A CHANCE FOR THE CENSOR

The peculiarities of our censorship are often laughed at, but sometimes articles and announcements are published that do positive harm, whether they are true or not. There have been featured very frequently remarks of inventors who claim they have a machine to end the war in a month or so. The story is put on the front page with a long if not prominent list of men who are backing the invention. We can all remember the famous discovery that was to end the submarine peril in a few months, but the average is as high as ever. Other miraculous war-enders have been announced since, and now we have an aerial torpedo which will level Berlin in the winking of an eye. If this is true, all the German spies have a fine opportunity to get the secret, as the inventor's name and address are openly published. If the invention comes to nothing, it is another case of hopes raised and then dashed, which is harmful to the spirit of the people. We have had enough of flamboyant stories of what we are going to do; the talking should come afterwards. The more our hopes violently fluctuate, the less are we inclined to believe in the ultimate hope of destruction of Prussian power, and a spirit of discouragement is likely to grow up. Let us stick to the facts of the task ahead of us, not indulge in wild dreams that take our energies off our work.

Our censorship could show some real efficiency by refusing to have published these end-the-war-quick stories. True or false, they are harmful.