The Press in War - time The position of the Press in
war-time was the subject of Mr. J. A. Spender's presidential address to the Institute of Journalists at its annual general meeting. In this country the Press has not suffered the fate of suppression or subjection to which journalism has been exposed in most parts of Europe. None the less, it has had to submit to military discipline ; and its problem has been, as Mr. Spender put it, to " guard the frontiers of civil liberty against the encroachments of the milir tary censorship." It is the special strength of this country that in the trials of war it continues to be a democracy, and the Press performs one of the functions of demodmcy in play- ing the part of eyes and ears to the Government. Mr. Spender emphasised the truth that the Press, so far from being a tire- some survival of peace, is a potent military weapon. Therefore the censor must not be allowed to strain his powers • against it, or prevent it from performing its proper part both in giving all the news that can safely be given and in making its con- tribution as a vehicle of opinion. The high morale of this country, the zeal with which it undertakes the duties and sacri- fices of war, spring from a sense of whole-hearted co-operation between Government and people, and to the maintenance of that spirit a free, active, enterprising Press is indispensable. Mr. Spender made the suggestion that an Advisory Council of Press representatives should be in regular contact with the Ministry of Information.
Previous page
