835.911/8–1447
The Chargé in Argentina (Ray) to the Secretary of State
No. 2890
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Embassy’s despatch no. 1199 of November 13, 1946,41 and to subsequent communications, reporting a court suit instituted by a common informer against La Prensa and La Nación for the payment of duties on newsprint imported for a number of years past.
As pointed out in that despatch, for a number of years Argentine newspapers have imported newsprint duty free on the basis of a longstanding law that “cultural organs” are exempt from the payment of such duty. In November 1946 Sr. Eugenio Alberto Marggi entered a suit in the courts charging the two newspapers mentioned with having illegally failed to pay import duties. Marggi was able to enter the suit under a law which entitled informers on tax evaders to collect a certain percentage of amounts eventually collected by the Government.
Subsequently the courts held that the matter was one for administrative action and refused to take cognizance thereof. For some months nothing more was heard of the matter and it seemed likely that the Government would let it drop.
It has been learned, however, that about July 27, 1947, the Argentine Customs sent communications to both La Prensa and La Nación demanding that they pay the retroactive import duty or else show cause why they should not do so. It is understood that at least La Nación has replied in the sense that the long-accepted interpretation of the law is adequate cause for granting duty-free entry of newsprint for newspapers.
The generally accepted interpretation of the abortive suit and of the new administrative action with regard to this matter is that the Government is simply using another means of putting pressure on these independent newspapers which continue to be thorns in its flesh. At this point, however, the Embassy can only speculate on the lengths to which the Government might go.
Reliable but unconfirmed sources advised the Embassy, also about July 7, that La Prensa had been asked by the Government to deliver the 10% of its newsprint imports which has been impounded for some time. The Department will recall a decree in 1946 which provided that [Page 318] all newsprint importers must deliver 10% of their newsprint to the Government at cost plus 10%, which would then distribute it “equitably” among all users. La Prensa obtained a court injunction and has not to date delivered any newsprint to the Government although it has earmarked and set aside the requisite quantity. In this connection reference also is made to the Embassy’s despatch no. 2821 of July 24, 1947.42
There have been other recent evidences of Government interference with freedom of the press. In most of these cases it is American publications and journalists which are the objects of the Government’s attention.
Several opposition newspapers from time to time have reported that the post office accepts their publications for distribution but that “unaccountably” (tongue-in-cheek) they fail to be delivered.
The August 11 issue of Time Magazine was impounded in the Argentine Customs until the night of August 13, about one week. Like Newsweek and several other publications, Time has had an arrangement whereby its shipments were exempt from customs formalities since they are not dutiable. The action against the latest issue was taken without warning, probably as a sign of displeasure against recent articles portraying Mrs. Perón43 in a not very favorable light. The distributors expect similar trouble with a few more issues. The difficulties seem to stem from an effort to apprise Time’s publishers of the government’s displeasure in the hope that future stories concerning Argentina will be written with a greater “sense of propriety”.
The other recent event of importance in connection with press freedom was an official communiqué of August 5 excoriating the Associated Press. This was reported to the Department in the Embassy’s telegram no. 968 of August 6.42 As the Department knows, this has resulted in the recall for consultation of Associated Press Vice President Ray Ordorica. It still remains to be seen what if any solution may be found for this problem.
The Embassy recently has noted several other instances of Government displeasure with American journalists and publications. Illustrative of these are attacks in La Epoca and other Peronista newspapers on the New York Times for a recent article which in effect belittled President Perón’s July 6 peace proposal; and an attack in La Epoca on a story filed by Chicago Tribune correspondent Jules DuBois, belaboring Argentine official interference with freedom of the press.
[Page 319]Another example is a “radio editorial” on Radio del Estado the night of August 11, a translation of which is enclosed.44
In other words, it appears that the Perón Administration is growing more and more sensitive and is concomitantly determined to go to considerable lengths to obtain what it calls “fair treatment” by the “reactionary” press.
Respectfully yours,
Second Secretary of Embassy