§ Sir HAROLD ELVERSTONasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether in recent orders of the day troops at the front were instructed to impress upon those with whom they corresponded that no letters from the front were to be published; and, in view of the fact that every letter coming from the troops has to pass the Censor, who deletes all which may be of military value, and as the publication of soldiers' letters has been helpful to recruiting and instrumental in sustaining a genuine interest, and as the editors of newspapers may be relied upon to either submit to the Censor or delete anything which could be of service to the enemy, will he permit, in the public interest, the publication of as many soldiers' letters as the Press care to publish?
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§ Mr. TENNANTThe order referred to is based on the King's Regulations, which forbid communications with the Press by officers and soldiers, and make them responsible for anything they write which may be published in the Press. The Censor referred to is the Postal Censor at the front, whose approval of a letter passes it only for delivery to the addressee.