PRESS CENSORSHIP

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1944, Page 2

PRESS CENSORSHIP

SYDNEY AGITATION Students’ Part In It (Rec. 7.30) SYDNEY, May 14. The Commonwealth AttorneyGeneral (Dr H. V. Evatt) said at a press conference in Sydney that he had received a report stating that every organiser of a recent street procession by university students to protest against suppression of the Sydney newspapers had been “either an employee of a newspaper or a wireless man.” Dr Evatt did not reveal the source of the report he had received. It is learned that Commonwealth Peace Officers, who are controlled by _Dr Evatt’s department, last week visited the university to inquire into reports about the street procession. The officers interviewed officials of the University Labour Club about the procession. Sydney University professors, as well as students, resent the allegations reflecting- on the student body in the report quoted by the Federal Attorney, Dr Evatt. The report stated that the recent student “free speech” procession “was promoted and sponsored by a few students having close newspaper anj wireless associations.” ' Dr Evatt said last night that the publication of his references to the student demonstration was a breach of confidence, as he had been speaking to -the reporters “off the record.” 'According to to-day’s “Sunday Telegraph,” four of the reporters who attended the press conference claim that Dr Evatt in no way suggested that he was speaking “oft the record” on the matter. Professor F. A. Bland, Professor of Public Administration, said: *T find it extraordinary that Dr Evatt, a professed supporter of public liberties, should be using public funds in sending the Peace Officers round to belittle a spontaneous demonstration against one of the worst outrages in Australian history. I am quite sure that the arrangements for the demonstration were spontaneous.” * Mr H. D. Black, senior lecturer in economics, said: “I am no agent for the press or radio. The students’ meeting and procession were a protest against an unparalleled piece of authoritarianism.” The president of the Students’ Representative Council at Sydney University (Miss Moya McDad.) has emphatically denied the allegation contained in Dr Evatt’s statement. Miss Avrill Collins, president of the University Labour Club, has described a long interview she had with Commonwealth peace officers. She said she informed them that she had now decided that an allegation made by the Labour Club that the procession was not spontaneous could not. be substantiated, and she had decided to retract it. She said: “The peace officers advised me not to be too hasty about retracting. They said, ‘You don’t know what forces are behind you.’ ” The president of the Australian Newspaper Proprietors’ Association (Mr R. A. Henderson) said be was certain that no Sydney newspaper bad been in any way associated with the organisation of the students’ procession. He added: “Dr Evatt’s i announcement of the report he had 1 received, with its implied criticism of the newspapers, appears to indicate that Dr Evatt supports the suppression of the Sydney newspapers. This is surprising because Dr Evatt himself has been a severe critic of the use of the censorship- for political purposes.” No statements have been issued concerning the outcome of talks on the censorship between the Commonwealth authorities and newspaper interests. These talks were suggested by the Chief Justice, Sir J’ohn Latham. It has been announced that the High Court has now fixed a tenta- ; five dates at the end of May for the hearing of newspaper actions against, the Commonwealth to determine the validity of censorship orders and regulations. The before a magis- . irate of certain newspapers for their .alleged censorship breaches have been further adjourned until early in June.

Marshal Tito Censored ALLIED ACTION DENOUNCED (Rec. 10.0) NEW YORK. May 1.4. The Allied censors at Algiers have censored he first interview given

by Marshal Tito, of Yougslavia, to the American press. The censors prevented the Associated Press from transmitting an • interview. Representations were made to Washington and to London to get a clearance for the story. These were unsuccessful. The executive director of the American Press, Mr Kent Copper sent a message to General Maitland Wilson, saying: “Suppression of this interview constitutes a political censorship, despite your assurances and those of the British and American Governments that a poli--1 tical censorship would not be int.roj duced in the Mediterranean theatre. We would like a statement of the reasons for suppression.” General Maitland Wilson did not reply-