§ 42. Mr. GINNELLasked the Home Secretary, seeing how obediently all Irish daily newspapers have since the outbreak of the insurrection suppressed statements the publication of which might be inconvenient to the rulers of Ireland, will he say what was the nature of the restriction imposed upon English newspapers during the same time on the same subject; and, if there was any doubt of the accuracy of the statement in London newspapers of 8th May that fifty bodies of insurgents had been buried without identification or inquiry as to the cause or manner of death, what action did the Censor take with reference to that fact either before or after its announcement.
§ 46. Mr. GINNELLasked the Prime Minister what action has been taken to ascertain the cause and manner of death and the persons responsible, if any, for the deaths of the fifty persons whose bodies were announced to have been buried unidentified and without inquiry; and, seeing that all those deaths occurred within the walls of a military barrack, will he explain the delay of the military in accounting for them?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Herbert Samuel)The control of publications in Ireland while martial law prevails rests with the military authorities, not with the Press Bureau. In Great Britain Press messages from Ireland during the first two days of the rebellion were held up by the Bureau, and were afterwards passed freely except where there were military objections. The particular statement referred to by the hon. Member was passed, with the intimation that the Bureau could take no responsibility for its accuracy. It is now known that there was no truth in the statement. Question 46 therefore does not arise.
§ Mr. GINNELLWill the right hon. Gentleman say whose authority he has for the statement that there is no truth in the statement made in these papers?
§ Mr. SAMUELGeneral Maxwell.
§ Mr. GINNELLThe very person accused!
§ 43 and 44. Mr. OUTHWAITEasked the Home Secretary (1) whether the fact that the interview with the German Chancellor which appeared in the "New York World" has not been published in full in this country is due to any action for which he is responsible; and (2) whether the fact that the speech recently delivered by President Wilson at Charlotte, in which he stated that the time had come for the Government of the United States to come forward in the cause of peace, has only had a few lines devoted to it in the British Press is due to any action for which he is responsible?
§ Mr. SAMUELThe reply to both is in the negative. There has been no prohibition by the Press Bureau, and newspapers were free to publish in full the interview and speech to which the hon. Member refers.