BRITISH PRESS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20586, 8 December 1928, Page 19

BRITISH PRESS.

PROBLEM FOR A LABOUR •; GOVERNMENT. CONTROL 5P BROADCASTING. MR EDGAR WALLACE’S PROLIFIC , OUTPUT. V (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, November 2. ■ Sir Robert Donold, speaking on “ The Newspaper of the Future” to a-meeting of journalists, mentioned the increasing tendency ""of the newspapers of the country to be controlled by group ownership,'and said that in England 9D per cent, of the press , would be hostile to, a Labour Government. He asked what the Government would do, and said it could not establish a’, censorship, or suppress newspapers, or imprison editors. ( It might declare that the prejudiced and hostile-attitude of' the' press misrepresented this country, abroad, and injured our; national, prestige and credit. If it sought- a counter-offensive "an'.instrument was ready, at hand. - -If 1 - could make radio, serve its interests; , ! '

.A; Gonservative , 'Government Had already socialised that industry. News collected by 8.8. C. reporters from foreign radio services could be broadcast to subscribers,' and amplifiers ■installed id public squares, halls, and meeting places, -where news and entertainment would, be given free. The Radio Times, an official Slate papeV, could be turned into a daily,-published in . several national centres, and all listeners would have to buy it, as programmes would be published nowhere else. ' Its circulation would run. into many millions. The Government could develop the news side of the paper-and make it a medium of propaganda. Sir Robert, said that the commercial future of the press,.which represented millions of capital supplied by hundreds of thousands of investors, was in no danger.' The phenomenal success-, of newspapers since the war .. had been largely due to the growth of advertising, wliich had now been developing, into a great science. There was mass advertising fdr the first time—advertising a .whole industry, a. -.town, a . province, and the Empire, y-The'best -remedy for unemployment was more' advertising, .as ' advertising created demands on retailers and stimulated manufactures. -, MR EDGAR WALLACE.. Mr Edgar Wallace, Hyho was being entertained by the London Press Club before his departure to America, made aii offer of a donation of £SOO for the establishment of , a Press Club Fund; to he administered-in a manner similar to N the Gteen Room Fund. Mr Wallace said he had known of members who . though sudden. adversity or sickness had. been walking about practically destitute, too proud to. appeal to. the Newspaper Press Fund, and unwilling 1 ; to, allow the circumstances to become known io'their fellow members. “That/’’ he .added, “must not' happen■ again if we can Help it.” . . , The luncheon had been arranged in order to give members an = opportunity ' of wishing bon voyage ' to - MrEdgar Wallace, who is leaving this country shortly on a-visit to America in connection with the production there of several of his plays. It was made ■ the occasion of-some excellent fun at the expense'of the guest of honour, whose many- and varied; activities. as playwright, author, film director, racehorse owner, and sporting writer were i all suitably indicated on the special menu card; His prolific output of; novels was responsible for a footnote-recording the fact that the.card had been printed by students of 'the London School of Printing “in recognition -of Edgar’s-valuable assistance in 'keeping' ipanj: otherwise stranded printers in work.”

Lord Riddell, in supporting, the toast of the. guest’s health proposed by the chairman, confessed to; being a fervent admirer of Mr Edgar Wallace,. and proceeded to tell tlie story -of an American whom he met a day or two ago- lookin'* very . deprhsted... Led to disclose the cansc of his depression, the American said he had been visiting Edgar Walhce, and.had found him in a plate-glass enclosure which contained-no fewer, than 12 clictaphonGs he was diet atmg alternately. “There is ho American who can do that,” he had admitted sorrowfully/—(Laughter. “ When people say we are a decadent people, proceeded Lord Riddell, “I point to Edgar Wallace.. Not ohlv' is 1 '" iter and; a great plavwnght, but he is also a' great commercial man. , It is very, seldom: 'that you hnd those qualities' combined.'’"