§ 29. Mr. RONALD MCNEILLasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that quotations from Kipling and Browning have recently been deleted by the Military Censor from Press dispatches, he will instruct the Press Bureau to issue a list of British poets whose works may be quoted in the Press?
§ Sir J. SIMONI fear the hon. Member's suggestion might not be completely effective, for the difficulty does not arise from any military objection to poetry as such but to an occasional inability to recognise it.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITECan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the official who censored Browning is the same gentleman who lately censored Kipling?
§ Sir J. SIMONI cannot tell my hon. Friend, but I think not. I understand that the quotation from Browning was contained in the dispatch of an accredited correspondent at the front.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEAre there two of them in the Department?
§ Mr. MCNEILLCan the right hon. Gentleman reassure the House that there are not two people who are capable of this?
§ Sir J. SIMONI think the notice that has been called to the matter will cause all the censors to
strictly meditate the thankless Muse.