CENSORSHIP IN AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23946, 13 May 1943, Page 5

CENSORSHIP IN AUSTRALIA

WARNING AGAINST ABUSES NEWSPAPERS’ ATTITUDE (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m ) SYDNEY. MAY 12. While the rights of individuals were being more and more subordinated to the needs of war, the existence of a free press became increasingly important, declared Mr R. A. Henderson, president of the Australian Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, He warned against abuses of the National Security Regulations, under which absolute power has been vested in the members of the Government, who in turn delegated much of their authority to a bureaucracy which had grown up almost overnight. "The principles of democracy cannot be disregarded, no matter how great the emergency,” said Mr Henderson. He said that in the last few weeks Australian children had been forced to attend on manpower authorities. some of them to be directed into industry. By the university quota system higher education had been suddenly denied to many Australian youths. Raids had been made without warrant on public and private places. If such regulations were associated with a censorship deliberately administered to maintain public morale by suppression, then a grave risk was being run of destroying the very fabric of the democratic system which men were giving their lives to maintain. "We are debarred from questioning the wisdom of the conception of any campaign,” said Mr Henderson. "If a highly placed officer is relieved of his command for inefficiency, or despite inefficiency is retained, we may not disclose it. “I am not questioning the honesty of the Government. I am satisfied that its policy has been inspired by its conception of the national interest; but I assert that it is impossible to achieve an informed public opinion or to be safe against the abuse of power or maladministration by the bureaucracy, while such restrictions are retained. "Newspapers dedicate themselves to the service of certain principles, the most important of which are truth and freedom of expression. These must be absolute and inviolable, and upon them there can be no compromise or bargaining. We must stand or fall upon this claim to publish the news freely and to express our views with, out restraint, subject only to the limits imposed by national security, civil laws, and the canons of decency and good taste."

AMERICANS BOMB TONKING

JAPANESE REPORT (Rcc. 7 p.m.) NEW YORK. May 11. Another raid by American aeroplanes on Tonking Province, in Indochina, was announced by the Tokyo radio, which said that the bombs killed many civilians. In Saturday’s raid the Americans bagged 21 Japanese fighters. The Tokyo radio said that seven United States bombers escorted by Warhawk fighters made the raid, but failed to hit military objectives. General Ashinari Uchjda, Japanese Director of Military Aviation, broadcasting over the Tokyo radio, said: “The Japanese Air Force is inferior in technical knowledge but superior in spiritual strength to the Americans.” He appealed for greater efforts in Japanese war production, because Japan, he said, must bomb the American mainland. The Pacific war would soon enter a critical phase which would determine whether Japan would eat or be eaten.

SEVERE FIGHTING IN HUNAN

JAPANESE CHECKED IN DRIVE ON CHANGSHA (Rec. 9' p.m.) CHUNGKING. May 11. “Japanese troops landed from 100 steam launches on the west shore of Tungting lake, in Hunan Province, but were unable to penetrate inland towards Changsha,” reports the Chinese High Command. “Severe fighting <s in progress and Japanese casualties are heavy. “Hard fighting is occurring west of the Taihan mountains, where the Chinese are advancing towards the strategically important town of Linchwan.” An earlier message said that the Japanese advance on Changsha had been checked, In North China, the Chinese had escaped encirclement in Shansi, and had withdrawn to the hills, where resistance continued. The Japanese how control the big coal and tungsten deposits in this area.

U.S. AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION

MORE HEAVY PLANES BEING BUILT (Rec. 9 p.m.) WASHINGTON. May 12. The value of production of all types of aircraft in 1944 was estimated by Mr Roosevelt at a press conference at £1,417,000,000, compared with £919,000,000 in 1943. He expressed the belief that American factories were turning out more aeroplanes than all the rest of the world, He explained that he put the figures in pounds because the emphasis had been shifted to the production of heavier aeroplanes. "We are now building relatively more heavy bombers, long-range fighters, and cargo aeroplanes, designed to take the offensive, whereas production at first emphasised the lighter bombers, divebombers, and fighters needed for defensive tactics,” said Mr Roosevelt. He added that heavy bomber output was about six months ahead of last December’s schedule. The weight of these bombers was 10 times that of a single-engined fighter.

TRANSATLANTIC AIR SERVICE

FLOATING AERODROMES PLANNED (Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 11. The establishment after the war of a trans-Atlantic air-line, \ising huge floating steel ‘‘seadronqes” at intervals of 800 miles, enabling land transport aircraft to fly to England from America, is envisaged in an application filed with the United States Civil Aeronautics Board by Pennsylvania Central Airlines. It is estimated that three seadromes would be needed, each costing about 10.000,000 dollars. They would resemble anchored aircraft-carriers, kept on an even keel by underwater floats and standing 70 feet above the ocean. The seadromes would be equipped with fuel storage, radio directional equipment, and overnight hotel accommodation for passengers, who are expected to travel on the route at a cost of six cents a mile. The American Bureau of Shipping has given the project the highest possible priority rating.