17 MAY 1940, Page 6

Having urged in this column a fortnight ago that the

export from this country of the Communist Daily Worker and the Fascist Action should be prohibited, I am naturally very glad to see that Sir John Reith (what, by the way, is to be Sir John's future now?), as one of his last acts as Minister of Information, has made an order to that effect. The sale of such papers abroad would give a totally wrong and very pernicious impression of this- country's point of view. The papers are presumably printed for circulation in Great Britain and to forbid their circulation abroad involves no restriction on the freedom of the Press. But in this case, and at this time, it would be a very proper restraint even if it did.