FREEST PRESS IN WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1928, Page 9

FREEST PRESS IN WORLD

FASCIST PAPERS’ LIBERTY MUSSOLINI’S EXPLANATION UNITY AND ACCORD SHOWN By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Received Oct. 11, 8.45 p.m. United Service. Rome, Oct. 11. Addressing seventy directors of Fascist daily newspapers to-day, Signor Mussolini claimed the Italian Press was the most free in the world, an explanation of which he said was that in an all-embracing regime /he Press must not be a stranger to general unity. “Therefore it avoids what is harmful and ‘goes for’ what is useful for the regime,” declared the Dictator. “Newspapers in other countries, being under orders from a plutocratic party or groups, are reduced to the necessity of buying and selling exciting news. They are getting into the hands of a restricted number of persons who regard them as a trade like iron or leather.” Italian journalism, on the other hand, was' free because it served a regime. It had no need to await orders because it received orders from its own .conscience. The Fascist Press was like an orchestra, playing the same note of its own accord.

Signor Mussolini proceeded to tell the journalists their task would become more important in a few months, when the Italian people would be called upon to vote at the elections and demonstrate to the world their full concurrence in the regime. It was necessary to prepare this great demonstration and the newspapers had the means for doing so worthily.