Abstract

Editorials

The British government's decision to cut newsprint imports was indorsed by the House of Commons in spite of a barrage of criticism from members of all parties. The cut means that British newspapers must either reduce circulation or return to the font-page format of war time. As a result, it is charged, publishers will lose revenue, workers will lose jobs and the task of keeping the public properly informed about current events will be rendered immeasurably more difficult. Moreover, it is argued, the maximum saving to be achieved is $12,000,000, a minute fraction of the current trade deficit. One sympathizes with British publishers and journalists but realize that the Labor government has a case too. Its thankless task is to cut down imports at a time when they are so far below the total Britain could absorb that any cut must be painful.