---
title: The Voluntary Censorship
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/03-the-voluntary-censorship/
description: The Voluntary Censorship, from Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information by George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public…
section: FRAME
---

![Illustration: an interwar radio-and-newsreel intelligence collage with a 1930s map of Europe and propaganda poster proofs.](https://propagandaarchive.org/static/generated/detail/hero-interwar.jpg)

[Library](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/) · Report · [Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/)

# The Voluntary Censorship

This text

- **Work:** [Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/)
- **Author:** George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public Information
- **Published:** 1920

Full details

- **Rights:** A work of the United States government, printed by the Government Printing Office in 1920, so not protected by copyright in the United States (17 U.S.C. 105) and in the public domain by age as well. The Library of Congress states that it is unaware of any copyright restrictions on the item.

Chapters

1. [Letter of Transmittal and General Survey](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/01-letter-of-transmittal-and-general-survey/)
2. Part I: The Domestic Section
3. [Work of the Domestic Section](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/02-work-of-the-domestic-section/)
4. [The Voluntary Censorship](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/03-the-voluntary-censorship/)
5. [Division of News](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/04-division-of-news/)
6. [Division of Civic and Educational Cooperation](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/05-division-of-civic-and-educational-cooperation/)
7. [Division of Production and Distribution](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/06-division-of-production-and-distribution/)
8. [Four Minute Men](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/07-four-minute-men/)
9. [The Speaking Division](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/08-the-speaking-division/)
10. [The Division of Advertising](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/09-the-division-of-advertising/)
11. [Film Division](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/10-film-division/)
12. [Bureau of Distribution of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/11-bureau-of-distribution-of-the-division-of-films/)
13. [Educational Department of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/12-educational-department-of-the-division-of-films/)
14. [Scenario Department of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/13-scenario-department-of-the-division-of-films/)
15. [Bureau of War Expositions of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/14-bureau-of-war-expositions-of-the-division-of-fil/)
16. [Bureau of War Photographs of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/15-bureau-of-war-photographs-of-the-division-of-fil/)
17. [Official U. S. Bulletin](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/16-official-u-s-bulletin/)
18. [The Service Bureau](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/17-the-service-bureau/)
19. [Division of Exhibit at State Fairs](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/18-division-of-exhibit-at-state-fairs/)
20. [Division of Syndicate Features](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/19-division-of-syndicate-features/)
21. [Division of Women’s War Work](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/20-division-of-women-s-war-work/)
22. [The Bureau of Cartoons](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/21-the-bureau-of-cartoons/)
23. [Division of Business Management](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/22-division-of-business-management/)
24. [Division of Work with the Foreign Born](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/23-division-of-work-with-the-foreign-born/)
25. [Showing America to the Foreign Press](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/24-showing-america-to-the-foreign-press/)
26. Part II: The Foreign Section
27. [Work of the Foreign Section](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/25-work-of-the-foreign-section/)
28. [Wireless and Cable Service](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/26-wireless-and-cable-service/)
29. [Foreign Press Bureau](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/27-foreign-press-bureau/)
30. [Foreign Film Activities](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/28-foreign-film-activities/)
31. [Foreign Picture Service](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/29-foreign-picture-service/)
32. Reports from Foreign Commissioners
33. [Report on the Work in Mexico](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/30-report-on-the-work-in-mexico/)
34. [The Work in France](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/31-the-work-in-france/)
35. [The Work in Holland](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/32-the-work-in-holland/)
36. [Work in Switzerland](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/33-work-in-switzerland/)
37. [Work in Italy](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/34-work-in-italy/)
38. [Work in Spain](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/35-work-in-spain/)
39. [Work in Denmark](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/36-work-in-denmark/)
40. [Work in Russia: General Introduction](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/37-work-in-russia-general-introduction/)
41. [Work in Russia: The Installation](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/38-work-in-russia-the-installation/)
42. [Work in Russia: Siberian Activities](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/39-work-in-russia-siberian-activities/)
43. [Work in Russia: Archangel](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/40-work-in-russia-archangel/)
44. [The Work in China](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/41-the-work-in-china/)
45. [Work in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/42-work-in-argentina-uruguay-and-paraguay/)
46. [Work in Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/43-work-in-peru-ecuador-and-bolivia/)
47. [Other Work in South America](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/44-other-work-in-south-america/)
48. [Work in Sweden and Norway](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/45-work-in-sweden-and-norway/)

[← Work of the Domestic Section](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/02-work-of-the-domestic-section/) [Division of News →](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/04-division-of-news/)

**Content note:** Quotes wartime anti-German language, including "Hun", and period terms for racial and national groups. This object is shown as it was published. [Why](https://propagandaarchive.org/about/#as-it-was)

Despite general opinion, the Committee on Public Information was not an agency of censorship, nor was the press of the United States at any time under any compulsion of statute in the sense that the European press was curbed and supervised. Instead of being bound by prohibitive laws, backed by drastic penalties, the newspapers of the United States were put upon their honor, and made the partners of Government in guarding " military information of tangible benefit to the enemy."

The Coromittee on Public Information had its sole connection with press censorship in the issuance of the following card, which will show in itself the baselessness of those rumors that charged control of " opinion " and " criticism."

What the Government Asks of the Press

The desires of the Government with respect to the concealment from the enemy of military policies, plans, and movements are set forth in the following specific requests. They go to the press of the United States directly from the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy and represent the thought and advice of their technical advisers. They do not apply to news dispatches censored by military authority with the expeditionary forces or in those cases where the Government itself, in the form of official statements, may find it necessary or expedient to make public information covered by these requests.

For the protection of our military and naval forces and of merchant shipping it is requested that secrecy be observed in all matters of—

1. Advance information of the routes and schedules of troop movements. (See par. 5.)

2. Information tending to disclose the number of troops in the expeditionary forces abroad.

3. Information calculated to disclose the location of the permanent base or bases abroad.

4. Information that would disclose the location of American units or the eventual position of the American forces at the front.

5. Information tending to disclose an eventual or actual port of embarkation ; or information of the movement of military forces tovs^ard seaports or of the assembling of military forces at seaports from which inference might be drawn of any intention to embark them for service abroad ; and information of the assembling of transports or convoys ; and information of the embarkation itself.

6. Information of the arrival at any European port of American war vessels, transports, or any portion of any expeditionary force, combatant or noncombatant.

7. Information of the time of departure of merchant ships from American or European ports, or information of the ports from which they sailed, or information of their cargoes.

8. Information indicating the port of arrival of incoming ships from European ports or after their arrival indicating, or hinting at, the port at which the ship arrived.

9. Information as to convoys and as to the sighting of friendly or enemy ships, whether naval or merchant.

10. Information of the locality, number, or identity of vessels belonging to our own Navy or to the navies of any country at war A^il^h Germany.

11. Information of the coast or antiaircraft defenses of the United States. Any information of their very existence, as well as the number, nature, or position of their guns, is dangerous.

12. Information of the laying of mines or mine fields or of any Iiarbor defenses.

13. Information of the aircraft and appurtenances used at Government aviation schools for experimental tests under military authority, and information of contracts and production of air material, and information tending to disclose the numbers and organization of the air division, excepting when authorized by the Committee on Public Information.

14. Information of all Government devices and experiments in war material, excepting when authorized by the Committee on Public Information.

15. Information of secret notices issued to mariners or other confidential instructions issued by the Navy or the Department of Commerce relating to lights, lightships, buoys, or other guides to navigation.

16. Information as to the number^ size, character, or location of ships of the Navy ordered laid down at any port or shipyard, or in actual process of construction ; or information that they are launched or in commission.

17. Information of the train or boat schedules of traveling official missions in transit through the United States.

18. Information of the transportation of munitions or of war material.

Photographs. — ^Photographs conveying the information specified above should not be published.

These requests to the press without larger authority than the necessities of the war-making branches. Their enforcement is a matter for the press itself. To the overwhelming proportion of newspapers who have" given unselfish, patriotic adherence to the voluntary agreement, the Government extends its gratitude and high appreciation.

Committee on Public Infobmation, - By Geokge Creel, Chairman.

As will be seen, no law stood behind these requests, compliance resting entirely upon honor and patriotism. There were violations, as a matter of course, but as it was realized that the requests of Government were concerned with human lives and national hopes, as it was driven home that the passing satisfaction of a news item might endanger a transport or a troop train, the voluntary censorship grew in strength and certainty.

[← Work of the Domestic Section](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/02-work-of-the-domestic-section/) [Division of News →](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/04-division-of-news/)

Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information, George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public Information. A work of the United States government, printed by the Government Printing Office in 1920, so not protected by copyright in the United States (17 U.S.C. 105) and in the public domain by age as well. The Library of Congress states that it is unaware of any copyright restrictions on the item. [Provenance and rights](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/).