(The author of this atricle, a well known Baltic journalist, who contributed numberous articles to Rigasche Rundschan, was the editor of the Russian daily in Riga, Narodanya Misl. He is a contributor to the London Jewish Chromcle and other publications.)
The Stavisky affair has brought into limelight the true character of certain publicationns which had recently displayed a remarkable friendship towards the Third Reich to the extent of insinuating that Jews were counteracting a bilateral understanding between France and Hitler.
The old Volmont??? and the new Midi were both very active in that direction, particularly the latter. Now the manageing directors of both these papers, MM. Dubarry and dealings with Stavisky, and the question has been raised in the press whether a part of the money that had passed between the parites concerned was not of foreign origin.
In the meantime, M. Louis Thomas, the “star” writer of Midi who used to disseminate in its columns the “truth about Germany,” has changed over to Notre Temps, a rather new evening paper which has recently taken an outspoken pro-German trend (M. edouard Pfeifer, one of its founders, has disassociated himself from the paper in consequence of that changed attitude). There are some other minor publications whose heart is also craving for a great measure of harmony it is merely the heat that is craving, and it is not surprising that various papers have put forward quite outspoken questions in that respect.
THE BESTWINDLED SWINDLER
The mystery about the financial backing of the Midi has been dissipated by teh well informed weekly Je Suis Partout. According to this Journal, M. Darius, after haveing succedssfully blackmailed Stavisky through his magazine, Bec et ongel, ito a monthly tribute of fifteen thousand frances, insisted that the swindler should give him money for the Stavisky was unable to comply with this demand, but he agreed to give Darius as much as he wished of the faked bonds of Bayonne for realization. Darius went to Germany and actually succeeded to “place” the worthless paper. There is no doupt that the “buyers” knew very well the actualy value of the transaction, because they insisted that Darius should give them a formal undertaking to follown exactly the instructions of their agently the instructions of their gaents. Hence the “truth about Germany” that was so liberally flowing in the columns of the paper day after day f weeks at a stretch.
Most piquant is the end of the story. When Darius returned to Paris he was asked by Stavisky about the result was not bad and that he had placed bonds for twenty millions. Stavisky was elated and suggested that Darius should retain the agreed commission of thirty percent. and pay him the balace. But Darius only laughed at the suggestin. He did not think, he said, of refunding money dissatisfied he might try to obtain his right through the courts.
“SYMPATHETIC INK”
This is a commodity that costs nothing-to moreover that has a tranditional market here as else where. It is small wonder that the suject has been dealt with lately in manifold varions by various journals. More surprising is the fact that in spite of the publicity given to this phenome-non the source of the remarkable liquid does but seem to decay. Quite on the contrary. Through some of its customers have been lately taking pains to dilute it and disguise the color of the orginal stuff, we still discern its sunburned tinge.
A couple of weeks ago a local weekly brought the following interesting story. A cabinet minister was asked some while ago whether it was true that a certain publication had received eighty thousand francs from Italy. “No,” said the minister, “only fifty thousand.” The interviewere insisted on the first vission, whereupon the miniter consulted his files and confirmed that eighty thousand were actually remitted. There the matter rests. the press is, of course, free-to print what it likes and to get its money from whomsoever has a benevolent heart and an open purse, whether it be Stavisky or Well, the identity of the alternative it will not he difficult to divine when we see a brand new weekly with the beautiful title of Porc-Epic annuncing in crying headlines on big posters that it will fight aginst-our old acquainstance, the sacred trio: international finance, free-masonry and-of course-Jewish invasion. Well grunted, pore!
This porcine species obviously belongs to be aggressive brown variety, though in England the sound of its title suggests an epic promise where we would have expected it to be drammatic, With such trite headlines, however, as old almost as the Nibelungen saga, one can, indeed, hardly venture anything except an “epic” of venture? There is apparently enough water in teh Seine to wash off even the porcine ink.
EXIT M. COTY
Apropos of the anti-Semitic press it will be of inerest to mention the evolution of M. Coty’s career in journalism. After he had been ousted from the management of Figaro last autumn, he was recnetly compelled to quit his favorite creation, Ami du Peuple. the paper became insolvent and passed into the hands of receivers appointed by the courts. A deficit of many millions was reported.
The Ami was announced to be int the market and conjectures futures proprietorship. Among others. The Agence Havas was mentioned. As regards the aggressive anti-Semitic tendency of the journal, it wa subdued after the dramatic message addressed by M. Francosis Coty to the Jewish World Conterence assembled at Geneva in September, 1933. It will be remembered that in that message M. Coty renounced his anti-Semitism. But this was, of course, a tactical move prompted by prosaic business condiderations connected with his better perfumed original enterprise. The Ami remained the medium of propaganda for Coty’s “Solidarit??? Fancaise,” a vernacular pattern of Fascism wwhich, though not making anti-Semitism its formal pland, is anything else than philo-Semitic. With the immineent sale of tle Ami the “Solidarit??? Francaise” was losing this medium of publicity and seemed bound to recede into obscurity.
A few days ago, however on hte very day when the Midi of Bayonne fame and glory announced its “temporary” supspension for “technical reasons,” M. Coty re-apperared on the stage. The Ami has obtained somewhere the requisite support and has passed into the hands of a new concern that will now make over its forturs. M. Coty informs his readers that the Ami will continue to apperar in “proud independence” … He only solicits from them a smlall sacrifice: the price of the paper, hitherto the cheapest in France, (a fact that provoked, as will be remembered, a boycott by distributors and a sensational lawsuit), will be raised from 15 to 25 centimes, i. e., to teh regular price sold.
M. Coty’s appeal to his readers is followed by the announcement of several new series of feature articles, of which the most intriguing is tghat entitled: “Whither goes Hitlerite Germany?” by M. Paul Achard. We are rahter curious to heare from the .. Ami the news as to “whither goes” its present view on German affairs. In yesterday’s issue, a collaborator of the paper consoles the impatient friends of the “Solidarit??? Francaise” with reerence to the fact that Hitler began with “six men.” The story of the famous “six men” (or rather seven) is true. But not every Hitler will find a Hindenberg who will open the door for him. The French Chamber seems to be disposed at last to take some steps with a view to barring the fructifying influences of foreign propaganda. The history fo Hitlerism shows very will what abundant finacing can bring about in these troubed times. It remains to be seen whether the Frenche government will go to the utmost in drawing the necessary inferences from the facts, past and present.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
