The papers of governmental and military officials abound in illustrations similar to those that have been given showing the
long-continued , deep -seated opposition of all in authority to all
war correspondents individually and collectively .24 The reasons for this are easily understandable. The conventional govern ment likes secrecy and undoubtedly the war correspondent adds to its difficulties and embarrassment in times when secrecy seems absolutely necessary . Much of this disapproval on the part of the government seems wholly justified , for political, financial,
and industrial questions are so interwoven with military opera tions that full publicity can not be accorded except under the sanction of the government and it naturally wishes to be its own medium of communication with the public.25 The government opposition to war correspondents reached its climax and new principles were introduced into their mutual
relationships when in August, 1914 , war correspondents were barred by the governments of Belgium , England , France , and
- The Editor of The War Correspondence of the Daily News 1870 gives
an excellent summary of the hostility of the French government towards war correspondents and of its unwillingness to authorize the presence of
neutral observers within the lines. — I, chap. I. H . Wagner enumerates twenty -one subjects forbidden press correspon
dents; photographs could be used only by special permission ; all personal letters were subject to censorship ; and personal freedom of movement was
restricted . “ It was categorically forbidden to send any news that was at all worth knowing, or to take any steps by which one could get possession of any such news.” — With the Victorious Bulgarians, chap . XX . 35 “ The Crimean war was the first in which newspaper correspondents called by Lord Wolseley 'the curse of modern armies' — were in the field ; Lord Raglan and his immediate successors were the first, and last, com manders to conduct a campaign under the unchecked criticism of unofficial
eye-witnesses. The correspondents, as I have already explained , were given no recognized status ; they had to trust to their own wits, luck and daring,
to maintain
their position ; but their proceedings and correspondence
were otherwise unfettered.” — Sir Edward Cook , Delane of “ The Times," P . 82 .
commissioned by Delane kept the enemy acquainted with all that was going on , is merely to say that the satisfaction of the public demand for war news may have dangers as well as its refusal.” — T . H . S . Escott , Masters of English Journalism , p . 182 .
Henry Villard , although he was himself a war correspondent, wrote that from what he had himself seen , “ If I were a commanding general I would not tolerate any of the tribe within my army lines.” — Memoirs, I, 209.
Similar opinions have sometimesbeen expressed by correspondents who
have been able to see “ the other side."
