Britain's Deadly Peril: Are We Told the Truth?Le Queux, William
History
Britain's Deadly Peril: Are We Told the Truth?
Le Queux, William
Secret service -- Germany; Spies; World War, 1914-1918
"That the action of the Press Bureau in restricting the freedom of the
Press, and in withholding information about the war, has been actuated
by no clear principle and has been calculated to cause suspicion and
discontent."
Now it will be noted that there is, in the first place, no possibility
of attributing this motion to political hostility. Both the mover
and the seconder are supporters of the Government, not merely at the
present moment, as of course all Englishmen are, but in the ordinary
course of nightly political warfare. Mr. King did not mince matters.
He roundly charged the Press Bureau with exercising inequality,
particularly in denying the publication in London of news permitted
to be published in the provinces and on the Continent. He pressed,
too, for the issue of an official statement two or three times a week.
This, of course, has since been granted, and it is a very decided
improvement. Mr. Joynson-Hicks, from the Conservative benches, very
truly emphasised the fact that the people of this country want the
truth, even if it meant bad news, and added that they also wanted to
hear about the heroism of our troops and the valorous deeds of any
individual regiments.
Sir Stanley Buckmaster, in reply, denied somewhat vehemently that he
had ever withheld, for five minutes, any information he had about the
war, and asserted that nothing had ever been issued from his office
that was not literally and absolutely true.
Now, as I have said, Sir Stanley Buckmaster's hide-bound department
does not originate news, and cannot be held responsible for either
the fullness or the accuracy of the official statements. When Sir
Stanley Buckmaster tells us that he has _never delayed_ news I accept
his word without demur. But when he says nothing has been issued from
his department which is not "literally and absolutely true," then I
ask him what he means by "literally and absolutely true"? If he means
that the news which his department has issued has contained no actual
misstatements on a point of fact, I believe his claim to be fully
justified. If he means, on the other hand, that the Press Bureau, or
those behind it, have told the nation the whole truth, he makes an
assertion which the nation with its gritted teeth to-day will decline,
and with very good reason, to accept. To quote Mr. Bonar Law's words
again: "from the beginning of the war as much information has not been
given as might have been given without damage to national interests."
To such full information as may be given without damage to national
interests the nation is entitled, and no amount of official sophistry
and hair-splitting can alter that plain and demonstrable fact.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account