Newspapers in Continental Countries

NEWSPAPERS IN CONTINENTAL COUNTRIES Freedom of the press in Continental countries has not kept pace with the development of political constitutions. Since the recon struction of Europe after the World War there has been an in crease of newspapers and particularly of organs of political opinion. In France, Germany, Belgium, Austria and Hungary, press con ditions are somewhat the same as in pre-war days. In Russia there is practically no freedom of the press, and the same may be said with regard to Italy. In the new States of Czecho-Slovakia, Rumania and Yugo-Slavia, censorship and suppression of news papers are carried on to as great an extent as before the war. In Poland there has been a revival of newspapers, but here again in regions inhabited by minority races the press is only tolerated. In all these new countries journalism is a hazardous profession, and has not gained in strength or dignity. In every country the ex treme political Left is represented by propagandist newspapers, and while these journals are occasionally suppressed in the countries in which they are published, they are allowed to circulate in neighbouring countries.

Newspapers of France.

In no other country is the political influence of the press so great, or its literary merits so high, as in France. In France journalism is literature and literature is journalism. Some of the greatest literary men of France have been created by the press ; and the greatest literary critics have contributed to it. Journalism is also inextricably intermixed with politics. It was so in the time of Cardinal Richelieu, at the incep tion of the press, and in the time of Napoleon. Napoleon had great respect for the press. While he censored and suppressed journals he was always ready to use them to his advantage. There have been presidents of the republic, prime ministers, ministers, colonial governors, academicians and others who attain high positions in national life, who graduated through the press. When they retire, they return to their muttons. The most famous jour nalistic statesman was Georges Clemenceau, the great war premier. He retired a year after the treaty of peace was signed, and at the age of 8o was an unsuccessful candidate for the presidency. He did not profess disappointment at his failure, but consoled himself with the observation : "What matter? with good pen and paper one could be king of the world."

The outstanding features of French newspapers are the signed article, dramatic and literary criticism, the short story, and the small items known as chronique. The collection and presentation of news, as will be shown, was a late development in the history of the French press. Not many decades since it was said that French newspapers were dated to-morrow and contained the news of the day before yesterday. While the literary reputation of the French press stands high, its commercial and political morality is not on the whole quite so commendable. Many newspapers are run for, or by, ambitious politicians, or in some interest, and nearly all of them accept inspiration from the Foreign Office. Ministers change frequently but the system remains. It is like part of the constitution.

The annals of French journalism begin with the Gazette (after wards called the Gazette de France), established in 1631 under the patronage and with the active co-operation of Cardinal Richelieu. The first editor and printer was Theophraste Renaudot. The first weekly number apparently appeared in May 1631. So much, at least, may be inferred from the date (4th July 1631) of the sixth number, which was the first dated publication. Each number of the paper, which cost 6 centimes, consisted of a single sheet (eight pages) in small quarto, and was divided into two parts—the first simply entitled Gazette, the second Nouvelles ordinaires de divers endroits. It commonly began with foreign and ended with home news. Much of its earliest foreign news came direct from the minister, and not seldom in his own hand. Louis XIII. took a keen interest in the progress of the infant Gazette, and was a frequent contributor, now and then taking his little paragraphs to the printing office himself, and seeing them put into type. In Oct. 1631 Renaudot obtained letters patent to him self and his heirs, conferring the exclusive privilege of printing and selling, where and how they might please, "the gazettes, news and narratives of all that has passed or may pass within and with out the kingdom." At his death in Oct. 1653 Renaudot left the Gazette to his sons in flourishing circumstances. Its place is now filled by the Journal Officiel.