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Editorial
August 1, 1944
The Daily Alaska Empire
Juneau, Juneau County, Alaska
What is this article about?
The editorial welcomes the U.S. Army's decision to end civilian travel controls in Alaska and the lifting of the ban on wives of service personnel living there. It urges the abolition of mail censorship, criticizing its ineffectiveness and burdens, arguing that free travel renders it obsolete.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
WELCOME NEWS
It has been rumored for several weeks, and today it is welcome news that the Alaska Department of the Army has decided to junk the civilian travel control system as far as this part of the country is concerned.
This decision follows on the heels of the withdrawal of the order which forbade wives of service personnel stationed in Alaska to live in Alaska.
We hope that this new attitude of the liberalizing of the Army's control over the lives of residents of Alaska will extend soon to censorship. Presumably, if the need for control of travel no longer exists, further censorship of mail is simply a waste and not a protection.
If the Army is to follow freedom of travel between the States and Alaska it is obvious that further censorship of mails and other communication, is silly.
The hypothetical enemy agents who have been traced by the letter openers, if they can read, certainly should be able to realize that they can now deliver their messages in and out of the Territory in person.
Certain happenings lead us to question the intelligence of the postal censors—most of which we have related in these columns previously. Letters which contain only checks are opened and held by censors for weeks. We know of one recent case where a check dispatched to a person in the States from Alaska was held by the censor for two weeks, causing the recipient financial embarrassment.
If any foreign agents have been traced through censoring of mail between here and the States, the facts have been kept very quiet. On the other hand, the practice of copying opened mail and sending copies of letters pertaining to government officials and agencies to about a dozen bureaus which are not directly connected with tracing down spies certainly is obnoxious.
Now that travel restrictions have been lifted, traveling between the States and Alaska should be no different than traveling between the various States. Mail from one State to another is not pried into.
The abolishing of the travel control office will release plenty of needed woman and manpower. Abolishment of censorship should follow.
It has been rumored for several weeks, and today it is welcome news that the Alaska Department of the Army has decided to junk the civilian travel control system as far as this part of the country is concerned.
This decision follows on the heels of the withdrawal of the order which forbade wives of service personnel stationed in Alaska to live in Alaska.
We hope that this new attitude of the liberalizing of the Army's control over the lives of residents of Alaska will extend soon to censorship. Presumably, if the need for control of travel no longer exists, further censorship of mail is simply a waste and not a protection.
If the Army is to follow freedom of travel between the States and Alaska it is obvious that further censorship of mails and other communication, is silly.
The hypothetical enemy agents who have been traced by the letter openers, if they can read, certainly should be able to realize that they can now deliver their messages in and out of the Territory in person.
Certain happenings lead us to question the intelligence of the postal censors—most of which we have related in these columns previously. Letters which contain only checks are opened and held by censors for weeks. We know of one recent case where a check dispatched to a person in the States from Alaska was held by the censor for two weeks, causing the recipient financial embarrassment.
If any foreign agents have been traced through censoring of mail between here and the States, the facts have been kept very quiet. On the other hand, the practice of copying opened mail and sending copies of letters pertaining to government officials and agencies to about a dozen bureaus which are not directly connected with tracing down spies certainly is obnoxious.
Now that travel restrictions have been lifted, traveling between the States and Alaska should be no different than traveling between the various States. Mail from one State to another is not pried into.
The abolishing of the travel control office will release plenty of needed woman and manpower. Abolishment of censorship should follow.
What sub-type of article is it?
Press Freedom
Military Affairs
What keywords are associated?
Alaska Travel Controls
Mail Censorship
Army Policies
Postal Censors
Civilian Restrictions
What entities or persons were involved?
Alaska Department Of The Army
Postal Censors
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Ending Military Travel Controls And Mail Censorship In Alaska
Stance / Tone
Supportive Of Liberalization And Critical Of Censorship
Key Figures
Alaska Department Of The Army
Postal Censors
Key Arguments
Travel Controls In Alaska Have Been Ended, Following The Lifting Of The Ban On Wives Of Service Personnel Living There.
With Free Travel, Mail Censorship Is Unnecessary And Ineffective Against Enemy Agents.
Censorship Delays Important Mail Like Checks, Causing Financial Harm.
No Evidence Of Censorship Catching Spies, But It Involves Unnecessary Copying And Distribution To Unrelated Bureaus.
Ending Censorship Would Free Up Manpower, Similar To Abolishing Travel Controls.