MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1918, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

NEWS PROPAGANDA. BBSSSMEN' AS MKISTEHS. STATEMENT BY TEE PREMIER. Beceived March 12, 8.2 a p.m. Beuter Service. London, March 11. 11l the House of Commend, replying to Mr- Austen Chamberlain, the Premier disagreed with the contention that owneis and directors of newspapers should not hold Ministerial offices. Lord Xorthcliffb' bWA no Ministerial office, while Lord' Kothermore and Lord Beaverbrook gave up all direction of their papers as soon as they were appointed Ministers. Lord Roihermore had already organised an important department of tiie War Office, Ilia administration thereof proving an' unqualified .success. Lord Beaverbrook had organised the Canadian propaganda, which was most successful. The Premier emphasised the importance of propaganda, which the enemy tufd with deadly effect in Russia and Italy. Lord .NortKclilfe had made a special study of the conditions in enemy countries. No man better qualified for propaganda in enemy countries could be found in the British Empire. The Government propaganda in all other Allied countries and Germany were conducted almost exclusively by experienced newspaper men, and, despite the inevitable prejudices the Government apprehended might be excited, they concluded they must follow that example as the only means of securing effective presentation of tlie Allied cause. His one object in this as in. all other Government appoint-' ments was to secure the men best qup.lified to do the work efficiently. ( He reiterated he \va=> in nowise responsible for the .ittacks on admirals and genertils. It had been suggested that a member of his staff inspired such ittacks- - He thoroughly investigated the matter, and unhesitatingly declared that the imputation was utterly unfounded and unjustt Mr. Chamberlain said the principles laid down by Mr. Lloyd George were satisfactory, but there was too much coincidence between newspaper attacks upon Government servants and their removal later. He regretted the Premier had 'not made a clean cut and swept away forever the atmosphere of suspicion and intrigue. Mr. Asquith deplored the organised press campaigns in war time against soldiers and sailors, the first whereof was the late Lord kitchener, which Mr. Asquith felt most keenly. Consequently he had advised the King to bestow the order of the Garter upon Lord Kitchener at the earliest opportunity, which his Majesty did. It was of the utmost importance that the Government should be free from suspicion of direct association ■with the operations of the press, and therefore he advocated that the propaganda department should be absolutely water-tight, without any influence on the policy of the Government. . Mr. Lloyd George, winding up the debate, accepted the fundamental principles laid down by Mr. Asquith, amhsaid that after his explanation there had been no real challenge to the action of the Government. He concluded by paying a tribute to Lord Northcliffe from the standpoint of news organisation, as a maw of genius and one of the greatest news organisers of the world. AN EFFECTIVE THREAT. Received March 12, iG p.m. London. March 11. The Press Bureau states that the ■war prisoners' department was informed to-day that Scholtz and Woodey, the 'captured British airmen, would be released and returned to camps. The month's notice of th'j intended reprisals would have expired to-morrow. ; BALKANS. A BULGARIAN REPORT. ATTACK BY GERMAN STORM TROOPS. £ufl. and N.Z. Cable Assoc- aad Eeuter. • Beceived March 12, 0 15 p.m. London, March 11. A Bulgarian communique states that after artillery preparations, German Storm troops penetrated enemy trenches fit the Cerna bend, north of Repcch, and brought back some French prisoners. BRITISH RUSH A POST. Beceived 'March 12, 8:25 p.m. London, March 11. British official, Salonika: We rushed a pott north of the Struma river, »ldllentire flarriaoa. ' ' - •%*