Page:The Newspaper and the Historian.djvu/467

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as that in regard to despatches . But the extent to which the

cartoon is used may thereby record the degree of freedom or of censorship of the press where it is found . It flourishes in every country where there is freedom of the press, while its field of

action is limited where restrictions are placed on the press, except as these cartoons are directed against conditions else where.82 The cartoon is less prominent in countries where a

risk is incurred in printing cartoons of the monarch, or ofpolitical parties that do his bidding , or of the court life by which he is

surrounded. The historian in his use of the cartoon must there fore understand the conditions under which it has been produced .

In the early days of newspaper illustration " the mechanical difficulties of reproduction subjected the artist's work to a sort of censorship which at least gave it a certain amount of delibera

tion and responsibility ,” 83_ but the very speed with which

illustrations are to-day reproduced invites the censorship of governments, especially in time of war.84 They are often de precated in times of peace and under conditions less easily reached by censorship.85 82 This has been notably seen in the cartoon used during the war of 1914. The cartoons of each country have been in great part directed against con

ditions in the enemy's country , and it has thus becomein a sense a weapon of attack .

83 New York Evening Post, Feb. 17, 1908. 84 Photographs illustrating the spoliation of places , and the distribution of

illustrated periodicals containing such pictures were forbidden in Antwerp by the proclamation of the German governor. -- Cable to the New York

Times, from Amsterdam , December 6 , 1914 . The proprietors of the Bystander, the former editor, and a cartoonist were fined sumsranging from £100 to £50 for publishing a cartoon considered pre judicial to military discipline and to recruiting. – Cablegram of February 18,

1916 , New York Times, February 19 , 1916 . The New

York papers of February 19 , 1916 , contained an illustration

showing the effect of a Zeppelin raid upon Paris , but the censor would not permit the publication of the exact location of the apartment house bom barded .

The publication of an illustration of a biplane schoolwas permitted , with the understanding that the photographer was not to mention the location of the school. But the censor forgot that the nameof the schoolappeared prom

inently on some of the hangars . -- Leslie's Weekly , December 21, 1916. 85 The British Ministry was asked in the House of Commons, February 29, 1916 , whether it was aware that the friendly relations between

the

United States and Great Britain had been injured by offensive articles and

cartoons published in England reflecting on American diplomacy and whether steps should be taken to counteract this influence. Sir Edward Grey replied that while it was very desirable that published articles, carto