Evening star., 1937-10-03

| Less tnan Two months after coming
into power, Hitler established by de-
cree-a method which Americans al
ready have learned to accept without
much protest-a Ministry for Public
Enlightenment and Propaganda" head
ed by DR.. Paul Joseph Goebbels. A
little later the duties of this ministry
were defined ito deal with all measures
of mental influence on the nation, the
publicity for state, culture and busi-
ness, the instruction of the public
within and outside the nation concern
ing the above. and the administration
of all establishments which serve these
! purposes"
Already number Of recalcitrant
editors had been placed in protective
custody on rather obscure legal
grounds.
Goebbels Sets Up Machinery.
One of DR.. Goebbels' first acts was
the creation of the Reichskulturkam
mer. or National Culture Chamber
Ihls, also established by decree, au-
tnorized him ito consolidate into ma
tional guilds or corporations of public
law. all persons and activities connect
ed with writing, the press, radio. thea
ter, music and the fine arts" Under
this decree six professional CORPORA
tions were set up.
The idea seems TO have been not
vastly different from the N r. A., only
applied in the field Of culture rather
than commerce and industry.
BY far the most important Of these
six guilds was the Reichspressekammer,
established on October 4, 1898, which
! became the official association of all
newspaper editorial workers in the
! country The decree establishing this
| guild declared:
| Contributing by word, news re-
| port or picture to the intellectual con-
tent of newspapers or political period
icals published within German terri
tory is public vocation which, con-
cerning its professional duties and
rights, is regulated by this law"
Standards Set Up.
since 1t was a public vocation.
members of the guild the decree de-
clared, must possess German nation
ality, must enjoy civic rights and
qualifications to hold public Office.
must be at least 81 years old, must
be competent and professionally
trained. and must have the intellect
ual qualifications required to influence
public opinion. Jews, or Germans
married to Jews, were barred
Except for the nationality and race
bars, these qualifications are not
vastly different than those set up for
the practice of medicine, dentistry
or law in the United States.
Admission to the Journalistic pro-
fession was made contingent on GER
tain qualifications of education and
experience. Affdavts of satisfactory
apprenticeship had to be presented.
BY the same decree, Mr. Larson re-
counts. five types of matter were tn
be excluded from all German Peri
odicals:
!. That which confuses selfish and
public aims in way misleading to
the public.
2. That which is apt to weaken
the Reich either externally or intern
ally, hinder the national will of the
German people, prove inimical to the
German defensive power, harm the
culture or economy Of the Reich. or
wound the religious susceptibilities of
others.
Dignity Must Be Preserved.
8. That which offends against the
honor and dignity of Germans.
4. That which defames the honor or
we'll being of another unlawfully. in
Jures his reputation. or makes him
ridiculous or dispicable.
5. That which is on other grounds
contrary to propriety.
Within the framework Of this de-
cree, the federation which it set up
became essentially self governing
body, entrusted with the duty of car
rying out the provisions for its own
membership.
1t was instructed to provide for
the training and supervision of Jour-
nallsts and to create welfare organi-
cations for them, to give professional
counsel to public officials, to make
regulations dealing with employment.
10 settle disputes between members.
10 levy assessments for the support
of its work and to set up vocational
courts.
THESE courts were empowered to
deal with questions of competency
and with professional offenses. There
are district courts and a national
journalistic court of appeal. A court
may throw man out of the Jour-
nallstic profession, impose fines and
collect them from salaries. or issue
warnings. Members of the courts
are named by the ministry of en-
llghtenment and propaganda. but they
must be bona fide journalists and
members of the journalistic organiza-
ton.
Prison for violators.
Anybody who actually practices
| Journalism without a license can be
jailed for a year, A publisher who
employs such a man can be i'm
prisoned and barred from the busi-
ness.
| journalist who accepts or de.
mands bribe can be imprisoned.
| NAAyDONy WIN PlctctluS 10 De
journalist without being licensed can
| be fined.
At the time the degree was pomul-
gated DR.. Goebbels thus expressed
his ideas:
THE concept that there could exist
freedom of expression, detached
from national and popular interest.
is generally conceded to be on the
wane. 1t grows more and more ap-
parent, not only in Germany, but in
the whole globe, that freedom Of the
mind and freedom of expression must
be curbed wherever they begin to
conflict with the rights and obliea-
tions of the people and the BODY
polite. We have never concealed our
attitude concerning this fact.
The conception of absolute freedom
Of the press is one decidedly lib
eralistic. 1t originates, not from
I