STRIKERS THREATEN AN EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2705, 26 February 1916, Page 15

STRIKERS THREATEN AN EDITOR

INCIDENT FROM BROKEN HILL. The big strike at Broken Hill just now lends topical interest to the following incident —the "Barrier Miner" is referred to in the cablegrams to-day. During the last few days ttiere lias been much correspondence in the "Barrier Miner" both in favour of and against the miners' strike. Many letters have been anonymous, and especially those adversely criticising the strike. This morning, after the A.M.A. mass meeting, a deputation from the meeting, headed by Mr. G. Kerr, came to the "Miner" office and requested an interview with the editor.- Tliero _ wero about a couple of hundred men in the vicinity of the "Miner" office while the deputation was making its demands, and as many as could crowded into the editor's office and the passage leading to it. Mr. Kerr said serious objection had been taken at the mass meeting to the unsigned letters that had been published in the "Miner," the belief of members being that tbey were concocted in fhe office. "We want you to give an undertaking to publish no more of them."

The editor: Do you take exception to the whole of the unsigned letters? Mr. Jenkins: Those published lately have been detrimental to our interests. They arc the 'letters that we object to. < The editor: Letters have been published on both sides. Do you tako exception to those published in your favour also? Mr. Gillies: All of them; it does not matter whether they aro for or against us. We want the whole of them cut out. The editor: You are asking to tako away the freedom of the Press. That is a very serious thing. Another deputationist: You are attacking us. The editor: The man who says that I am attacking you and that the "Miner" is attacking you is a liar. I will not publish any unsigned letters that attack men personally, but when it comes to a question of principle every man in the community has a, right to express himself. Mr. Kerr: But why not make him put his name to it? The editor: That is the protection of the weak against the strong.' If a man thinks that he might be punished for writing certain letters he lias the riglit to refuse to sign his name to them. You have letters in your own paper that appear without iho name or the writer. Mr; Kerr: Yes, but we are just going round to give the editor of that paper the same instructions. The editor: You cannot give mo any instructions. As the person responsible for this paper, 1 will accept no instructions from your or any other party not responsible. I will never bo a party to the freedom of the Press being assailed oven whilo the strike lasts. I say that the destruction of the paper will come about before I will consent. Mr. Kerr: You absolutely decliue to cease publishing unsigned letters. The editor: I cannot refuse to publish an unsigned letter if it is worthy of / publication and is a bona fide letter. The editor added: You are getting ; the discredit of stopping the munition works, and now you are saying "Stop the Pre«." What are you going to do? What is the penalty for me not agreeing to do what you have asked me to do ? Mr. Iverr: You go over to the meeting to be held to-night and you ,-wiU hear tho commencement of the penalty. A deputationist: You can live and l learn.

Tlie editor: I am sorry I cannot meet your views. While lam in cliarge here this paper will not be controlled from outsiue the office. The deputation then left. When seen later by a "Miner" reporter, Mr. Kerr said that he liad seen the editor of the Barrier "Daily Truth" and asked him to refrain from publishing unsigned letters in connection with the strike, and , that the editor had agreed.