The Press and the Law of Libel The draft Bill
for the amendment of the law of libel prepared by a committee of the Empire Press Union is a document of great importance. That libel laws are needed admits of no dispute. Men of repute—and every honest man has some kind of reputation to lose—must have legal protection against scurrilous attacks in irresponsible journals. But between restraining an offender and enabling the victim to derive financial benefit from a journal's often unwitting offence there is a fundamental difference. In an action for slander damages are (with certain limited exceptions) awarded only when it can be shown that actual financial damage has resulted. The Empire Press Union Bill proposes to assiMilate the law of libel with the law of slander, and the ease for the reform is overwhelming. Some recent decisiong, involVing what most people would regard as inordinate penalties, have made the libel question acute. There exists, notoriously, a certain class of lawyer perpetually on the alert for the opportunity of instigating proceedings for libel on the principle of " no damages, no expense to the litigant." Juries moreover have a habit in doubtful cases of acting on the assumption (usually quite erroneous) that after all papers can afford to pay. To offer the chance of damages as an incentive to litigation is open to the gravest objection. * * * *
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