EMPIRE DEVELOPMENT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 26, 31 January 1924, Page 9

EMPIRE DEVELOPMENT

INFLUENCE OF THE PRESS

LITERARY QUALITY OF NEWSPAPERS

fFKOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) • LONDON, 15th November. Last night Lord Burnham (proprietor of the "Daily Telegraph") read a paper before the Fellows of the Eoyal Colonial Institute on "The Influence of the Press on the Development of Empire." There was a good attendance, but many more New Zealanders would have been there had it not been that this meeting clashed with the reception given by Sir James and Lady Allen in honour of Mr. Massey. ■ . Lord Burnham said that the freedom of the Press was distinctly British in its origin and in its extension throughout the British world, and without it British freedom would have no meaning and no guarantee. "I believe that the first daily newspaper published in London was the 'London Post,' in 1704, in the Augustan age of English literature, as Queen Anne's newspapers of the day had a literary quality, which has never' been absent from English journalism.. Addison, in 'The Spectator,' and Richard Steele, in 'The Tatler," anticipated in many ways the periodicals and weeklies of our own time in the delightlul essays on men and things, which are so distinctive and graceful a part of English letters. I" know no pleasanter form of cultured enjoyment to-day than to take from the shelves of our English library in its fine calf binding, mellowed with the rich tone of years that have passed, a volume of 'The Spectator,' and read what we should call either a descriptive article or a short story from the pen of Addison, or of even one of his staff of pleasant scholars. In the British Press of to-day there is not much of this sort of writing, and the light touch and pretty fancy of the English essay has almost vanished from our pages. Perhaps pur reading public is of coarser stuff, and prefers mysteries and what are called the trade 'human interest' stories, the 'sob-stuff' of the American Press. I think it is. a pity, but pity 'tis, 'tis true." ' '■ • . AN UNPRECEDENTED CONGRESS. _ Lord Burnham holds the views that it is the spirit of independence which has made the newspaper Press so great a power throughout the British Dominions, and bids fair to make it the greatest power in the democratic State. From the first it had a natural and reasoned faith in the doctrines of constitutional liberty and equal justice. "The health and wealth of the Commonwealth which wo call the British Empire depends entirely on the public opinion of its different parts, or perhaps, to speak more precisely, on its effective expression. This is what makes it so important that there should be the fullest understanding and, goodwill between the various Dominions and colonies of which it is constituted. Originally and historically the newspaper Press of the whole Empire has been built up on .a common plan, even though in the , caEe of the Dominion of Canada it may have been altered to-American adaptation but it has the same general characteristics and cherishes the same general ideals. The newspapers of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Dominion of-New Zealand are more English than many of the English papers, which have been solargely altered by American/ novelties. When we newspaper men of the British Empire meet, it is wonderful how much we have in common and how little dif-" ference there is between us in the things that really matter. Although the newspapers of the British Empire may not, be standardised, the standard of conduct and production is fairly even, and every year the necessity for common action in regard to news service and public recognition increases and widens. It was the brilliant idea of Sir Harry Brittain to get together the leading men of the newspaper world throughout the Empire in the first Imperial Press Conference of 1909, over which my father had the honour to preside. It was a remarkable congress which attracted the attention notonly of the country but of the whole world, because it was without precedent or parallel, and for the' first time showed in personal embodiment the Herculean strength of the newspaper Press aa.it was then, and in the earnest of what it was to be. The great statesmen of that day, the great soldiers, and the great sailors all addressed us, and Lord Rosebery gave his famous description of Europe as an armed camp 'amid a silence in which you cOuld hear a leaf fall.' It was not only a revelation, it was a selfrevelation of Press power, which astounded none more than the leaders of the newspaper world. .. . Within the Empire we a^'e on safe ground, and I belieVe that nothing will tend more to the contentment and to the prosperity of all parts of the British Empire than a real and lasting Empire Press Union." NEED TO KEEP THE STANDARD HIGH. Lord Milner, who took part,in the discussion, said: "There is as much good writing in the English newspapers now ,as ever there was, but it is less noticeable consequent on the immense increase in the number of newspapers in which the writing is inferior. The Press in' the old days addressed small cultivated .audiences, but now it addresses large audiences, who are not composed in the same proportion of cultivated people.' To-day, therefore, it disregards—can afford to disregard—those qualities of style' which ar e essential in the writers who appeal to smaller and more generally cultivated audiences. To make my peace with the Press after these_ observations I will say a few words' in its honour, based on my own experiences. I believe the Press conferences have exercised immense influence in fostering the spirit of a wider patriotism—and lam glad to think that these' great meetings of Empire pressmen are to be continued from time to time. The next will, be in Australia, and I am sure it will have a most valuable effect. The _ English Press as a whole is very patriotic in spirit. The only reason why the Press censorship was effective during the war was that the pressmen themselves kept it in order. The most valuable control exercised upon the Press was exorcised by the Press itself. The influence which the Press exercises will continue, but only on condition that the rules and practices of the highest standard newspapers are followed in the future by an ever-increasing number of papers. If ever the day comes when those high principles are departed from, nothing can save the Press from losing influence. . There are two things absolutely vital to the proper conduct of newspapers, and to depart, from which is an abuse of power—(l) perfectly honest and impartial reports of what is said and what actually takes place; and (2) the opening of the columns for the expression of eveiy opinion, however much opposed they may be to those of the newspaper itself, provided they are expressed in reasonable language. If jft we're to become t't? general practice td. report only what suited the paper, there' would be a revolt against newspapers,

and the people would be driven in selfdefence to have something i n the nature of public-owned newspapers, controlled by.responsible public authorities, in order to learn what actually was goin°- on In that way the public would be able to protect/' itself against' cooked news. Everyone would much rather see newspapers conducted like that with which Lord Burnham is associated and five or six great English newspapers, all unique for the excellence and truthfulness' and fairness of their reports, and for. the readiness with which they afford opportunity for the expression of opinions other than their own."