One Too Many

To Paris' pro-Communist daily Liberation (circ. 125,000) last week came a startling mimeographed letter from the Suez Canal Company. The letter noted gratefully that the press had been printing the company's side of the story in the Suez crisis. Enclosed was a check for 100,000 francs ($286)--"a contribution to your expenses for the month of August. It is understood that our participation could be renewed in the future."

What startled Liberation was that, having faithfully followed the Moscow line on the Suez crisis, it had done nothing to earn the money--the kind of bonus for which French journalism has long been notorious. Overcoming their surprise, Liberation editors plastered their front page with photostats of the letter and check, plus an editorial: "We are forced to think other newspapers received similar checks, no doubt more sumptuous. We expect our colleagues to give their opinions of this singular procedure."

Next day, with a tardy show of indignation, most of the other Paris papers admitted getting checks, and announced that they were returning the money. "Don't think this is corruption. You can't bribe anyone with such a small sum," bumbled an embarrassed official of the Suez Canal Company. But he wearily confessed: "It was all a mistake on our part. We picked the wrong newspaper. We sent out one check too many." Editorialized Le Monde: "It is good that [the press] is indignant. But it should examine itself. If moneyed interests hold nothing but disdain for the press, is it not because the press does not perhaps disdain money enough?"

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.