Armament > Co-operation of the press in the organisation of peace

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Federacion de la Prensa-Catalano-Balear, Barcelona;
Associa5ao Brasileira de Imprensa, Rio de Janeiro;
Association of Danish Journalists, Copenhagen;
Union of Estonian Journalists, Tallinn;
Suomen Sanomalehtimiesten Liitto, Helsinki;
Syndicat National des Journalistes, Paris;
National Union of Journalists, London;
Union of Athens Newspaper Editors, Athens;
Nederlandsche Journalisten-Kring, The Hague;
Magyar Ugsagirok Egyesulete, Budapest;
Latvja Rakstnieku un Zurnalistu Arodbiedriba, Riga ;
National Association of Polish Journalists, Warsaw;
General Association of the Roumanian Press, Bucharest;
Association generale de la Presse Suisse, Berne;
Union of Czechoslovak Journalists, Prague;
Reichsgewerkschaft der Deutschen Presse, Prague;
Association of Yugoslav Journalists, Belgrade;
Organisation of Lithuanian Journalists, Kaunas;
Verein der Auslaendischen Presse zu Berlin, Berlin;
Association Syndicale de la Presse etrangere en France;
Syndicat de la Presse etrangere en France;
Foreign Press Association of the Netherlands;
Foreign Press Association of Czechoslovakia;
General Association of Russian Authors and Journalists.
3. AUSTRALIA.
Australian Journalists’ Association.
Melbourne, March 16th, 1932.
The Federal Executive of the Australian Journalists’ Association recognises the great danger that may lie in an
untruthful or sensational presentation of international news, and the responsibility that rests upon the Press in this matter.
As to the possible steps to be taken to avoid this danger, we are of opinion that the most effective lies in the education
of journalists and proprietors of newspapers to a fuller recognition of this responsibility. As possible means to this end
we would suggest:
(a) Close historical investigation of the effect of Press utterances upon national feeling in past crises, and
of their apparent influence on the development of those crises. Publication of an historical work embodying the
results of this investigation. This would, we believe, be gladly undertaken by some university, if not by the League
itself;
{b) Representations to universities and schools of journalists for the dissemination of this knowledge through
the usual educational channels;
{c) Circularisation of newspaper proprietaries and of journalists associations setting forth the views of the
League of Nations.
This Federal Executive recognises that it is impossible to ensure that all journalists and all proprietors shall be
reached, or, if reached, shall be influenced, by such means as are here suggested. With the inestimable advantage of a
free Press there goes, almost inevitably, the disadvantage that some journalists or some proprietaries will seek popularity
or profit from the publication of exaggerated or untrue statements, even when these may dangerously inflame public
opinion. If, however, even a single daily newspaper in each country steadily resists this temptation, and ensures for
its nation the opportunity of ascertaining the truth, something is gained; and we believe that the measures here suggested
might result in such an attitude becoming more general.
Secondly, in view of the impossibility of entirely preventing the danger in question, this Executive would urge that
steps might be taken to disseminate unbiased news. By this we do not mean the mere contradiction of falsehoods that
have already been published. When an untruth or an exaggeration has been widespread, it is always difficult to overtake
it and the act of contradiction might involve the League in undesirable consequences. A far more effective means would
be
(1) An international journal to which the world could look with increasing confidence for a candid and
truthful presentation of international news;
(2) Similar dissemination of news daily by wireless;
(3) Dissemination of news in existing newspapers through an international agency. At the least, we would
suggest the establishment of a simple organisation for the exchange among nations of any mutually friendly comment