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WORLD FREEDOM
41
of this reference to a free press for Italy was the first time that the Soviet Government of Russia ever contemplated or perhaps even discussed freedom of the press. The trouble is that Russia will not forget that it was once despoiled in international news matters. Prior to the First World War the Russian news agency was controlled by Germans. With the outbreak of war, the Czarist government took it over. Bear in mind that this was no different from what all other European governments were doing. After the revolution in Russia, the Soviets retained control of the news agency.
No, I see no reason to begin in Russia, where the job may be hardest of all to accomplish. But Russia has made tremendous strides in many ways since revolutionary days. Only recently Rvissia established freedom of religion— once decried as the opium of the people. Already it has adopted the technique of the press of the democracies in many things and one day the Government of Russia will be so strong that it can well afford to grant the boon of a free press. So don't be concerned about Russia. Let us first impose upon our enemies the principles of a free press and leave to the future the matter of Russia. With the Allied countries, except Russia and China, enforcing the principles at home, and with Russia and China joining in requiring it of the enemy countries, you have got ninetenths of your world in line. That is, except South America where, had it not been for the upsurgence of fascism and nazi-ism in Europe, there would
have been no interruption to the admirable progress that the peoples of that continent were making in the matter of freedom of international news exchange. The roots of European continental trends are deeper in South America than they are here. Eradicate forever the principles that brought on this war in Europe and Asia and South America will do its part.
The entire undertaking is not impossible of accomplishment. There is ample reason to hope that the nations of the world may come to know each other well enough to live together in amity and cooperation. But certainly none of the world organizations or systems which are now being discussed for the peace to come can possibly succeed unless the first basic step is taken to assure unhindered flow of information.
You who are adept at intimate com' munity leadership, know, better than I, how to make people understand this. You know, as well as anyone else, the frightful cost of this war in lives and suffering. You, as guardians of the rights of the people, know how to awaken the people to the fact that this effort to get these principles adopted everywhere is their responsibility— or, once again, the next war is their war.