FACT OR FICTION?

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23161, 10 April 1937, Page 14

FACT OR FICTION?

THE SWINTON LEGEND UNKNOWN TO NEW YORK TIMES (Per United Press Association) 1 INVERCARGILL, April 9. The New York Times has no knowledge either of an editor named John Swinton or of the attack on the American newspaper press, which was attributed to him by the controller of the National Commercial Broadcasting Service (the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeoui) in a broadcast address from the “ Friendly Road ” station in Auckland, last Sunday night. In the course of a violent attack on the New Zealand press, Mr Scrimgeour. expressed his agreement with a quotation attributed to John Swinton, who he referred to as a former editor of the New York Times. In this Swinton was alleged to have stated that there was no such thing as a free and independent press in America, that the business of the journalist was to destroy the truth and to pervert and vilify, and to sell himself and his country for his employers., The Southland Times sent the folcablegram to the New York Times:—“Have you or any other New York paper had an editor named John Swinton? Is his alleged attack on the newspaper press fact or fiction?” The following reply was received to-night from the New York Times: —“ Swinton unknown to us; likewise his attack.”