FRENCH CENSORSHIP ENDED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 104, 27 January 1920, Page 8

FRENCH CENSORSHIP ENDED

REVIEW OF ITS WORK " ANASTASIE'S" SHEARS (By tho "Christian Scienco Monitor's" special correspondent in Paijis.) The French censorship, so much abused and criticised during the last l : vo years, was at last abolished, on October 12, after exerting a distinctly despotic and muchdisputed sway. "Anastasie," for thus was tho censorship designated, when she suddenly bore down upon peaceful French citizens amidst tho clash of weapons and the firing of guns, was established in her tyrannical duties on August 1, Iflli. by Mr. Messiny, then Minister of War. This Press bureau, which at first was entrusted merely with the task of preventing the divulging of information of a military nature, "soon deviated from its original object and proceeded to becomo an 'instrument of excessive tyranny. In order to protect at all costs the "sacred union" idea, "Anastasie" wielded her long scissors ruthlessly, whenever sho believed she delected any criticism on subjects of a political or administrative order, or more especially of any acts or errors nf the Government and Parliament,. or any members constituting tho powers that be. Offending Papers Suspected. "Annstasie" refused to respect the liberty of the Press; if journalists objected" to submitting to her demands, she simply suspended the offending paper in ouestion. " The editors of the great French dailies were continually railing up th<i Bureau de la Presse in which "Anastasie" look refuge, in order to protect their right of informing their readers of facts which in no way compromised the safetv of the State. "Anastasie" stubbornly refused to understand that the grlit'white spaces which she caused in newnpaners alarmed the general public, already -prono to imagine the worst, far moro ttan a discreetly worded account of the truth would have done. Public discontent grew and journalistic wrath inennsed, as with, the arrival of encil new Prime Miristcr it was solemnly announced that the activities of the censor were to be curtailed. "Anntasic" .regarded not Ihcse threats; her oft clumsy zeal.in wielding her scissors only seemed to grow in intensity, with often disastrous and even ridiculous results, (-he continued to exert her despotic rule until Commandant Xusillard took up the direction of the press service of the Ministry of War.

New Director Appointed. « When Commandant. Xusillard assiimotl the direction of the censorship, the cnifioring depa'.t'.nent of the famous Press ! Bureau was m-:tall<-d nt the stock cx- . change. Comniandavt Nusillard was ap- ! pointed in April, J!>l.l, to the Press Bn- ' rcau as head of the Daj'v Paper Ser- ' vines. Knowing foil well the working of the censoring system, as well as il= many defect?, he to I'-rons'ruct it on a simple and practical footin*. , | One honored and eighty perform were • employed in tin tsn»r offices, ."ttled in ; the top stories of the Bourse. The ser- : vice, comprising directors, censor-, secretaries—all non-eorr.mi.wioLttl officers or soldiers—was divided into three sections: (1) Periodicals, reviews, and hooks; (2) dailv papers; (3) Press telegrams. Kach service was placed under the orders of a . captain. The service of periodicals was censored by a staff of officer? and sal- . diers, who) for eight hours daily, read I the proofs submitted to them, and in i difficult cases consulted specialists attaclij ed to tlio service.

Censoring of Daily Press. The daily Press service was much more complicate*], as it exacted immediate answers; it was entrusted to three different staffs, each composed of eight censors, to which were attached specialists for all questions uiiiueriiii.g nuance, diplomacy, and aviation. The skill's succeeded each other every 12 horn's and read coiiscientiouslytho 05 morning and evening papers of all kinds which appeared daily in Par.6. The Press telegram service was situated next to that of the daily Press. A lift transported the telegrams from the ground iloor, where they were roceived, to the sen-ice where, after having been duly read and controlled by several different censors, they were dispatched after having often undergone a very considerable delay. Commandant Nusillard exerted <i strict surveillance over all his sen ice.

The proofs, signed by those censors who had read them, were kept for a fortnight, so that action could l>e taken against those who had failed to draw the attention of their chief to offending passages. The censored articles were, on their side, stuck on large cards, 60" that it could lie easily verified whether' thu papers had or had not consented to cut out the suppressions demanded. These articles have been preserved, and it is said that they will be handed over to the Nationnl liecords,,where all those who would like to know just what was struck out will 'be able to consult them.