British Press Interests Pressing For U.S.A. Financial Paper Supply

Grey River Argus, 7 May 1948, Page 7

British Press Interests Pressing For U.S.A. Financial Paper Supply

(Rec. 9.6). LONDON, May 6. The allocation of about twenty-two-million dollars, for newsprint, is suggested for the first year’s Marshall Aid for the United Kingdom. This gives a chance of improving the British newsprint situation, says “The Times” in an editorial, yet the Government apparently is looking this gift horse distastefully in the mouth, and has been considering—fit least until recently—whether t 0 impose still more import restrictions. Newsprint cannot be treated on this side of the Iron Curtain as just another material commodity. The cutting of supplies, even from economic motives, is an effective form of censorship. The Government has still to show that it is sincere in its support given at Geneva to freedom of information. Mr H. M. Heywood, of Kemsley Newspapers Combine Ltd., referred to newsprint restrictions in his presidential address to the Newspaper society at a meeting in London. He said it was a contradiction in terms for the Government to protest its faith in the well-informed democratic electorate and at the same time refuse the nation adequate means, through newspapers, of following the often fantastic changes in the nation’s everv-dav life. Anxiety on the plans of the Royal Commission on the press about adequate reporting ol local affairs had been noticeable. The newspaper society represents all provincial, daily and weekly newspapers. Newspapers And Enlightenment LONDON. May 4. The president of the Newspaper Society (Mr R. A. Gibbs) at the society’s annual dinner, expressed the hone that newsprint and newsprint pulp would one day be regarded as a vital international medium for public enlightenment and that, "freed from all currency barriers, its world distribution will be so adjusted that nations where the principles of freedom of knowledge and thought are most restricted and endangered should not lack the means to preserve them”. He said that the Marshall Plan included an offer of a substantial volume of newsprint. Americans had been shocked to realise the effect of the “unwittfng censorship of the dollar” on the knowledge of the starved nations of Europe. ’ The Solicitor-General (Sir Frank Soskice) said that as the State assumed new responsibilities the community must place even more reHance” on the newspapers to ensure that these ~new responsibilities were properly discharged. WASHINGTON, May 4. The Rules Committee of the United States House of Representatives today approved a Bill that would permit the imprisonment of journalists who print “leaks” of confidential information given to Congressional committees. The Bill, which still has to be passed by the House and the Senate, and approved by the President, provides that executive departments should supply Congressional committees with whatever information they need, but that if the information is confidential it would be an offence for anyone to divulge, or publish ir.. The maximum penalty would be one year’s gaol, and a fine of 1000 dollars.