| Show and a free rep Press 7 Dictatorship in government can come in many disguises and under many different names but almost without exception there is one Infallible sign which tells the observer whether or not a regime is dictatorial the dictatorial the attempt to throttle in the public press We Ve saw that in Italy in Germany and in Japan We see Bee it in Russia We Ve see it in Spain In one form or another we see it in a number of other countries including some Borne in this western hemis hemis- phere Just recently the new government established in Venez Venezuela Venezuela Vene Vene- z zuela ela as a result of an led army-led revolt issued a decree prohibiting publication of anything lauding the regime which had been overthrown overthrown overthrown over over- thrown or criticizing the revolutionary junta That decree was properly protested by Venezuelan newspapers ne as a restriction of f the freedom of the press There is no better criterion of the democratic character of a g government than its attitude toward published comment and criticism Briticism Where newspapers are free to comment on public affairs and to discuss and criticize public officials and policies you can be pretty certain you have popular control of government government government govern govern- ment no matter what the pattern or government may be or by what name it is called For if there is freedom of discussion in the public press there is certain to be freedom of discussion on the p public platform in the pulpit and in ones one's own home And where there is freedom of expression freedom to expose evil freedom t to criticize and to protest eventually the peoples people's views will prevail f It would be excellent policy for the thc American government to adopt as one of its principal aims the encouragement of press freedom in every country on the face of the globe If we really oppose dictatorial government if we really believe that the thep p people ople should have the control of government in the interest of peace and progress then the best way to insure that control is to have bave a free press No dictator or dictatorial regime which is tyrannically tyran tyran- imposing its will on the people without their approval can l long ng stand against the pressure of exposure criticism and protest protest pro pro- l test st freel freely made in the printed pages of newspapers periodicals pamphlets etc And no regime which so fears open discussion that hat it feels compelled to gag the press can pretend to the world that it has popular support 0 v t. t r A We cannot object to England and France adopting socialism if df that is their desire but when they ask us to help finance it it- it American citizens have a right to object Fort Fort Lauderdale Fla News r t JT f- f fAn All An of us hope for a day when government regulations s. s ill vill no longer be necessary But few of us will be hurt if c ceiling prices are arc set on selling homes until there arc are enough of them available for supply and demand to set the values Duncan values Duncan Okla Banner |
