So much for the principles of censorship
exercised under the first of the statutory pro-
hibitions. The safeguarding of it involved the
exercise of much care and was subjected to much
criticism, but the interpretation of the prohibition
was comparatively simple. The case was different
with the second prohibition.
(2) Information about Plans or Supposed Plans
of Operations.
If this prohibition had been very rigidly enforced
and lawful authority never given to any breach of
its strict terms, no intelligent discussion of the
military problems would have been possible. On
the other hand, any general licence in the matter
would have been in the highest degree dangerous.
As it was, there was a great deal too much conver-
sation about impending movements. Some news-
paper writers had access to good information, and
as the expert is under a natural temptation to use
his knowledge, much harm might have been done
if a careful control had not been exercised. Weigh-
ing all the considerations, the censorship in
practice was a compromise. The rule was to
forbid speculations as to prospective military



VII OF THE PRESS CENSORSHIP loi

movements ; but exceptions were largely made
and each article was considered on its merits at
the Bureau, with or without reference to the War
Office. Naval speculations were rather more
strictly censored by the Admiralty. Military
articles, if very vague or clearly wide of the mark,
were not interfered with. If they seemed to come
too near to actual or probable or even possible
plans, they were censored. It was difficult to draw
a line, and the experts, with one or two notable
exceptions, were touchy gentlemen to deal with.
