NAZI GRIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23226, 21 December 1938, Page 13

NAZI GRIP

CENSORED PRESS SMALL DEMOCRACIES DISQUIETING FEATURES MINISTERS' THREATS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, Dec. 15 Europe is' suffering from paralysis of free speech, anything unpalatable to the Governments of every country east of the Rhine, except Switzerland, now being suppressed. The most disquieting feature of this position is that Germany's censorship pressure, extending to the surrounding democracies, Belgium, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Finland and Holland, is daily growing more intense. These Governments are finding it increasingly difficult to withstand Dr. Goebbels, who wants discontinuance of criticisms of the Nazi regime and the elimination of suggestions that Germany is militarist and warlike and any reference to pogroms. The Spectator publishes an article from a. Scandinavian correspondent, who says that copies of Herr Hitler's "Mein Kainpf" are provided free at hotels, which are strewn with pro-Ger-man and anti-British propaganda.

German Ministers threaten commercial reprisals if press articles are unfriendly. Denmark has already surrendered to threats, and Sweden requests editors to be careful in comment on Germany.

A Finnish Minister has been compelled to resign, because Germany did not approve of him. The Swiss and Dutch press have been threatened with loss of advertisements if they do not become more friendly. A conservative Copenhagen newspaper dismissed its foreign news editor for quoting a remark by a Liberal member of the British House of Commons and' printed a humble apology at tho request of the German Legation. ACTION IN HUNGARY NEWSPAPER SUSPENDED (Received December '2O, 11.55 p.m.) BUDAPEST, Dec. 20 Tho Hungarian Government has banned tho Social Democrats' daily newspaper Neps/.ava until January 17 for publishing a leading article criticising the policies of the totalitarian States. WARNING TO ITALY FRENCH POSSESSIONS "HANDS-OFF" DECLARATION CONFLICT THE ALTERNATIVE Independent Cable Service PARIS, Dec. 19 In a speech in the Chamber of Deputies, M. Bonnet, Foreign Minister, bluntly warned Italy that "any attempt to take any part of French territory will lead to armed conflict." Later tho Minister explained to journalists that he meant not merely Corsica, Savoy and Tunis, but every French possession. The Chief of the French War Staff, General Gamelin, and Vice-Admiral Parian will shortly tour North Africa to inspect the defences of Algiers and Morocco. GERMAN CAMPAIGN OPEN SUPPORT OF ITALY FRENCH GOVERNMENT WARNED (Received December 20, 11.55 p.m.) Times Cable BERLIN, Dec. 20 The German newspapers now openly support the undefined Italian claims regarding Jibuti, the Suez Canal and Tunis. They completely ignore the threats in the officially-inspired Italian press against France, and warn the French Government against taking up a position which would exclude tho possibility of a "cheap and peaceful" agreement. Italy, it is claimed, lias every right to be dissatisfied with tho consequences of the French policy in Tunis.