BRITISH PRESS MAGNATES

Grey River Argus, 21 October 1943, Page 5

BRITISH PRESS MAGNATES

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA. v VIEWS ON THE WAR EFFORT. (Special to N.Z. Press Assn?) (Rec. 8.30.) SYDNEY, Oct. 20. A delegation of leading British newspaper men is now viewing Australia’s war effort, and it will proceed next month to New Zealand. It comprises Sir Walter Layton (Chairman of the “News Chronicle” and “Star” Coy.), Sir Neville Pearson (Chairman of the publishing house of Arthur Pearson, Ltd.), Mr. Samuel Storey, M.P., (Chairman of the Portsmouth and Sunderland. Newspapers Limited, and former Chairman of Reuters Coyl)!; and Mr. A. W. Wood (of the London “Daily (Express. 7) Australian newspapers have enthusiastically welcomed the delegation, emphasising the importance to Australia of a fuller British knowledge of the Commonwealth’s military and inaustrial war effort. Men of this calibre may be trusted to survey the local scene with expert eyes. The members of the delegation stressed that, simultaneously with plans for invading Europe on a gigantic scale, Britain was already making long-range plans for conducting a major war against Japan. Sir N. Pearson said: Everyone knows that every square meh of ground in the British Isles is packed with troops, but there has been no general movement of troops towards the Mediterranean, although for some time now that passage has been clear. Large-scale daylight exercises have been carried, out in the Channel.” For these reasons, he explained, Britain expected a second front quite apart from the Mediterranean operations. . The leader of the delegation, Sn W. Layton, said he> did not know how long the war in Europe would last. Mr. Churchill, however, had given a working hypothesis accepted by the majority of people in England when he expressed a belief that the war with Germany would end in IJM, a P. a he implied that the war in the Pacific would be finished one year late D A Commonwealth Press delegation recently returned from “an extremely informative and valuable” tour or Great Britain. This Australian visit of distinguished British pressmen is a return of the compliment, lheir first glimpses of the Commonwaelth s industrial war effort have frankly surprised the delegation members. “I am very surprised at the vast construction activity going on,” said Sir N Pearson to-day. “The British people did not realise the vast extent of the works that are being carried on in Australia. We intend to let Britain know.” . . A The delegation will remain in Australia for about a month. They are looking forward keenly to their New Ze Th e n Sydney “Herald” editorially savs- “They will carry back to Britain n iust picture of our achievements and our efforts. Not the least important consideration among the Allies m an all-in war effort Is that each country should be made aware of the contribution of the others to the common paiKP Among peoples of the Bntisn Fmnire this is particularly the reSjJsibility of the Empire’s press. P The Sydney “Telegraph” paid a tribute to what it termed “a magmfieent front-line” war effort of the Brit ish press.” It says: “Great British dailies were the real moulders of public opinion at a time when the Government and its official organs were dZ their best to' confuse issues. These papers fought battles official obscurantism,, and established the principle that a free press was essential to Britain’s war. The Germans treated Fleet Street as a nnbtobjective, but none of Londons has missed publication for a single day. They have done a splendid job.”