Torture v. Blackmail

Enlightened though many Chinese statesmen are, the Nanking Government got around only last week to issuing a formal decree by which Chinese generals, provincial governors, mayors and all other local authorities were forbidden to inflict on Chinese newspapermen who arouse their ire "summary arrest, torture or execution."

Far from rejoicing at this boon to Chinese journalism, the U. S. owned Shanghai Evening Post and Mercury commented from the smug security of Shanghai's French Concession:

"Unfortunately the Chinese-language press has not, by and large, achieved a high level of development. Subsidy and blackmail are not infrequent features of Chinese journalism. Many of the acts and violence perpetrated against editors have been the direct results of actions difficult for the most enthusiastic advocate of press freedom to condone."

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