Evening star., 1930-06-22
BRITISH EMPIRE
| PRESSL|NK URGED
Creation of Better News
System for All Parts Is
Discussed at ParIey.
~ the Associated Press.

az tne Associated Press.
ED1NBURG, Scotland, June 21.-The
Imperial Press Conference today opened
discusSion of the most vital item on
its agenda-creation of a better and
more effective news link for the Brit
Sn commonwealth Of nations.
z. Norman Smith of the Ottawa,
ontario, Journal, submitted the queS-
tion In resolution calling for ap-
proyal by the conference OF "the
principal OF mutual and cooperative
interchange OF cable news between the
component parts of the empire"
The resolution urged careful consid-
Grafton of the question of British
empire organization operated and con-
trolled solely by the Newspapers of the
emplre-an organization free from
propaganda, untrammeIed by any out
sloe 1nnuence and unsubsidized.
Subsidized at Start,
The publisher traced the development
IN Canada of an accurate and i'm
partial news service through the
Canadian Press, the Dominions CO.
operative news gathering and distribute
ing association. For the first few years
tne canadian Press had received a sub
say or $4,000 year from the Donin
lon government to enable it to bridge
Lnree gaps OF Canada-St. John. New
brunSwick, to Montreal. Quebec. OF
CaWa, Ontario, to Winnipeg, Manitoba
ana Calgary, Alberta, to Vancouver
5ritish Columbia-and link the Domin
1on with news wires from coast to
This became irksome." he avsrrad
I'VE felt ourselves getting restless nnSer
tnB subsidy. There was suspicion
among our general membership: there
was suspicion among the general mblic
Inc subsidy was dropped. The
canadian Press was faced with the task
OF raising an additional 5000. There
was an extraordinary response from the
MnoIe OF It's membership response
this $4,000 and that never arsin vo,,Id
the Canadian Press organization have
a1rytning to do with government SUBJ
Bid1es," he said.
Result Was Startling.
The result was simply startling"
Mr. Norman Smith proceeded. The
membership OF the Canadian Press took
y new interest in the organization. The
Canadian Press developed by leaps and
bounds until 1t now Is recognized as the
greatest newspaper institution in Cam
ada.
Mr.. Norman Smith spoke of the ef-
1ortS to establish news links between
Canada and the British West Indies.
the suggestion had been made to the
Canadian Press that the British West
1nnles were IN their bailiwick. The
directors Of the Canadian Press were
unanimous that something should be
done.
J. +. B. LiveSay, general manager of
Sne Canadian Press was authorized to
make inquiries and negotiated with
West Indies publishers. The Canadian
government authorized officials to see
what could be done. The officials re-
ported some change was going on and
said. The Canadian Press waited,
Then it was announced in the news
papers that a five-year contract had
been made without the knowledge of
the Canadian Press which would ap-
parently put q check upon anything
the Canadian Press might wish to do
for the West Indies.
Action Brings Question.
tT am wondering Mr. Norman
Smith added, whether the same sort |
Of thing does not prevail in other parts |
OF the empire. am wondering |
whether we have not arrived at that |
stage where we should not exercise !
that familiar and much abused word
naturalization in the matter of our
news service. : Is it not possible
0ut the British Empire requires to be
everhsuled?
What is the solution? Is it in the
formation for the British Empire of
some such organization as the Cana
dian Press, afiliated with like organ
tations in each unit of the empire?
We have one in Canada am in
formed there is one in New Zealand
and the idea could be developed with
central bureau"