NAZI METHODS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23400, 17 July 1939, Page 11

NAZI METHODS

SCANDAL IN PARIS PURGE PROMISED ■IIALATIIER'S ASSURANCE MANY MEN IMPLICATED ;By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright • (Deceived July Hi, 0.10 p.m.) LONDON. July 1G The French Prime Minister, M. Daladier, has personally taken charge of the investigations into Nazi propaganda methods, under the espionage laws. Tn an official statement, the 'Prime Minister assures the country , that the purge will be pursued without consideration for anyone. lit* is also resolved to prevent the Government's action becoming a matter of polemics. Publication of information in relation to the investigation henceforth will ho punishable unless sanctioned by tho authorities. The statement adds: "Tho arrested men admit that they received large sums from agents of foreign Powers."

Homes Searched by Police The scandal caused by the arrest c M. Aubin, news 'editor of Le Temp? and M. Loirier, a member of th advertising staff of the newspape Figaro, who are alleged to have rcceivei , £56,000 and £200,000 respectively fron a German source, is expected to assum considerable proportions. The police searched the homes of i number of persons believed to have ha< contact witli Herr von Bibbentrop German Foreign Minister, and Dr Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda Further arrests can be expected. Le Soir states that 150 journalist: are implicated. An Austrian Countes: was tho brains of tho organisation, bu she escaped'to Germany. Suit by Journalists Two journalists, Bobert Brasillach editor, and Pierre Gaxotte, nssistam editor of the weekly paper Je Suii Partout, are suing the Paris wireles; authorities a/id several newspapers foi £2220 damages for announcing theii arrest in connection with the Naz spying activities, says the Paris correspondent of the British United Press, Both deny receiving any payments. The article in the American magazine Time, of May 8, which is said to have given rise to the investigations in Paris, read in part^as follows: "The Paris press has long been the 6C\ver system of world journalism. Few are the Parisian newsmen who cannot be bought, rare is the newspaper unwilling to he 'subsidised.' Not only does the French Government, which always maintains a secret fund, pass out generous pay checks to writers and editors, but foreign Governments also contribute:* During the Ethiopian crisis of 1935 the Italian Government bought a few- editorial pages. The way some prominent Paris newspapers havo handled their German 'news' recently 6iiggcsts that slush funds from tho Third Reich/ sue also being passed . around. In pot and kettle fashion, Leftist editors havo cried that the Bightist press lived on funds from Germany arid Ifcly, while Bightist editors pictured tno Leftist press getting gold from Moscow. "Last wteek Premier Edouard Daladier struck terror into the hearts of foreign-subsidised journalists of both Left and Bight. Using his wide decree powers, the Premier's Government published a law which: (1) prohibited defamation or slander promoting hatred 'against any group of persons belonging to any particular race or religion'—i.e., against the Jews, a specialty of the Beich-subsidised press; (2) made it unlawful to receive from foreign countries funds-for 'anti-national propaganda'; (3) provided that any funds received for publicity campaigns, directly or indirectly, "must be reported in eight days. '

"Contending that the press decrees did not 'in any respect alter the fundamental notion of liberty,' the Daladier Government insisted that the legislation was necessary to 'prevent certain campaigns of suspicious origin tending to weaken the morale of the nation.' "

* "INVADE ENGLAND" PRACTICAL POSSIBILITY GERMAN ADMIRAL'S VIEW ' TROOPS BY AEROPLANE (Received July IG, R.li p.m.) BERLIN, July 15 In ' an, ,' article in the newspaper Deutsche Allgemeino Zeitnng, Uear-Admiral Gadow says the invasion of England is no longer academic, but practical. Ho cites British experts'' views that tho development of submarines, aeroplanes and wireless has strengthened England's defences, and mentions also tho beneof theso developments to an attacker. T{?o writer emphasises the practicability of landing troops and equipWent by parachute, and says the possibilities in this direction wore demonstrated by the transport of Moroccan troops to Spain and by British activities in Egypt, Cyprus and Palestine.

SPAIN AND ITALY "COMPLETE SOLIDARITY" POLICY OF COLLABORATION (Received July 10, r>.r, p.m.) ; • *' LONDON. July 15 General Franco and tho Italian ° re !gn Minister, Count Ciano. trj 111 H ' lr talks tho complete oiaanty of their viewpoints arid nm ' decided to develop a ora tion in mutual interests, says message from San Sebastian.