A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK
HE Royal Commission on the Press was invited by some of the more strident critics of the " capitalist " newspapers to find that those organs were improperly influenced in their policy by large advertisers. The Commission found the charge unsubstantiated and declined to endorse it. So far as the British Press was concerned the Commissioners were undoubtedly right. The stand recently taken, and still, I believe, being maintained, by the Beaverbrook papers against certain film interests which objected to the vigour of the film criticisms in one of the papers in question and withdrew their advertisements in consequence, is welcome proof of that. But there are advertisers other than commercial, and the pressure the Bombay Government is trying to exert on the Thnes of India is to all appearance a serious and reprehensible attack on the freedom of the Press. The Chief Minister in the Bombay Government dislikes the tone of various leading articles in the Times of India (printed in English, but now Indian-owned and managed) and is therefore withholding all official advertise- ments from it. That is plainly and patently indefensible, and it is satisfactory that Indian papers generally are condemning the Minister's action unreservedly. Any moral support, that can be given to the Times of India from here will be generally and generously extended. A principle of great importance is at stake.
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