FASCIST NEWSPAPERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20075, 12 October 1928, Page 13

FASCIST NEWSPAPERS.

MUSSOLINI ON FREEDOM.

OTHER COUNTRIES COMPARED.

Australian and N.Z. Preaa Association. (Received October 11, 11.-10 p.m.) ROME, Oct. 11

In tho course of an address to 70 directors of Fascist daily newspapers, the Prime Minister, Signor Mussolini, claimed that the Italian press was tho freest in the world.

In explanation of that statement, he said it was in an all-embracing regime. Tho press must not be a stranger to general unity. Therefore, it avoided what was harmful and sought what was useful for the regime.

Newspapers m other countries were ■under the orders of plutocratic party groups. They were reduced to the necessity of buying and selling exciting news. They wero getting into tho hands of a restricted number of persons, who regarded them as a trade, liko iron or leather.

Italian journalism, on r.ho other hand, ■was free because it served the regime. It had no need to await orders, because it received orders from its own conscience. Tho Fascist, press was like an orchestra playing the same note of its own accord. Signor Mussolini proceeded to tell tho journalists that their task would become more important in a few months, when the Italian people would be called upon to vote at the elections and to demonstrate to tho world their full concurrence-in the regime. It was necessary to prepare for this great demonstration, and the newspapers had the means for doing so wurth-