large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_12_belloc_64kb_78
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_12_belloc_64kb
English
7264
There is no need to labour all this. The loss of freedom we have gradually suffered is quite familiar to all of us, and it is among the worst of all the mortal symptoms with which our society is affected. THERE IS NO NEED TO LABOR ALL THIS THE LOSS OF FREEDOM WE HAVE GRADUALLY SUFFERED IS QUITE FAMILIAR TO ALL OF US AND IT IS AMONG THE WORST OF ALL THE MORTAL SYSTEMS WITH WHICH OUR SOCIETY IS AFFECTED
with the whole machinery of Executive Government, we have in modern England an executive controlling the expression of opinion. It is absolute in a degree unknown, I think, in past society. Now, it is evident that, of all forms of civic activity, writing upon the Free Press most directly challenges this arbitrary power. There is not an editor responsible for the management of any Free Paper who will not tell you that a thousand times he has had to consider whether it were possible to tell a particular truth, however important that truth might be to the commonwealth. And the fear which restrains him is the fear of destruction which the combination of the professional politician, and lawyer holds in its hand. There is not one such editor who could not bear witness to the numerous occasions on which he had, however courageous he might be, to forgo the telling of a truth which was of vital value, because its publication would involve the destruction of the paper he precariously controlled. TERTWINED WITH THE WHOLE MACHINERY OF EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT WE HAVE IN MODERN ENGLAND AN EXECUTIVE CONTROLLING THE EXPRESSION OF OPINION IT IS ABSOLUTE IN A DEGREE UNKNOWN I THINK IN PAST SOCIETY NOW IT IS EVIDENT THAT OF ALL FORMS OF CIVIC ACTIVITY WRITING UPON THE FREE PRESS MOST DIRECTLY CHALLENGES THIS ARBITRARY POWER THERE IS NOT AN EDITOR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ANY FREE PAPER WHO WILL NOT TELL YOU THAT A THOUSAND TIMES HE HAS HAD TO CONSIDER WHETHER IT WERE POSSIBLE TO TELL A PARTICULAR TRUTH HOWEVER IMPORTANT THAT TRUTH MIGHT BE TO THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE FEAR WHICH RESTRAINS HIM IS THE FEAR OF DESTRUCTION WHICH THE COMBINATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIAN AND THE LAWYER HOLDS IN ITS HAND THERE IS NOT ONE SUCH EDITOR WHO COULD NOT BEAR WITNESS TO THE NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ON WHICH HE HAD HOWEVER COURAGEOUS HE MIGHT BE TO FOREGO THE TELLING OF THE TRUTH WHICH WAS OF VITAL VALUE BECAUSE ITS PUBLICATION WOULD INVOLVE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PAPER HE PRECARIOUSLY CONTROLLED
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