The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-02-08
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
IN BELGIUM.

IN BELGIUM.
In no country of the world, per-
haps, is the freedom of the press
more jealousy safeguarded than
it is in Belgium. This does not
mean, however, that the liberty
it enjoys is allowed to degenerate
into license. The sphere of news
paper activity is well defined and
any attempt to go beyond this in
wolves serious consequences.
The newspapers of Belgium are
not permitted to criticise any per-
son without being legally bound
to make reparation as far as pos
sible for any injury or injustice
caused thereby. The law provides
that if a newspaper publishes an
attack upon any person it is
obliged to give as much publicity
to the reply which the person in
question may wish to- make in
refutation of the charges con
tanned in the article as it gave to
the original. This reply must be
printed on the day set for it's pub
LEGATION by the person attacked
must occupy the same place in the
paper, be set in the same type and
if necessary fill the same amount
of space as the article which pro-
voked it. IL the paper refuses to
publish the answer or does not
conform to the statutory require.
ments, it renders itself liable to
legal action for damages and com.
pensation.
Ii such a law were enforced
in this country it would safeguard
the interests of individuals and
institutions which are now at.
tackled with impunity by certain
newspapers and periodicals. I'm.
der the provisions of such a law
the newspapers which have been
slandering the Catholic Church
and her institutions would be
obliged to give as much promi-
nence to the REPUTATION Of these
charges as they now give to the
charge itself This would soon
put them out Of business or, al
least, make them exercise greater
judgment in any criticism prompt
ed by bigotry. The enactment OF
such law would protect the in
terests of individuals who have
now no redress when unjustly at.
tackled in the public press. Every.
one knows that it is almost
impossible to have such charges
properly refuted owing to the fact
that many newspapers fail to give
publicity to the answer made by
those unjustly criticised, or place
it in such an inconspicuous posi-
ton that it is unnoticed by the
readers.
If a law similar to that in force
In Belgium were enacted in this
country it would, no doubt, be
considered a hardship in as much
as it would limit the freedom
which the press now enjoys. In
reality, it would prove boon be.
cause it would define the legiti-
mate sphere of newspaper crit
cism and would safeguard the in
terests of any individual or insti-
tuition which might be unjustly
attacked in the columns Of the
press.
In this connection it is not un.
interesting to read what Deme.
trius G. Boulger, an Englishman
and a non-C Catholic, has to say
in his book on Belgium and
the Belgians," regarding the free.
dom of the press in that country
Among the salient, vital prin.
ciples embodied in the constitution
| (of Belgium) are freedom of the
press, of the person and of the
right of meeting. Nowhere has
the press been more free and no
where has the individual citizen
been more secure against press
attacks than in Belgium. The sen.
sational journalism to which we
have grown painfully accustomed
is unknown in Belgium. No Bel.
gian citizen is ever accused OF
posed in the papers until he has
been condemned and sentenced
by court of justice. The accused
and their relations are spared by
the adoption of asterisks and
initials instead of names. Tt may
be due to the smallness Of the
country, but at least Belgian pro
cedure. is considerate of the feel
ings Of the innocent bearers of an
unusual name.'
When will such law as that
which regulates the freedom OF
the press in Belgium be placed
upon the statute books of this
country?