LIBEL ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 May 1940, Page 6

LIBEL ACTION

RIGHT OF THE PRESS RAISED “DAILY WORKER” CASE. DEFENDING COUNSEL’S SUBMISSION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright(Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) LONDON. May 1. Mr D. N. Pritt, K.C., opening for the defence in the "Daily Worker” libel action, said the case was important because it involved a serious question —-whether the use of the law of libel endangered the right of the Press or anyone else to utter legitimate criticism. Communists claimed that they were consistently a strongly antiFascist party. They sincerely desired to get. rid of Hitler and Hitler’s Fascism. but did not think this possible by carrying on the war. Communists believed that the detestable regime in Germany could be defeated only from inside. Mr Pritt submitted that the articles in the “Daily Worker” were fair comment.

Sir Walter Citrine and six members of the General Council of the Trades’ Union Congress are suing E. R. Pountney, proprietor of the “Daily Worker” for damages. The libel referred to the plaintiffs’ visit to France in December to initiate an AngloFrench Trade Union Council. The "Daily Worker", - said Sir William Jowelt, for the plaintiffs, was the official organ of the British Communist Party, which was affiliated to the Communist International at Moscow.