THE PRESS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16375, 24 June 1927, Page 5

THE PRESS

iNKI.r'KM K AND UKSI'U'NSIBIUTY LONDON, May b. Sir Auslen (Jhambeihiin, Secretary of Stale for foreign Allans, was the Hue! -juest of the Newspaper Society at its 'B7th annual dinner in the Savoy Hotel last uighl. Mr. I!. •)• Webber. President, of the Society, was in Die chair. Proposing the Itiast tii "The Society. So- Austen Chamberlain said that, after all. the Press and the politician, the newspapers and the Government, were engaged m a common task. They were par.t of one great machine for directing, guiding, and educating public opinion. And vet thev did not- always agree. The Press did not always agree among themselves. "1 would not change with you." lie continued, "because I like my own life. and because it- is profoundly interesting, hut, oh, Lord, what fun you must have!" (Laughter and cheers). He wondered sometimes whether the Press of the world realised the influence li had on the international relations, and whether if every editor visualised at the moment the effect winch might be produced on the relations of Ins own State with another they would publish all that appeared in the columns of newspapers of the world. He .sal in the Foreign Office, and at every moment he felt the backwash of the storm of some indiscreet utterance by some imprudent or irresponsible politician or some equally imprudent and equally irresponsible journalist—he felt the backwash of the storm winch their speeches or writings had brought into the troubled world, and which delayed its appeasement, its .settlement, its progress. and sometimes, when the\ thought they were advancing, threw them suddenly back info an atmosphere which they ' thongfhl I hey had gol ml of. After-dinner speaking Was not the tune lor .serious appeals, yet he. could never meet a represents live gathering of Ihe Press and riot preach to I hem the immensity of their power and therefore the immensity uf their responsibilities. .They all heard a great deal ahold secret diplomacy. Some of the things Said were good sense, but. a ureal deal was nonsense. The idea that treaty negotiations could he concluded in the presence of the crowd was surelv the folly of follies. In appealing to the Press lo hear in mind I heir responsibilities he asked I Ihiii a hove all to remember thai they alone could be the great interpreters of nation to nation, making- clear their own case lo the world, but at Ihe same lime helping to make clear lo their own people why it was natural, sometimes almost inevitable.' in any case excusable, thai another nation with different traditions and history—different in every respect

—should take a different view from one's own nation. (Cheers).