BRITISH PRESSMEN

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 20, 18 October 1944, Page 7

BRITISH PRESSMEN

Union Congress Decree Contested (Received October 17, 7 p.m.) LONDON, October 17. Only members of the National Union of Journalists are being permitted to report the proceedings of the Trade Union Congress, according to a decision by the general council. The general secretary of the T.U.C.. Sir Walter Citrine, in a statement to the congress said that the council would watch with great care how the newspapers behaved toward the congress. There were certain pow’ers resident in the unions associated with the congress, and' the situation would be carefully considered in the light of what happened. Most of the London and provincial newspapers are not represented at the congress, in accordance with a decision made by a newspaper proprietors’ conference. The “Daily Mail,” in a leading article on the position, said: “The ‘Daily Mail’ has no quarrel with the Trade Union Congress or the National Union of Journalists, but when the unions attempt to dictate to this and other newspapers who should or should not be sent to their proceedings we feel they are going outside their province.” “The Times” in a leader saVs that the usual staff of the reporters from “The Times” is not attending the congress. Unless liberty of selection is most jealously guarded, as it will be, there can be no guarantee of the newspapers’ independence, it adds.

Sharp rivalry has developed recently in Britain between the National Union of Journalists and the Institute of Journalists, involving in part the question of recognition by employers.