Evening star., 1942-12-16
Full Report of British Writer'S
Protest on u. S. Censorship
London Correspondent Says Goes Hide
Complete Picture of America at War

Now We are coming out in the
open and telling you newspaper
readers of Britain who sent us out
here what we think.
I do not know whether I will be
allowed to give some instances of
recent censorship, but I will try.
Last week I had seven dispatches
either suppressed in entirety or so
badly mauled by the censorship that
they were ruined. They were all
about things which are familiar to
millions of the American public
and, indeed, In most instances they
were extracts from editorials on
news stories that had appeared in
the American press.
There was one glaring example of
Mondays speech by Wendell Will
kie. Transmission of this was held
up so long that Mr.. WILKES speech
did not arrive in London in time for
publication in the British morning
newspapers on Tuesday.
I had the text of the speech sew
eral hours before It's delivery, and I
tried to send it so that the British
people could learn what Willkie
thought Of Prime Minister Church.
i'll and so-called British imperialism
was not allowed to send Mr.. Will
kie's remarks until late that night.
far too late to meet my "deadline. :"
(The Office of Censorship last
week said the delay was due to
changes Mr.. Willkie made in his
speechD
Then there is India. The views OF
some OF Americas leading colum-
nists on the Indian problem and
Britain's handling of it never
reached you because we were not
allowed to cable them-even though
they appeared in black and white
in the press here, and were read by
millions.
There is also the State Depart
ment. Most difficult of all dis
patches to write are those about the
United States State Department.
won't say anything more. I don't
think will be permitted.
Now what is the reason for this
bad and sitting American censor
ship? I suggest 1t is because it Is
trying to do too big job. Instead
Of carrying out its function of pre-
venting information that might be
Of military value reaching the en-
emy, 1t has taken upon itself the
task of deciding what the British
public should know about America
and what they should not know
about America.
1t decides on it's own responsibility
that the British people had better
do without some American writer's
views on India or some American
politicians opinions Of the prosecu-
ton Of the war in the Pacific. It
even suppresses editorials in the
leading New York newspapers.
Consequently, in many instances,
Britain is criticized without being
given a chance to reply to criticisms.
Misunderstanding Seen.
They appear in American print
dAld VII VIC hulcI lCdIl dlI, UuG UIlcy
never reach Britain. We try to send
them, but the censors prevent US.
AS a result of this fantastic sup
preston Of opinion-something the
British censor would never do-a
tremendous misunderstanding is
more than likely.
One day there might be a major
schism in Anglo-American policy
and the people in Britain will say,
and rightly: But we had no idea
American opinion took this view.
This is absolutely new to us. There
were never any indications OF such
a trend"
When you suppress honest and re-
sponsible opinion you are playing a
dangerous game. The American
censorship is doing that now to dis
patches of British correspondents in
the United States. 1t is shackling
us and gagging us, and 1t is shackling
and gagging American opinion by
preventing its export to Britain. 1
protest against this sort of censor
ship 1t is not worthy of American
democracy.