Telegrams: "FREJOURNAL"
Managing Editor:
S. SADANAND
Free Press Journal
(ENGLISH MORNING DAILY)
Bharat Jyoti
(ENGLISH SUNDAY WEEKLY)
Nabshakti
(MARATHI MORNING DAILY)
Ref. No ............
Telephones:
26 4 2 0 Editorial
3 0 4 0 8 Business
3 0 7 5 0 Mg. Editor
21, DALAL STREET
Bombay, May 10, 1946
Dear Mani,
I have telegraphed to you today,
as under:-
"Yours second eighth all
your despatches received
stop your rice offer very
great achievement stop
unwrote due your uncertain
programme stop unacknowledging
names correspondents as part
our cardinal policy stop
writing Singapore"
A word, in not acknowledging
messages to you by name.
It is a question of policy. It has
been an American practice for a long time.
The war made it universal. If we adopt the
practice, we will have to make it a general
rule. I am not clear in my mind, that it is
advisable or workable.
Kindly let the question rest, for
the present.
That you are covering Malaya and
Indonesia is widely known in journalistic
circles.
Let me say at the outset, that you
have more than fully vindicated the trust
and confidence placed in you, by me. I am
happy in having you to work for us. Let me
hope that you will also feel happy in your
association with us.
Your coverage of the Indonesian
FREE PRESS JOURNAL — BHARAT JYOTI — NAVSHAKTI
Continuation Sheet No. 1
rice offer was a great achievement. You
and we have been fully vindicated.
Your judgment, news-sense, presentation
are all good. You have all the makings of
an ace journalist.
There was only one message, in framing
which, you had relaxed your usual restraint.
That message related to Indian colloborators
with the Dutch. A few more messages in that
strain would undo all your good work. There
is a maxim: the greater the truth, the greater
the libel. It is when provocation is great,
one has to be very careful, extremely responsible
and restrained. Invectives defeat their ends.
I have received from you letters dated
March 28, 30, April 3, 5, 16, 23rd and 25th.
I refer to some of the points raised
in the above letters.
Your coverage of Nehru's tour was
excellant.
I note that Public Relations close down
on May 1.
I am addressing this letter to the
care of Indian Bank Ltd.
The copies of our publications also will
be sent to the care of the Indian Bank Ltd.,
Singapore.
We can have a selling agent for our
copies, provided we can send the copies by
ocean mail. Air mail will be costly. Statesman
has the advantage of publishing in Calcutta
and getting direct on the Singapore bound
air mail.
-contd-
FREE PRESS JOURNAL — BHARAT JYOTI — NAVSHAKTI
Continuation Sheet No. 2
I am arranging to supply one copy each
of Free Press Journal and Bharat Jyoti to
The Public Relations Officer,
Govt. of Singapore,
Secretariat,
Singapore.
You should arrange to send us copies of
selected newspapers by ocean mail and comprehensive
cuttings by air mail.
We can maintain a daily cable service to
Singapore, supplemented by air mail stories.
Mr. Hatheesingh also told me that about
18 newspapers of Malaya asked him to arrange for
a service from India.
Our rates of subscription for such a
service to Malayan newspapers would depend
entirely on the cost of our Singapore organisation
and the cable cost. We can give the
benefit of our all India organisation to the
Malayan newspapers free.
I have read with interest your observations
regarding A.P.A. arrangements for collection
of news and the U.P.I.plan to set up an
office in Singapore.
I have also considered the application
of Mr. Gerald de Cruz.
The outstanding points, which emerge,
as a result of six weeks' experience, is:-
1. We must set up an organisation in
Malaya and Indonesia, by which, we
can have a regular flow of news by
-contd-
FREE PRESS JOURNAL — BHARAT JYOTI — NAVSHAKTI
Continuation Sheet No. 3
cable and air mail, wherever you may
actually be.
This involves a string of trustworthy
correspondents at a number of centres,
with a clearance office at a central
place (Singapore or any other town)
to edit, select and frame the right
type of news-messages.
2. Our Central organisation must also
receive news from India and be a distributing
centre.
This involves a staff of two or three
men, who are a combination of reporters,
sub-editors, typists.
To my mind, whatever extra expenditure, we
plan to spend, on an expansion scheme, should
be covered by local revenue. As to whether such
balancing of income and expenditure is possible
or whether we should invest more money on our
Singapore Zone organisation, is a matter, in
which, you are best equipped to guide us.
We must have a steady flow of news from
Malaya and Indonesia, irrespective of where you
personally are.
We must have a schedule of the cable wordage
and work up to it and within its limits.
We shall come to agreed conclusions, as
soon as you have had time, to settle down and to
make your own proposals.
You should arrange with the appropriate
authorities in Singapore and Batavia for registering
a telegraphic address to which prepaid
press cables can be sent from this end.
I suggest for the abbreviated telegraphic
address, the word 'Infrepress'. 'Frepress' is
-contd-
FREE PRESS JOURNAL — BHARAT JYOTI — NAVSHAKTI
Continuation Sheet No. 4
the registered telegraphic address for the
Newsagency.
With regards,
Yours Sincerely,
(S. Sadanand)
P.R.S.Mani Esq.,
Special Correspondent,
Free Press of India,
c/o The Indian Bank Ltd.,
Singapore.