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Show AMERICAN PRESS CORRESPONDENTS FETED IN LONDON LONDON". Dec. 27 Forty American newspaper correspondents, who are visiting visit-ing London with President W'iison's party, were entertained at luncheon today to-day by Lord Northciiffe at the Times oi'nee and at dinner tonight by the Newspaper News-paper Proprietor?' association. The principal speeches delivered at the luncheon wore by Baron Burnhs-m. Richard Rich-ard V. 0:;lahan of tti1 New York Times. David T-awrence nf the New York r.ve-v.-z Post. Herbert Swnpe of the New York World, Admiral H'ms. commander of ;ho Amfvinii navil forces. : i r; -1 K;;n;d ie;V;-:i s. Wise ,-.f N-mv York. Lo: d No"thel i 0'e. in !. cninc i M;csir', :i:! they w,'.'.!d find .-tosoli't' iy no host; it y the United Lites in En- gland. Momentary Instances of irritation irrita-tion had faded away, and in the same wav be was certain some of the supposed difficulties about the coming peace conference con-ference would disappear in the capable hands in which the United States and Great Britain had placed them. Lord Northciiffe added that the American iournalists had seen the kind of welcome President Wilson bad received In London, and that It was more than remarkable by reason that it was unprecedented. Baron Burnham, in extending cordial welcome to the guests at the luncheon, made a strong plea for the abolition of all censorship. He said that If there had been more real freedom of the pre'ss, and if secrets had been more fully revealed, thfere would have been no war. Letters of regret were recetved from John W. Davis, the American ambassador, and the Earl of Reading, Britl&h ambassador to the United States. At the dinner tonight Baron Burnham also received the guests. When he had finished this task, however, he excused himself, saying that he had to go to Buckingham palace to the state dinner to President Wilson. Sir George Riddel! then took the chair. The guests included, in addition to a number of London and provincial journalists. jour-nalists. Sir William George Tyrell, Mr. Skinner, the American consul general, and Sir Roderick Jones, head of Reuter's Limited. Sir George Riddell. the publisher, in a speech, said he believed the statements that a censorship had been decided on for the peace conference were inaccurate. inaccu-rate. "Ve shall start the conference without censorship," Sir George continued, "but it will be open to the conference to pass resolutions as to certain matters being kept secret. I sincerely hope that they will not take that course. I am assured that the British government Is strongly In favor of complete freedom of the press." The American journalists will be received re-ceived at the foreign office Saturday morning. Afterward they will be tendered ten-dered a reception in Downing street by David Lloyd George, the British prime minister. |