Evening star., 1947-06-15

eign consumption while curtailing
it at home.
Danger signals were flying in
China, the Middle East and Latin
America.
The overall picture, however, dis
closed that press restrictions still
were most severe in countries under
Russian domination; that the mill
tary occupation authorities main
tanned firm grip in the occupied
countries; that the United States
and Britain still were leading the
way in complete freedom, and that
the battle was being waged with
utmost vigor by conscientious edi-
tors around the globe.
Responsibilities Discussed
Furthermore, the United States
and British press was engaged in
a period Gf soul searching and self
examination to meet frank criti-
cism voiced in those countries, A
royal commission is shaping up an
examination of the British press.
United States editors still are de-
batting report from special COM
mission That Americas freedom OF
the press is in danger largely due
to its own shortcomings.
Also beginning to be heard more
and more in debates on press free
dom was talk of responsibilities as
well as rights Of the press.
Briefly, on the debit side:
/. A Mexican editor was killed fol
exposing State governmental cor
ruption.
2. The editor of an Argentine
newspaper served five days in jail
because of an article against sew
eral Senators.
8. Restrictions were imposed in
the interior of China for the first
time in more than a year: many
editors and reporters were arrested
4. Nicaragua and Paraguay
clS0ped down strict censorship and
Guatemala promulgated a stringent
decree.
S. Two newspapers were suspend
ed in Lebanon.
Progress Recorded
On the credit side:
l. The United Nations Assembly
on December IA, 1916, unanimously
approved a resolution stating that
freedom OF information is a funda-
mental human right and is the
touchstorie Of all the freedoms to
which the United Nations is conse-
Grated" 1t also approved a world
conference on freedom of informa-
ton
2. The United States Supreme
Court ruled May 10 that judges
may not use contempt proceedings
to protect themselves from criticism.
3. The Russians relaxed censor
ship to pass dispatches on the Coun-
Gil of Foreign Ministers in Moscow
1t was clamped down again as soon
as the conference ended.
4. Foreign correspondents gener-
ally were not hampered. although
Bulgaria, France and Spain ex-
PEELED certain newsmen.
Here. Is the situation Of the last
six months in rough outline:
United Nations: Trygve Lie, U. N
secretary general, has publicly de-
clared his policy is for open and
free sessions wherever possible. The
U. N. subcommission on freedom of
information and of the press met
In May and planned for the world
conference on freedom of informa-
tion, tentatively set for March or
April, 1948, in Europe.
United States:
A principal development dEing
the six months was the report March
26 of the three-year study of Amer
ican media of information by a
commission headed by Robert M.
Hutchins, chancellor of the Uni
versity of Chicago. This report
found that while American free
dom Of the press is in danger 1t
will not be swept away overnight" /"
Defends u. S. Press
Wilbur Forrest, president of the
American Society of Newspaper Edi-
tors and assistant editor of the New
York Herald Tribune. replied that
the American press sis probably the
best in the world"
Britain: The British are watching
the royal commission but its crea-
ton has made no apparent change
in newspaper policies. Announcing
its composition in a statement in
the House of Commons March 26,
Prime Minister Attlee said its task
would be:
With the object of furthering the
free expression of opinion through
the press and the greatest prac-
ticable accuracy in the presentation
of news, to inquire into the control,
management and ownership of the
newspaper and periodical press and
the news agencies. including the
financial structure and the monop-
olistic tendencies in control, and to
make recommendations thereon
The inquiry was suggested by the
nations union of journalists during
series of speeches by cabinet min
listers criticizing the bulk of the
British press, which is predominant
ly conservative and opposed to the
Labor government. The gist of the
criticism was that majority seq
ment of the press distorted the news,
apparently for political ends.
Chinese Editors Arrested
Soviet Russia: Except for the in
terlude of the Foreign Ministers
Conference, the press situation In
Russia and Soviet satellites has not
N -