PRESS FREEDOM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 June 1939, Page 6

PRESS FREEDOM

WHAT IT USED TO MEAN IN GERMANY. BEFORE THE DAY OF THE NAZIS. A correspondent of the “Sydney Morning Herald’’ recalled recently, in illustration of what freedom of the Press meant in Germany before Hitler debauched it. the following'story, told in “Freedom of the Press’’ by George Seldes: — In 1932, when the French suddenly marched into the Ruhr and then into Frankfurt, there were protests, rioting, and a number of German civilians were shot. A French major, representing the high command, stalked into the office of the “Frankfurter Zeitung” and ordered the editors to print a warning notice to the population. An hour later, the Frencn staff received the notice back; attached to it was a printed slip:

“The editorial board of the ‘Frankfurter Zeitung' thanks you for submitting the enclosed manuscript, but regrets deeply that it is not able to publish it. This, however, is not to be taken as a reflection upon the manuscript's literary merit.” The French command was furious. A general in gold braid and medals stormed into the editorial sanctum. “I demand the pulication of this notice tomorrow morning on the front page, four columns wide, in large type,” he said threateningly. “His Excellency misunderstands,” the editor replied. “The ‘Frankfurter Zeitung’ has never been dictated to. You can confiscate the newspaper; you can smash the presses, burn down the building, even execute the editors, but one thing no man can do is tell us what goes into this newspaper.” The French general raged, stormed and went down to defeat. What good would it do to destroy the paper, hang [the editors? He had to notify the populace. ■ “Now. if you ask us decently to publish the announcement.” said the editor, “and if we consider it to the public advantage, we will publish it when and where we think best." i The general apologised. The incident was closed.