Use Of Compulsion In Argentine Culture

Chronicle (Levin), 4 August 1949, Page 4

Use Of Compulsion In Argentine Culture

LONDON, August . On the instruetions of President Peron, a Bill has been prepared for the appi'oval .of the Argentine Congress making it compulsory for every foreign ship calling regularly at Argentine ports to buy at least ten books by modern Argentine writers on every trip. The Bill also stipulates that all newspapers piust devote a minimum of 2 per cent. of their space daily x to artldes and criticpies signed by "regis tered Argentine intellectuals " that all Argentine publishers must -devote at leasr 10 per cent 'of their new book lists to works by Argentihian writers, and that every theatrical company playing in Argentina must open ii ■eason with an Argentine play and perform at least one other before closing. In May last year President Per or iiaued a decree constituting a national' board of intellectuals under which ali people M'ho desire to claim the titiof intelleetual must register. Other provisions in the Bill stipulali that all firms capitalised ip Argentina at over £25,000 should establish a lib rary with at least one inodern. Argeu tine boolc for each £500 of capital. A 1 1 clubs niust establish libraries with s. minimum of 10 volumes by national writers. The Government undertakes to buy 2000= -copies of -every- Argentine boo.. printed, and to distribute them to lib r-aries in the country and to djplu niatic ipissions abroad.