DICTATORIAL REGIME OF CENSORHIP

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 1, 3 January 1939, Page 7

DICTATORIAL REGIME OF CENSORHIP

THE LIMA CONFERENCE AMERICAN JOURNALISTS COMPLAIN DELEGATES SPIED UPON [By Telegraph—Presa Association —Copyright! Received Jan. 2, 10.50 p.m. ..NEW YORK, Jan. 1. Cabling from Chile, the New York Times’ special correspondents who covered the Pan-American Conference, declare that the conference functioned under an amazing dictatorial regime of censorship, intimidation and spying. The Peruvian Government not only tried to control newspaper correspondents, but it censored and spied on delegates. Secret Service agents were found one night searching the American delegates’ offices while the delegates were attending a banquet in their .honour. Peruvian pressure reached a climax when Dr. Carlos Concha, President of the Conference, falsely issued an "official statement” to the Press that the delegates had unanimously agreed to sign Argentina’s modified solidarity agreement. Delegates refused to be stampeded and the statement was contradicted. The correspondents describe the censorship, spying and pressure to which they themselves were subjected. At Lima, on the opening day, it was like a scene from a Nazi rally. Thousands of Swastika flags were flown and there were more Italian and Japanese flags than flags of the American Republics. Throughout the conference the Government-controlled Press gave prominent to attacks from totalitarian States.