NEWS BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4452, 30 January 1940, Page 4 (Supplement)

NEWS BEHIND THE HEADLINES

The Inside Story of What is Happening in the World To-Day

. . . WHERE NEWS COMES FROM. Many readers have asked what are our sources of information. The matter contained in our “News Behind the Headlines” columns is derived from special correspondents in Europe and America who serve a number of papers all over the world. These correspondents have sources of information not available to the public. Such intelligence as the censors permit reaches us by airmail so that the news is still fresh. One of these correspondents is Mr. Clanude Cockburn, whose weekly news letter, “The Week,” has won,an enviable reputation in Europe and America. The “Week” was founded in March, 1933, to help fill the demand of people who want —in addition to their other reading of daily and weekly newspapers -—to get an accurate weekly account of events which, though of importance, for certain reasons do not appear in the printed press.

It was found to have an especial value in England in view of the extent to which important information (sometimes theoretically “secret,” and sometimes common knowledge only to a small and specified circle) is habitually omitted from the ordinary daily and weekly newspapers in that country, for reasons of financial policy or “discretion,” on official advice, or simply because it is not judged of sufficient immediate appeal to very large circulations.

Despite recurrent attempts at suppression or purchase, it has maintained its independent existence throughout over five years. Its original circulation was confined almost entirely to diplomatic, financial and political circles. Since it has never, for obvious reasons, aimed at more than an extremely limited number of readers, it has never been advertised. Its remarkable present circulation has been built up solely on “mouth-to-mouth” advertising, and occasional circularisation of people who, by the nature of their work, might be likely to need it. It is perhaps worth mentioning that in the daily, weekly and monthly press of the United States and Canada it is to-day the most quoted non-daily paper in Europe. The demand in America was so strong that a special edition of “The Week” is published in New York from information cabled out from London. , . . LIGHTNING WAR. There seems to be an idea among Hitler’s advisers that as the Allies realise that the German output of armaments is so much greater it will be the British who will be driven to risk a lightning attack.” Aerial attacks on submarine bases are expected. While these plans may be dismissed as rumours by “official circles,” there are many people in London who believe that they are very near the truth.