This Freedom!

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20115, 8 December 1939, Page 9

This Freedom!

Sir,—“Freedom First” was lucky on Sunday night, because I imagine that the 8.8. C. broadcast must have come as a refreshing tonic after Mr. Savage's hints of further Nazi methods in this country. Unfortunately, perhaps, the Prime Minister satiated my appetite for the radio and I switched it off when lie had finished. What stuck in my mind was his reference to freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, and ever since I have been wondering if it ever occurs to him that there should also be such a. thing as freedom of the air. The people of this country pay the highest radio license fees in rhe world, and the money they subscribe is used to provide facilities for the nightly dissemination of partisan political propaganda. Take this week —Sunday night, Mr. Savage and Uncle Scrim; Monday, Mr. Sullivan; Tuesday, Mr. Armstrong; Wednesday, Mr. Nash; and then last night, Mr. Nash again. Not one word is permitted from the other side, and even those who arc directly attacked have no right of reply. Where the Labour Government has control there is no freedom. This is worth 'thinking about, because it seems clear that if ever we have a Stale-controlled press there will be as much freedom in it as there is in the radio. There may still be freedom of speech, but it is within the powers of the Government to place criticism beyond the law with the penalties to which Mr. Savage referred on Sunday night. FAIR PLAY.