Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1920 — BRITISH CABLE ACT STIRS U. S. [ARTICLE]

BRITISH CABLE ACT STIRS U. S.

Letter Sent to Senator Kellogg Held as Breach of Courtesy. EMBASSY REBUKED FOR NOTE State Department Intervenes When Word Is Sent Direct to Senate Committee Regarding the International Controversy Over Censorship. Washington, Dec. 24.—The State department intervened in what threatened to be a controversy between the British embassy and the senate committee investigating cable communications over the question of whether there was a British censorship of cable messages to the United States originating in the British isles. The department’s sctlon wss regarded as a rebuke to the embassy for sending direct to Senator Kellogg, chairman of the committee, a letter denying the testimony of Newcomb Carlton, president of the Western Union Telegraph company, that cable messages coming the United States from Great Britain were subject to delay and examination by the British naval intelligence authorities. Seen as Breach of Courtesy. The embassy’s action is understood to be regarded by the department as a breach of diplomatic courtesy. The department will take the subject matter of the correspondence up directly with the embassy, but whether It will ask for an explanation of the action of the embassy In writing directly to the senator has not yet been Indicated.

Senator Kellogg said that In referring the matter to the State department he had acted on the advice of Fred K. Knielson, solicitor of the department With his letter to Acting Secretary Davis, the senator transmitted a copy of the letter received from the British embassy and also copies of the transcript of the testimony of Mr. Carlton and of John Goldhammer, secretary of the Commercial Cable company, charging that the British censors required submission of all American cable messages. Inquires as to Censorship. Senator Kellogg stated that, in view of these positive statements that a British censorship existed, was asking the State department to Inquire from the British embassy, despite its letter of denial, whether it was true that a censorship existed. The question of making public 1 the embassy’s letter and the senator's letter to Acting Secretary Davis will be decided, Senator Kellogg said, after discussion of the incident between the department and the tmbassy.