REPINGTON AND THE CENSOR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 134, 23 February 1918, Page 8

REPINGTON AND THE CENSOR

"MORNING POST'' AND WAR CRITIC "v; fined OF THE DEFENCE London, February 21. Mr, ,'H. A.' Gwynne,. editor of the "Morning Post," and Colonel Repingtoa, military correspondent, were each fined £100 and costs. During tfce hearing of the charges the defending counsel protested against the Crown basing its case on the publication of Colonel.'Rcpington's article without permission. The Crown, he Said, £.hould;have tried to prove that the article assisted the enemy. Counsel argued that there was no proof that 1 the article was-damaging to tho interests of the nation. "Mo patriotic editor," he added, "would ignore the censor's warning if he was convinced that the national interests were, likely to be injured; but Mr. Gwyiuie considered it his patriotic duty to inform the public of what was happening at Versailles." Counsel submitted extracts from German newspapers to show that the enemy was aware of the decision at Versailles respeoting the Allies' reserves. Notice of-intention, to appeal -was

given. fMr. Howell Gwynne, editor of the "Morning Post," and Colonel Repington (war critic) were charged under tho Defence \of the Realm Act with publishing information respecting the proposed plans and conduct of the military 1 operations .of the Western front;- The Solicitor-General, who conduotedthe prosecution, said that the "Morning Post" published an article by Colonel Remington purporting to give an acoount of "momentons decisions" at the Allied Council at Versailles, and adversely criticising the supposed decisions, .especially that tJie, Army reserves were no longer to be under the Commander-in-Chief's control, but under an external authority, which, said the writer, was contrary to all sonnd military tactics. Mr. Gwynne submitted the artiole to the Censor, who refused it for publication, warning Mr. Gwynne that its publication would be an infringement ol the Defence of the Realm Act. Mr. Gwynne replied that he would modify the article, but national interest-demanded its publication. The artiole was then published without' resubmission' to _ the Censor. It contained all the material points the Censor had condemned, and was prefaced by the statement: "There are times when we must take our courage in both hands and risk the consequences."]