior OF Turkey 10 with
| drawn.
There has been no charge that !
have made any inaccurate statements.
or any other charges against me. II
| was simply stated that independent In
vestiga tors were not wanted in this
part OF the world, which is regarded as
British preserve, fenced by the CEN
sorship and military restrictions,
wherein British traditions are inopera-
| tive.
80 for seventeen days I have been
detained in Cairo by mysterious orders
of my own government. For ten days
was denied access to Washington
| through the consulate. Then was
| granted only a brief inquiry have re-
ceived no replies to my open kilograms
| to the Herald. Government officials,
apparently through the censorship, are
preventing the transmission or delaying
the delivery of my letters. Instructions
| from Washington and London are
| availing nothing.
Il am practically prisoner and de-
MED basic constitutional rights. Doubt
| less some day / will be permitted to
finish this assignment and return to
America. For the present, however. ]
am being taught lesson, that Ameri-
can journalists should confine their re-
| ports of international crises to official
communicates, but I am poor pupil.
| Before ever learn that lesson our hon
ored ally will have learned all public
acts are proper newspaper facts ana
| that American friendship cannot be
kept on the basis of a muzzled press.
"An interesting phase OF my deten--
| ton in Cairo, which already has lasted
| eighteen days, is the apparent inability
of Vice Consul Gotlieb to appreciate
| the constitutional guarantees Of an
American citizen. He smiles blandly
and says he is acting on Washington's
| orders, overlooking the fact that Wash
| ington is dependent on him and those
| associated with him for facts here;
| that an American newspaper corre-
spondent, representing a leading news
paper is practically made a prisoner for
no other reason than that he told both
sides OF an important international sit
uation to the American public and has
right to demand an uncensored ap-
! peal to his own government.
1.-The habitual subserviency OF minor
American officials has put Washington
In position where 1t Is answerable TO
| the American public.
1.-The military is saying that the only
reason they refuse me permits to leave
Cairo is the specific requests of Ameri-
| can officials; nevertheless, the incident
will reach congress and parliament be-
| fore il Is ended. Anglophile function
aries may cause Washington to tiout
| Egypts trust in America, but not even
| they can take away the elementary
rights of an American citizen whose
only offense is loyalty to the American
public and principles"