THE LIMA CONFERENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20694, 3 January 1939, Page 7

THE LIMA CONFERENCE

SOME AMAZING ALLEGATIONS

CENSORSHIP AND SPYING (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received January 2, 8.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 1 Cabling from Chile, the New York Times’ special correspondents who covered the Pan-American Conference at Lima, Peru, declare the conference functioned under an amazing dictatorial regime of censorship, intimidation and spying. The Peruvian Government not only tried to control the newspaper correspondents, but it censored their reports and spied on delegates. Secret service agents were one night found searching the American delegates’ offices while the delegates were being entertained at a banquet. The Peruvian pressure reached its climax when the Foreign Minister, Dr. Concha, falsely issued an “official statement'’ to the press that the delegates had unanimously agreed to sign Argentina’s modified solidarity agreement. The delegates refused to be stampeded and the statement was contradicted. The correspondents describe the censorship, spying and pressure to which they were subjected, and add that Lima on the opening day of the conference was like a scene at a Nazi rally; thousands of swastika flags were flown, and also more Italian and Japanese flags, than flags of the American republics. Throughout the conference ‘the Peruvian Government-controlled press gave prominence to attacks from the totalitarian Stales. Delegates’ Mail Opened

It has been revealed that the proFascist Peruvian Government, violating diplomatic immunity, had all the delegates’ mail opened, delaying delivery up to six hours. Chauffeurs allocated to delegates were in secret service pay. Moreover, detectives kept a constant watch upon delegates’ movements.

Agents provocateur were used to intimidate newspapermen, at least one of whom was threatened with deportation because he exposed Italian and German attempts to sabotage the conference.