Evening star., 1925-02-20
RIGID BAN ON PRESS
IS Barred IN BRAZIL
Editor of Rio Paper, Held
Without Trial Since July,
Escapes to Embassy.
by the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BUENOS AIRES. February 20
Passengers arriving here from Rio
Janeiro by steamer confirm the re-
cent reports of the escape from con-
finement of DR.. Edmundo Bittencourt,
editor of the Rio Janeiro Correio da
Mania, who had been held prisoner
without trial since July, 1924, under
the state of Seige decree issued in
connection with the Sac Paulo revo-
luton.
On the day the steamer left Rio,
February 13, DIR. Bittencourt is de-
clared to have still been in Rio under
the protection of the Chilean embassy.
where, the passengers said he took
refuge February after escaping
from the military hospital on Janu-
ary %.
News of the escape of the Brazilian
journalist was simultaneous with the
receipt of details of governmental
suppression of d free press in Brazil,
which has at last been brought to the
attention of the Brazilian public in
the pea for writ of habeas corpus
which DR.. Bittencourt sought from
the federal supreme court in Rio
Janeiro in an effort to obtain per-
sonal freedom and the right to
sumo publication of his suppressed
newspaper, the daily of largest cir
culation in the Brazilian capital.
Strict Censorship Ordered.
All Brazilian newspapers and for
eign press associations were placed
under strict censorship when the
revolution broke out in Sac Paulo on
July last. The Correio was finally
seized by the government on August
81 and has not been allowed to pub
lish. DIR. Bittencourt and his son
Paulo, who are two of the four own
ers of the newspaper, had been in
prison since July.
An entire days session of the su-
preme court was given to the case.
DIR. Bittencourt's attorney claimed
that the President acted beyond the
powers given him under the state
of siege. The federal attorney gen
eral, who is a member of the su-
preme~ court, presented the govern
ment's reason for suppressing the
newspaper. The editorial policy, he
said, fomented revolutionary disor-
ders and that "despotism is better
than anarchy" The votes of the
court were to against the re-
lease of Dr. Bittencourt and to
against permitting Correio to pub
lish.
The plea stated that the arrest and
the closing of Correio were the re-
suits of the newspapers opposition
to DR.. Arthur Bernardes when he
last election; that DR.. Bittencourt
was arrested two days after the rev.
olution started, upon the order of
President Bernardes; that he was
taken to the house of correction,
where he found his son Paulo and
others of his newspaper staff al
ready detained. However, the news
paper continued to publish.
Other Arrests Follow.
The plea further stated that the
chief of police notified the acting
manager that the disposition of the
prisoners would depend upon the
future policy of the paper; the policy
was not changed and two days later
the acting manager was sent to the
house of correction: q police sergeant
visited the editorial offices, present.
ing an article for publication which
would thenceforth bind Correio to
support DR.. Bernardes. 1t was re-
Jected by the acting managing editor,
who then was sent to prison for
nearly two months. A short time
later the. city editor was arrested
and sent to the house of correction.
On August 80 the chief of the fed
eral secret service entered the offices
of the Correio, accompanied by 80
policemen, and searched the rooms
DIR. Bittencourt claims they found
no evidence, that the newspaper was
revolutionary.
The following day, on the unproven
charge that the presses of the Cor
reio were being used to print an
anti-government bulletin called "The
Fifth of July" the doors were closed
by the police and sentinels posted
outside, but acting manager se-
cured from the minister of justice
permission to enter the building and
transact necessary business
DR.. Bittencourt claimed that he and
his son with a group of prisoners
were held on Raza Island at the
harbor entrance and had not been
examined as to their guilt.