DIFFERENCES EXAGGERATED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25737, 8 January 1945, Page 3

DIFFERENCES EXAGGERATED

APPEAL TO THE PRESS RUGBY, Jan. 5. M Masigli, the French Ambassador, . speaking to the foreign Press Association in London, appealed to the press not .to exaggerate the importance of the “disagreements between the Allies in the political adjustments being prepared. “It is inevitable that disagreement should arise between the Allied Governments, however close their understanding," he said. This will surprise no .one except those who fail to reflect on the complexity of the questions raised at the present time and the multiplicity of the mterests in-

volved." . M. Masigli said the Allies had the right to ask that the press should refrain from the temptation to swell the importance of the disagreements. The press should always remember that the mass of common interests infinitely outweighed any clashes or disagreements that might arise. If they could not tackle the problems of-peace man atmosphere of trust and friendship the people’s peace was lost in advance. Whatever agreements were made they were doomed if they had to become the occasion for political disputes. Now more than ever the press was important. , . . “In spite of all the censorship m the world, or perhaps because of it, your power is ever growing,’’ he said. “ Your responsibilities are growing, too. People say public opinion makes the press. That is mainly a half-truth. It is equally true that the press moulds public opinion. It follows that the press hinges on politics, including foreign policy, since whatever the method of negotiation there always comes a moment when it is the people themselves who decide the fate of diplomatic documents, no matter how secretly and carefully they have been drawn. The atmosphere in which peace is to be built will be created largely by you." British Object to Sermonising “A prairie fire of newspaper criticism pf the United States has spread throughout Britain, some of which seems to be in good temper and some of which is just,” says the Washington Post in an editorial. “ The British have good reason for objecting to sermonising without concurrent action on the part of the United States Government. “We-thought, for instance, that the sermon on Greece wuold be followed by a suggestion that an Allied commission be appointed, but nothing came of it. Some British comments, however, emit complaints from a catalogue compiled over a period of time from all manner of sources. The British seem to feel this sort of thing clears the air. On the contrary, .the air is far from being cleared, and may soon be filled with ‘ dead cats.’ Some of them have already been flung back by sundry Congressmen. “The timing of this exchange could not have been worse. Right now our forces are getting a bloody nose, and a crisis still hangs over the western front, which may soon envelop the British-Canadian forces waterlogged to the north. It is the worst crisis since Dunkirk. Criticism of our policymakers is in order, but only as an occasion for closing the ranks and not for spilling rancour.”