POWER OF PRESS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 111, 14 May 1942, Page 3

POWER OF PRESS

TO PRESERVE DEMOCRACY SIR STAFFORD CRIPPS SEES POSSIBILITIES Rugby, May 8. Sir Stafford Cripps, addressing i journalists of Ihe House of Commons I Press gallery, said: “As -the quantity | of paper diminishes and transport ■ becomes more difficult, so the power 1 and value of the Press gallery in- : creases, and more and more the Press ! becomes the sole interpreter of Par- I liament to the country and the people. The quality and quantity of that interpretation has become more important. I have had experience in other countries since the war began of Press and censorship methods. In one of them the degree of censorship and control is vastly greater than in this country, and one had to Jive for a period of time in such a country to appreciate the degree to which we have been able to maintain freedom of expression in our country. I doubt whether there is another country in the world where one can have ihe freedom of expression, either in Parliament: or in the Press, which we now enjoy.” j Sir Stafford Cripps said the people ; must be made to realise that the sav- ; ing of democracy was something es- . tiential and of value to them, and only ! the Press could make people realise i that the House of Commons was the vital centre of our whole democratic life. Democracy would live or die according to the way they conducted Parliamentary institutions. As much as they valued democratic institutions, they must remember they were living in a world where dynamic action and change are now complete and they could not. afford to remain static. Nothing could be more fatal than to lool< back into the past as the sole criterion for the wisdom of our , actions in the future. While their . lives and customs were wisely rooted in- democratic traditions, their . branches must, reach out into the i future and they must adapt d,?mo- ! cratic methods to the needs of newer times. They must be prepared to re- I ' organise the machine of democracy as < they were prepared to reorganise industrial machinery. Many usefull , adaptations had been made to meet, j war conditions and som ( - might be useful afterwards. Sir Stafford Cripps stressed the need that would exist in post-war years for direct methods to meet the difficulties that would then confront the world. “I believe by that time we ought, to have worked out more efficient ways and means of conducting our democracy so as to make it at. least as efficient as other forms of govern- ( ment. I believe there are a great many people anxious to see democracy ! made as efficient a form of govern- ' ment as it is possible to be. because they believe 'that, essentially, it is the right form of government,” ho added. - “In that task, the presentation of our activities bv the Press during these difficult times will help us to preserve and strengthen the democracy Upon which w ■* rely."- 8.0.W.