NO RISK TO WRITERS.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 259, 20 July 1918, Page 8

NO RISK TO WRITERS.

j ' "For the purpose of the official history j of the war," said the Minister of DeI fence (tho Hon. Sir James Allen) to a. J reporter yesterday,, "we are trying to i secure information from soldiers' letters i and-diaries, and the question has arisen ' as to whether any indiscreet references ! in such, letters and diaries might render ; : tho soldiers liable to disciplinary action I at the hands of the censor. As any \ 'doiibt on this score might have the ef- !', feet of inducing soldiers' relatives to i keep back letters which might afford I yahiable material. for tho history of the ' -war, the Chief of Staff was approached ! on the matter, and ho said that no action will be taken on account of the letters , erf diaries containing comments .on tho ! 'conduct of the war, and tho fact thut i they disclose information about the war '< i ]which would not be permitted by the I i censor will not be considered a -breach j ■ of the War Regulations or subject writ- ! erg .to any disciplinary action. I ' ' "The number of and diaries iei ceived is steadily increasing, but wo are ! very, anxious fo get more from the sol- | diers after leacidng the trenches.' It j ' app'ears that 1 men.have plenty of timo to '• ivrite oh board ship and so on, but not I in the trenches, so the letters and diaries i from the trenches are very difficult to I 6ecure, and I hope that they will bo sont I ' wherever possible Great caro is being ! taken of the letters received. They are usually returned on the day of their receipt when the required extracts havo i been taken, but if this is impracticable j owing to the large number of letters rc- | ceived on any one day they are sent back i , within a few days."