Truth for the Humblest Man

Chronicle (Levin), 30 March 1948, Page 5

Truth for the Humblest Man

GENEVA, March 29. The first pathological tlraft treaty • desigiied to secure worldwide freedom of expression and information, was presented to the Freedom of Infor- * mation conference by the British Minister of State, Mr. McNeil. He declared that controversy, argument and differing ideas were British jonmalism's lifeblood. The British Government and people feared all forms of dictation. Mr. McNeil referred to '.'the almost pathological fear of German revival" which the Polish delegate displayed last week. Britain appreciated.the Slav States' anxieties hut had difficulty in deciding whether these expressions of fear were not mere propaganda. The Slav press • and radio had become propaganda ioudspeakers for Governments which avoided free representative elections. Mr. McNeil said it Jwas ahominable and vicious whfen a GoVe'rnmsnt appointed itself author, censor, pubiisher, prosecutor, jndge and jury. "We ask only that the apparent truth should be exposed to the humblest man who has Ihe impertinence and dignity to tilt ' against it," he said. "It is insane that we who invite action are called reactionaries and those who cringe behind high walls of prejudice, - 'dare call themselves progressives. " Mr. McNeil quoted a decree by Franco announcing the Spanish press free and "could never founder into the democratic libertinism of fostering criticism of the State." Mr. McNeil added that he could mirror those . words by quotations from Russia, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Rumania and Hungary and he feared soon from Czechoslovakia. "Show me such a decree from Western Europe, North Ameriea, India, Pakistan and the British Coinmonwealth," he challenged.