NOW BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN— The Case Of A Mr Peet: Chooses. To Go With Reds

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1950, Page 5

NOW BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN— The Case Of A Mr Peet: Chooses. To Go With Reds

BERLIN, June 12 (Rec 11 a.m.). —John Peet, chief Berlin correspondent for Reuter’s news agency, announced today that he is asking for asylum from the East German Communist Government as a protest against “American warmongering. \ The 34-year-old London-born Peet made this declaration at a press conference arranged by the East German information chief, Gerhart Eisler, at the former Nazi Propaganda Ministry on Wilhelmstrasse.

Peet, who ’said he had fought with the International Brigade in Spain 14 years ago, read a five-page denunciation in German against American “imperialism,” “war preparations, ’ and “lies.” . Asked by Allied correspondents whether he was a Communist Party member Peet replied: “Never.” _

Claims In Defence He claimed that his decision had been made over a long period, but had become imperative after he noted how the Western press “distorted and slandered the peaceful German rally of youth here last month.” He. said :“I was not forced to this by some Asiatic secret method. As an English patriot and a friend of peace, I can no longer collaborate in warlike policies.” He added that his decision “was not bought through Russian gold.” Peet said: “I refuse any longer to be the tool of American imperialism and the mouthpiece of warmongers. West Germany is being prepared as a springboard for a new war.” He claimed that he had been informed that Field Marshal Lord Montgomery “wants a new German army as soon as possible.” He told the press conference: When I became a Reuter correspondent in 1945, I hoped that by means of objective reporting from Vienna, Warsaw and Berlin I could play my small part in helping the peaceful development of Europe and the world. At first, in the immediate post-war years, this was to some extent possible, but slowly I discovered that messages which spoke favourably about developments, for instance, in the German democratic republic were being suppressed by the newspaper. Every Western journalist, if he is honest, can only laugh sadly at the so-called Western freedom of press. There is freedom only for warmongers, and we, the correspondents, are paid to supply the sort of stories they like, but we have no freedom to report truly what is, in fact, going on- or to fight for peace. 1 can no longer supply the warmongers with weapons.”

Immediately after the conference, which was filmed by a communist newsreel man, Peet told one of his Western journalist friends that he had already been granted asylum in •East Germany. He said he had been given a job as a journalist working in the East German Press Ministry.,

A Complete Surprise Reuter’s headquarters in London said: “Mr Peet’s action comes as a complete surprise. None of his British or American newspaper and news agency colleagues in Germany apparently had any forewarning or inkling of the fact that he had any pronounced political views. His news messages have always been accurate, impartial and beyond reproach. The announcement added: “Mr Peet ceases to have any connection with Reuters from today.” It added-that Mr Peet’s replacement had already taken over the news service from Berlin. Russian Publicity® The Russian-operated radio in Berlin issued a special news broadcast reporting Peet’s press conference. A programme of music was interrupted and the commentator announced: “Attention, attention! Stand by for an important news bulletin!” Radio Berlin then played a recording of Peet’s conference.