Evening star., 1939-04-25
Government CLAMPS
Rigid Control Upon
French Press
Foreign Propaganda
; And Attacks on Race or
Religion Banned

ana AttoCkS on k0ce or
Religion Banned
~ the Associated.Press
PARIS. April 25-The French
government today clamped down a
rigid press law forbidding publica-
taon of foreign propaganda and
attacks on race or religion under
the penalty of heavy fines and i'm
trisonment.
The governments sweeping con-
Gol. established under its parlia-
nent-conferred dictatorial decree
powers, was believed to be directed
principally at curbing a growing
number of pamphlets bitterly at
lacking Jews and an increasing
number of political journals accused
Of being subsidized from abroad
y Members of the government IN
the past have expressed fear that
money from Germany and Italy
vas being judiciously distributed
TO some sections of the French press
either as outright bribes or dis
gtlised as advertising.
Involved in the governments
concern was fear that colored
news dispatches might divide
French public opinion in times OF
crisis.
Fascist Financing Charged.
sLeftist newspapers have accused
Rightist sheets of being financed
N German and Italian sources.
The Rightists have been quick to
netort that the Leftist press is being
subsidized by Soviet Russia.
While the DEGREES as now worded
give the government power only to
prosecute offenders in courts after
publication. the anti-propaganda
law contains a clause which some
sources said the government might
Hold as a club over newspapers.
The decree says future measure
will regulate conditions for enforcing
a declaration of all funds received
for publicity of any sort.
1t was pointed out that this might
be amplifled to give the government
power to investigate the financial
records of any newspaper
Inciting Articles Barred.
The DEGREES, signed by President
Albert Lebrun last Friday but kept
secret until their publication in the
official journal today. were frankly
declared to be designed to modify
the French press liberties law. more
than half century old.
The official explanation of the new
press law referred to the govern
ments declaration before Parliament
October 4, 1898, that "all that excites
hatred, all that pits Frenchman
against Frenchman cannot but be
considered as treason"
The decree forbade publication.
under penalty of a heavy fine and
imprisonment, of anything tending
to stir up racial or religious hatred.
Included under the ban are attacks.
political or otherwise. on anyone
based on race or religion.
Penalties on Propaganda.
A supplementary decree imposed
even heavier penalties for publica-
ton OF foreign propaganda. 1t gave
the government the right to con-
flscate the property of anyone found
guilty and to outlaw his civil rights.
The same decree ordered all funds
received from abroad, either directly
or indirectly, for publicity campaigns
OF any sort to be declared to local
police officials within eight days.
The decree was published one day
after orders to three organizations
in the former German provinces,
Alsace-Lorraine, to cease their &C
tivities and disband.
They were the Young Mems
Group" led by Hermann Bickler a
former Prussian; the Edwin Won
Steinbach Club and the Alsatian
Peoples Intellectual and Cultural
Union.
While vigilant at home, France
warily followed Britain's lead in
sending her Ambassador back to
Berlin prior to Reichsfuehrer Hitler's
answer next Friday to President
Roosevelts appeal for non-aggres-
SlOll guar dIlIecS,
DemobilizatiOn May Be Asked.
The French envoy, Robert Coulon-
DIRE, arranged to depart late today
for the post he left March 18, three
days after the Czecho-Slovak re-
public was dissolved. M. Coulondre
may follow reported British inten-
tions and ask German demobiliza-
ton and support of the Roosevelt
plea.
In some quarters the British move
caused concern because it was in
terpreted as evidence Prime Min
lister Chamberlain still clung to the
fragments of the appeasement pol
Icy he pursued until Hitler finally |
disme embered Czecho-Slovakia.