[Distributed to the Council and C. 231. M, 93 .1927 the Members of the League.] [Conf. E. P. 1.]

Geneva, May n th , 1927.

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

CONFERENCE OF PRESS EXPERTS

(Geneva, August 24th, 1927)

Preparatory Documents.

S- d. K. 500 (A.) 500 (F.) 4/26+ 250 (F) 150 (A) 5/27. Im p. Kundig. Publications of the League of Nations GENERAL QUESTIONS 1927. 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pages Provisional A g e n d a ...... 5

I ntroduction ...... 6

Analysis o f t h e Q u e s t io n s o n t h e A g e n d a ...... 8

An n ex es :

(a) Report on the Work of the Committee of News Agencies, August igth-2ist, 1926. 16

(b) Report adopted by the Committee of Directors of Press Bureaux, October 28th- 30th, 1 9 2 6 ...... 18

(c) Summary of Replies to the Questionnaire prepared by the Committee of Directors of Press B u r e a u x ...... 20

(d) Report of the Committee of Journalists, January 24th-26th, 1927...... 28

(e) Report of the Belgian Representative on the Council, March 7th, 1927 ...... 30

s. (1. N". !?00 (P.) 1.000 (A) S11;? Imp. Ttnnrtlg. PROVISIONAL AGENDA.

I. P r e ss R a t e s : A. Telegraph. B. Telephone. C. Wireless Telegraph. D. Wireless Telephone.

II. Coding of Press Messages.

III. Improvement of Communications.

IV. Transport of Newspapers.

V. Postal Subscriptions to Newspapers.

VI. Protection of News.

VII. Professional Facilities for Journalists:

A. Travel Tours. B. Schools for Journalists. C. Scholarships for Journalists. D. Double Taxation of Journalists living Abroad. E. Reductions of Steamship and Railway Fares. F. Passport Visas for Journalists. G. Identity Cards for Journalists. H. Repressive Measures against Foreign Journalists (Expulsion) I. Equality of Treatment for Foreign Journalists. J. Facilities for Enquiry afforded to Journalists.

VIII. C ensorship in Peace-Time.

IX. Information on the Latest Technical Improvements of Interest to the Press (Wireless Telephony, Television, etc.). INTRODUCTION.

The Conference of Press Experts originated in a resolution adopted by the Assembly of the League of Nations in September 1925, which the Council proceeded to carry into effect by consulting various Press interests and arranging for preparatory work to be done by a number of Committees. To facilitate the work of those taking part in this Conference, which the Council has summoned for August 24th, 1927, it is perhaps desirable to recall its origin and object and to give a brief outline of the preparatory work which has enabled the Conference to be convened.

O r ig in a n d O b j e c t .

At the Sixth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the League of Nations (1925), M. Y anez, the delegate of Chile, submitted a proposal on September 16th asking the Council to consider the desirability of summoning a Committee of Experts representing the Press in different continents in order : (1) To enquire into means of ensuring more rapid and less costly transmission of Press news with a view to reducing the risks of international misunderstanding; (2) To discuss all technical problems the solution of which, in the opinion of experts, would be conducive to the tranquillisation of public opinion in various countries.

The view which the Assembly took of the proposal and the meaning and scope which it ascribed to it are shown in the report submitted to the Assembly on September 25th, 1925, by the Belgian representative, M. Paul H y m a n s. M. Hymans explained that, in undertaking this task, the League of Nations was not attempting to organise propaganda : “ The Chilian proposal is undoubtedly a bold one. The Press, like all great Powers, is rightly jealous of its independence. We must therefore approach the vast and delicate problem raised by this resolution with great circumspection. I wish to make it clear at the outset that the League of Nations does not wish to interfere in the affairs of the Press, and will only interest itself in them if the journalists themselves consider that its assistance would be valuable. ” Having made these reservations, M. Hymans outlined the procedure to be followed : “ It [the resolution] proposes that the Assembly should invite the Council to consider the desirability of convening a Committee of Experts representing the Press of the different continents. It will therefore be for the Council to decide at the start whether it is willing to deal with the question. If it does so, its task in the next few months, according to the procedure proposed, will merely be to prepare for a meeting of carefully selected experts. When these meet, they will be absolutely free to express their opinion on the advisability of giving further effect to your proposal and on the best method of doing so. Lastly, the Rapporteur clearly defined the part to be played by the League in this connection : “ In certain cases the League of Nations can undoubtedly do a great deal to assist co­ operation between the Governments and the Press. Although an aggregate of private enterprises, the Press is frequently obliged to have recourse to various Government services. For example, it depends in a large measure on the Governments for the transmission of news by telegraph, telephone, cable and radiotelegraph ; it also depends in every country on the national legislation in all questions connected with authors’ rights, transport rates, etc. In directions like these, the friendly assistance of the League of Nations might often be o( great value. ” The Assembly unanimously adopted M. Hymans’ report. Thus approved in principle by the Assembly, the proposal was discussed by the Council on September 26th, 1925. The Council considered it advisable, as a first step, to enquire of the interests concerned whether such a meeting was opportune and accordingly instructed the Secretary-General of the League to organise this consultation.

P r e p a r a t o r y W o r k .

During the winter of 1925-26, the Secretary-General, in accordance with the Council’s decision, started a comprehensive enquiry. Press groups belonging to some thirty different countries made known their views. A number of them added to their replies concrete suggestions for the programme of work, which served as a basis for a provisional agenda. At its meeting in March 1926, the Council of the League, after having examined the replies received, decided that the summoning of a committee of experts was opportune. The programme of work then remained to be established. The Council entrusted this duty to the Secretary-General, asking him to enlist the co-operation of those interested, and suggesting, as a means of so doing, that several preparatory committees, composed of persons connected with the different sections of the Press, such as directors of the telegraph agencies, heads of Press bureaux and journalists, should meet at Geneva. The first of these preparatory meetings summoned by the Council took place in August 1926 and consisted of representatives of sixteen large agencies in America, Asia and Europe. It drew up a series of recommendations, dealing chiefly with rates for Press communications, the improve­ ment of communications and the protection of property rights in Press news. In October 1926, the Secretary-General invited the directors of sixteen European Press bureaux to meet at Geneva. After a general discussion of the questions on the agenda — such as tariffs for the transmission of telegraph and telephone news, news copyrights and facilities given to journalists •— the Committee drew up a questionnaire with the object of collecting more detailed information on these different points. The replies to this questionnaire constitute a general report on these problems in Europe. Finally, in January 1927, a number of journalists, chosen among those obliged by their profession to live abroad or travel frequently, met at Geneva at the invitation of the Secretary- General. They drew up recommendations regarding the facilities which they considered necessary for their work. Their report was subsequently forwarded to a large number of foreign Press associations in different countries. After this last meeting, the preparatory work could be considered at an end. Technical problems of an international character concerning the Press to which attention had not been drawn during this general consultation of the Press organisations had been examined from different points of view by the three committees. For the programme of the Conference, all that was necessary was to draw up an agenda based on the results of this preparatory work. In these circumstances, the Council, in March 1927, decided to summon the Conference of Press Experts for August 24th at Geneva. It appointed Lord B u r n h a m as President and laid down the procedure to be followed by its Rapporteur (M. Vandervelde, of Belgium), in consultation with the Secretary-General, for selecting the members of the Conference. Any resolutions which may be adopted by the Conference of Press Experts for international improvements regarding methods of news transmission and measures for assisting journalists in the discharge of their duties wall be communicated to the Council, which may, through the tech­ nical organisations of the League, secure the methodical examination of these requests and eventually recommend them to the attention of the Governments. — 8 —

ANALYSIS OF THE QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA.

(On all the questions on the Agenda, reference should be made to the Annexes.)

I. — Press Rates.

A. TELEGRAPH.

P r e s e n t P o s it io n . Requests by the Press resulting from the Preparatory Work. (a) International Regulations. The International Telegraph Service is sub­ From the discussions of the Committee ject to the rules framed on the basis of the of News Agencies and from information International Telegraph Convention of St. supplied by the Directors of Press Bureaux Petersburg. The present regulations were the following suggestions arise: drawn up at a Conference of Telegraph Administrations held at Paris in 1925. The (a) Priority for Press Telegrams. next Conference of Telegraph Administrations For the purpose of international communica­ will be held in 1930. At present the revision tions, Press telegrams should be given priority of the St. Petersburg Convention by a confer­ over ordinary private telegrams. ence of plenipotentiaries is not contemplated.

In accordance with these regulations, Press (b) Urgent Press Telegrams. telegrams : For the purpose of international com­ munications, a category of telegrams known (1) Are accorded, day and night, a reduc­ as urgent Press should be established at tion of 50 per cent in Europe and at triple rates compared with ordinary Press least 50 per cent elsewhere; telegrams, and urgent Press telegrams should (2) Are not accorded any priority, as have priority over urgent private telegrams. they are treated, both as regards trans­ mission and delivery, on the same foot­ ing as ordinary private telegrams.

(3) There are no special urgency rules for (c) Long-Distance Communications. Press telegrams as such: if a journalist In view of the excessively high rates that wishes to send an urgent telegram he prevail for long-distance Press communica­ must send it as a private urgent tele­ tions, the Governments concerned should be gram and consequently pay the triple specially invited to take steps to facilitate private rate. the reduction of tariffs for such Press com­ munications by cable, by wire or by wireless. (b) Improvements already introduced by Certain Governments for Communications within Their Frontiers. (d) Regional Telegraphic Understandings. Certain countries, for instance Italy and Regional telegraphic understandings might Czechoslovakia, give priority to Press tele­ be established between neighbouring countries, grams over private telegrams. The same is taking as an example understandings of this the case for Press telegrams sent on the Franco- kind concluded between the Scandinavian and Algerian and Franco-Tunisian cables. In between the Baltic States, establishing inter­ Greece, wireless Press messages for internal nal service rates for their communications communications are given priority over pri­ with each other. vate messages. In Roumania, there is a special law giving telegrams of the Rador Agency priority immediately after Govern­ ment messages. — 9 —

B. TELEPHONE. P r e s e n t P o s it io n . R e q u e s t s b y t h e P r e s s .

(a) International Regulations. The Committee of News Agencies proposed the establishment of an urgent Press telephone The International Telephone Service, like service which would pay one and a-half times the Telegraph Service, is governed by the the ordinary rates. This rate would be applied latest Regulations drawn up by the Paris to both national and international traffic, and Conference in 1925. According to these urgent Press telephone conversations would regulations, Press telephone conversations, rank in order of priority immediately after newspapers and agencies enjoy merely the Government conversations and before reductions and facilities available to the ordinary private communications. public generally (reduction of rates during The Director of the Polish Press Bureau, the night conversations by subscription at in his reply to the questionnaire of the certain fixed hours). Committee of Directors of Press Bureaux, announced that the postal and telegraph (b) Improvements for Internal Conversations services of his country were ready to adopt a already introduced by Certain Governments. reduction of 50 per cent for international The telephone administrations of most telephone conversations if other countries countries have granted appreciable advantages agreed. to the Press for internal conversations in the shape either of priority without increase of From this preparatory work, the following rates or a substantial reduction of existing considerations therefore arise : rates. The following countries have granted impor­ The establishment for international con­ tant reductions on the normal rate for Press versations: telephone conversations: (1) Of a reduction of 50 per cent on current rates, with priority for Press DENM ARK : Reduction of 50 per cent foi communications over ordinary private ordinary or urgent Press conversations. conversations. ESTONIA : Reduction of 50 per cent for Press conversations. (2) Of a reduction of 50 per cent on urgent FINLAND : Reduction of 25 per cent dur­ rates, with priority for urgent Press ing the day, and 50 per cent during the communications over urgent private night. conversations. GERM ANY : Urgent Press conversations * * are charged the ordinary private con­ versations rate. The Committee of News Agencies points out GREECE: Reduction of 87.5 per cent. in its report that in certain cases the amount H U NG ARY : Reduction of 75 per cent be­ charged for international telephone com­ tween 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. munications in accordance with the existing LATVIA : Reduction of 50 per cent. international rate is greater than what would LITHUANIA : Reduction of 50 per cent. result from adding the national rates of the NO RW AY : Reduction of 50 per cent dur­ countries through which the communication ing the night for ordinary and urgent passes. Thus, for instance, a call from Geneva conversations. to Berlin might be more expensive than a call POLAND : Reduction of 50 per cent from from Geneva to Loerrach and from Loerrach 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. to Berlin. ROUMANIA : Reduction of 50 per cent It was the opinion of the Committee that from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6 p.m. a readjustment of tariffs in these special cases to 8 a.m . was desirable. KINGDOM OF THE SERBS, CROATS AND SLOVENES : Reduction of 50 per cent. CZECHOSLOVAKIA : Reduction of 50 per cent between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., with priority over ordinary conversations.

For the purpose of international communications, before the new regulations (revised at Paris in 1925) came into force, the telephone services of certain States had concluded bilateral agreements granting to the Press of their respective countries the same facilities as those already existing in their internal services. — 10 —

An agreement of this sort existed notably between Austria, Hungary, the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Poland. The bringing into force of the International Regulations of 1925 had the effect of abolishing these Press arrangements, which enjoyed a reduction of rates and priority during certain hours. The Austrian journalists consider the abolition of these facilities exceedingly harmful to the Press, both from a material and moral point of view, and urge the re-establishment of certain special communications between these countries. At the present time the Press is under the general regime established by the regulation of 1925, which provides for a reduction during the hours of light traffic (in most cases between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.). The Austrian Press Bureau points out, however, that for telephonic conversations with Hungary and Czechoslovakia during the hours of light traffic the Press is favoured by the fact that ordinary Press conversations have priority over ordinary private conversations, and that urgent Press conversations have priority over urgent private conversations. The Press Bureau of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes points out th at by a special agreement between that country and Roumania the Press enjoys a special reduction of 50 per cent during both day and night.

C. WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. As identical rates have been adopted for telegraphy and wireless telegraphy, no special request has been made by the Preparatory Committee concerning the rates charged for wireless telegraph messages.

D. WIRELESS TELEPHONY. As wireless telephony has as yet only slight practical value for the Press except in a very small number of countries, the reports of the Preparatory Committees make no specific request on this point.

II. — Coding of Press Messages.

R e q u e s t s b y t h e P r e s s a r is in g fr o m the P r e s e n t Sit u a t io n . P r e p a r a t o r y W o r k . (a) International Regulations. The Committee of News Agencies voted a According to the International Regulations resolution inviting demonstrations of the tele­ drawn up at the Paris Conference of 1925, graph administrations in order to prevent Press telegrams must not be coded (Article 66). the utilisation by non-authorised persons of Press news sent by wireless, to allow the Press (b) Improvements already introduced by certain to use an appropriate code, in whole or in Governments. part, at the ordinary Press rates, for the sending of Press news by wireless on the Certain countries (Austria, Czechoslovakia, understanding that the code be communicated Roumania, Switzerland) allow Press telegrams in advance to the Telegraph Administrations. to be sent in code provided the code has been communicated in advance to the Telegraph Service and that its object is not to shorten the telegram. The Telegraph Services of certain countries (e.g., France) allow the introduction by the senders of a certain number of code words in a despatch, provided they obtain special authorisation for telegrams sent to a number of addresses by wireless. The number of code words must not exceed a tenth of the number of words charged, and the number of words in the telegram must not be diminished by the substitution of a code word for a word in clear. The same rule obtains for Press telegrams sent by cable. — I I

III. — Improvement of Communications.

(a) Communications outside Europe. The proceedings of the Preparatory Committees have not indicated any measures for the improvement of communications by wireless telegraph and telephone with regard to non-European countries.

(b) European Communications. In Europe, according to the information received, the western countries seem in general to possess satisfactory wireless telegraph and telephonic communications. On the other hand, communications in Central and Eastern Europe are stated to be defective in many respects.