Evening star., 1953-12-27

start OF World war ! ana per-
haps before.
West Germany - Publishers
have long had virtually free rein
over distribution of news. Oc-
cupation authority over the Ger
man press, rarely exercised. will
be abolished when the peace con-
tract is ratified. In West Berlin.
which is surrounded by the So
Wet zone, there is a tendency to-
ward voluntary suppression Of
subjects critical of the West Ger
man government in order not to
supply the Communists with
propaganda ammunition.
East Germany-The press and
radio are rigidly controlled by
the Communist regime. Nothing
gets into print or on the air
which has not been screened by
trusted Red editors and occa-
sionally Russian censors.
YugOSlavia - Foreign corre-
spondents are free to write and
send what they please without
direct censorship. But they run
the risk of incurring the wrath
of President Tito's Communist
regime if they write critical
stories without mailing down ts.le
facts firmly. The domestic press
and radio remain under govern
ment ownership and, of course,
close supervision.
Greece-No censorship. The
Parliamentary Recess Commis-
sion passed a rigid new libel law
August / increasing the severity
of fines and prison sentences for
those found guilty of sending out
false reports about the Greek
currency or armed forces, or
articles deriding or insulting
leaders of recognized political
parties or authorities.
Spain-The Ministry of Infor-
nation continues to maintain
strong control over the domestic
press and information available
to foreign correspondents. There
is no direct censorship of out
going news by foreign correspon-
dents.
Egypt-Censorship on incom-
ing and outgoing news abolished
in July. But the local press still
is censored and there is censor
ship of mails.
Saudi Arabia-Foreign corre-
Spondents are rarely admitted
into the country. The Associated
Press received the news of King
Ibn Saud'S death from nearby
Bahrein. which has no censor
ship.
J. 'Iran-The new royalist gov
ernment of Premier Fazollah
zahedi ordered David Walker.
British correspondent of the
London News Chronicle, out of
the country in October without
giving any reason. Mr.. Walker
was quoted as saying men in the
Ministry of Interior questioned
him about his stories. There is.
however, no outright censorship
of outgoing news.
China-The Communist gov
ernment of mainland China has
completely closed the door to
Western correspondents except
those working for the Communist
press.
FOrmOsa - No formal CEN.
sorship, but correspondents who
take an independent attitude
are quickly tabled as aafriendlys
and obstacles are put in their
way. A critical neWslnan soon
finds news sources on Formosa
have dried up.
Argentina - Foreign CORE
spondents noted a sharp i'm
proveinent in their relations with
the government of President
Juan D. Peron following the
good will visit of DR.. Milton
Eisenhower, the United States
Presidents brother. But pres
sures to control the flow Of in
formation continue-particularly
against the Argentine press.
There is no direct censorship of
dispatches sent abroad, but the
Office of Posts and Telegraphs
and a congressional committee
made Investigations of dis
patches filed by correspondents
and stories about Argentina en-
tering from abroad. No action
was taken on these investiga-
tions. Some communications
companies, however. are fearful
of handling dispatches on politi-
cal subjects.
DR.. Manuel v. OrdoneZ, attor-
ney for the appropriated BuenoS
Aires newspaper La PrenSa, was
jailed September 9 On his return
from a tour of Europe and the
United States. DR.. Ordonez had
been fighting for the return of
the once great independent La
Prensa to it's former owner, DR..
Alberto Gainza Paz, who has
been in exile since the papers
seizure two years ago. DR.. Or
donez finally was released No
vember IL with no formal charge
filed against him.
Other newspapers in the prov
inces have shared fates similar
to that of La Prensa and now are
being published by organizations
or persons friendly to the gov
ernment. A number Of editors
have been arrested. David
Michael Torino, editor and pub
Usher of the Salta Province
newspaper Ell Intransigente, still
uaS in nrison after three wears