The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-12-22
BRITISH CENSOR
CABLE MESSAGES
American Business Cableprams
Diverted by British
Officials
CHARGE MADE BY
NAVAL ATTACHES
President of Western Union
Testifies Before Senate Inves-
tigating Committee

Washington, Dec. I6.-Dircct tcsti-
niony that American business mes
sagcs sent over British cable during
the war had come into the posses
sion of British interests was given to
a. senate committee today by Capt. +.
X. Hill, formerly an American naval
attache in South American countries.
The committee also learned from
Newcomb Carlton. president of the
Western Union Telt graph company,
that the British naval intelligence au-
thorites now were holding up for ex-
animation all cable messages from
Great Britain to the United States. He
was unable to say whether messages
TO Great Britain or diplomatic mes
sages of the American government
were being subjected to such exam
ination. but promised to let the com
mittee know as TO the latter.
Captain Hill testified that the most
glaring instance of American mes
sages getting into the hands OF Brit
ish concerns was when the General
Electric company submitted bid
for certain electrical installations for
q Brazilian Arm. Next day an offer
came from an English concern to sup
ply the same articles at q lower price
than the American firm offered.
This Testimony was adduced at fur
ther hearings By the committee into
/ the general question Of cables com
munications and the three corner i
controversy over the landing OF a
South American cable at Barbados
which involves a question OF British
cable inter-coastal monopoly in Bra
zil.
Mr.. Carlton in discussing the hold
Ing up OF American messages in Great
Britain now said there was some JUS
tihcation for the practice os the pur-
pose was to throw light ON internal
disturbances in Great Britain chief
tly with reference to Ireland" He
added that his company had taken a
firm stand on the matter but had been
assured that no censorship would be
imposed.
/ The Western Union president testi-
fying further as to the attempt TO
land the Miami cable. said his COM
pany was proceeding In an orderly
way through the courts to get the
cable connected. While the hearing
was in progress IL was said at the
state department that the company
had been informed that if it landed
the cable via Cuba the permit under
which existing cables at Miami were
landed would be altered so as TO pre-
vent tho transmission of through
messages to Brazil over the British
Western company's lines from Bar
bados.
Elihu Root, Jr.. counsel 70 rthe ALI
American Cables. Inc, was again ex-
amined and said the Miami contro-
versy vas merely a step in q great
interna, onal struggle for the con-
troll of communications to South
America. A struggle between the
United States on the one hand and
Great Britain on the other.
1t IN very great national prob
lcm." Mr.. Root added.
w. w. Hawkins. president Of the
United Press association. told the
committee that cable facilities were
the chief limitation on distribution
OF American news abroad and said
conditions were such that his organ
ization could not get into South
America all the news it desired to
send there.
The situation between the United
states and Japan" he said. lis large
~ affected by the fact that news COM
nunications are slow and limited.
European countries realize the inn
portance OF news distribution. How
ever. we don't want subsidies and
prefer that American press associa-
tions be left free from Influences that
lead to tho making Of propaganda
machines.
Il think congress should amend
statutes 10 allow naval radio sta
tion TO handle press and government
dispatches. l don't believe the heads
OF the cable, companies would object
to that because II would relieve them
Of n hIr