The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1st, 1923. RESTRICTIVE PUBLICITY.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 November 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) THURSDAY, NOVEMBER Ist, 1923. RESTRICTIVE PUBLICITY.

Press writers and the public of Great Britain and Australia, remarks an exchange, are commenting upon the ‘'secrecy” with, which the proceedings of the Imperial Conference are being con(|ucte<i, \Ve arc allowed ?p know no- i

thing hut what the authorities consider lilting, and not unnaturally some irritation has .been created by this policy of .suppression. One of the leading London newspapers asks bluntly: ‘W lint is theie that we may not know?" and pauses triumphantly for the leply, which it must know cannot he given. To- reply, of course, would be simply nu admission Hun the Conference had concealed those t 1 hogs which it ought not to have concealed, amt that there was no health in it. Such a. .st nil iiieat ion of itself is not likely to l,e made liy any body of men t-lu-t owns to any .sidf-iv.'-jieci at all. Whatever else in: may lack, the Bluish statesman, for 1 mini civ. rarely lacks self-ie.speei.: lid, for that matter. the respect ol others. He may he, and ol ten has been. U.-tinale: he may be. and still nltener has been, foolish; but beneath the obstinacy and above the foolishness there has almost invariably been a sense of dignity that lias compelled admiintmu even from opponents. fn this ease dignity and selfrespect and. what is much more, the prestige of the Empire itself—may well he at stake. Because the demand for the whole truth in the reports ol lho Conference proceedings lies been made, it h,v no means follows that il is right. Now. because we desire to think deep of tin- springs of knowledge, i- il necessarily incumbent- upon the autherilics to assuage tnir thiisl. There are. at any time indeed, many reasons why it would be unwise to make public property of .such matters as are now being considered by the Couleicmc in i.omleu ; anil at- n.> lime, perhaps, were tla-e reasons more cogent than they a.v to-day. We are at a c;isis. Illstoiy had he-n made in the last decade at a pace mere furious than ever in our annals, and the wheels of change are spinning wildly still. While the welter of "nnfusinn into whi h unworhl lias fallen remains In trouble our counsels, it behoves our c* nic-cl-hus in wateh their steps and juit a curb upon their speech. But, at the same time, t ht'v are placed in this dilemma. They inusi walk and talk warily. but yet they must he able to speak plainlv and without restraint. P’rauknes.s is the -inly thing that will save them; and frankness inter se i- not compatible with Ihe rest! idioms which Would hind them if their word--; were to he made public. The, must, curb their tongues—and yet not ruth them -, tilings mu-i be said plainly, which must yet -aid m secret-. The only w.; i*. that this dih-mma. can In- laei. and its horns avoided, is to place the curb, not upon tic di-rn--inn- in l lie t’onferem e. hut upon the | iiblic:.tieti ol vliem mil side ol it. It is all very well to ui'ge the claims of candour: lull there are times, and ibis we tee! assured is one of them, when c-> Truth may well defeat the very Justice w hose customary handmaid .-'e is. Jllsi as at, times, in t.he inteie-ts <; the State, or .-f public morals, it may le advisable t i hear a ease in rmnera. so he e, in wider inleto-ts iib u believe it t i J-v advisable ilui* d 1 gales should be allowed to speak in < leistered safety, respecting our confidence in them, bin- not betraying the r onlid'-u-s- m ne -mother. That. is. indeed, what t’u -.v at- I l.ir: to leprr-r-ni us at str-ii gatln-i i;ig» ns these and np«,u Midi oer-asions ; and il we iie-siow upon tla-m this tribute ol hononr, surely it is not. only fitting, hut essential that we should he prepared to trust them entirely. If not we might as well have no such conferences, but leave the business of the Empire to he conducted from the four ends <,| the world by all its citizens discussing if in common and at the top of their voices.