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Show Results Justify Expenses Of Overseas Propaganda Axis Has Employed Elaborate Means to Get Its Views Across to Neutral Nations; U. S. Must Use Press and Radio. By BAUKHAGE News Analyst and Commentator. WNU Service, Union Trust Building Washington, D. C. The other day, Elmer Davis, head of the Office of War Information, held a press conference. He opened it with the remark that we were witnessing an Uncle Tom's Cabin without the Simon Legree. I didn't get the significance of the remark until Davis explained that Representative Repre-sentative Tabor, who charged Mr. Davis with using the Office of War Information to distribute propaganda propagan-da for a fourth term, had been Invited In-vited to share the conference but had other duties. Obviously, the purpose of the meeting was to show how the money mon-ey for the publication of propaganda was being spent and a good deal of time was taken up on comparative costs of British, American and Axis How about results? That is pretty hard to reduce to statistics or even concrete statements. We know some Japs have surrendered with our propaganda leaflets in their hands. We know that leaflets dropped over occupied countries or pamphlets smuggled in have started people talking. OWI has reports to this effect. ef-fect. They say that this means that the idea has been spread that America Amer-ica is in touch with the people within the occupied territory. We know that some of these pamphlets pam-phlets have been photostated or copied cop-ied in others and given further distribution. dis-tribution. It- was stated that these copies or excerpts from them have even been circulated in prison camps. 3 We know that from four to six clandestine newspapers are made up chiefly from Allied propaganda propaganda efforts. If the OWI carries car-ries out present plans, it will be spending at the rate of 45 millions of dollars by the end of the year. Britain, with its separate ministry of information, is spending much more than we are Germany probably prob-ably four or five times as much. That's a rough estimate. But the figures didn't interest me so much and I'll tell you why. I had come to the meeting a little early and had been studying the array of literature lit-erature arranged on two tables the American and the Axis propaganda propa-ganda material. There were handsome hand-some publications like the German magazines "Signal," "Berlin-Rome-Tokyo," and Japan's "Nippon." "Signal" costs 75 cents a copy to produce the art work in all of them must make "Esquire" and "Fortune" "For-tune" envious. There were tiny pamphlets these were American you could slip into your hat band. The OWI's masterpiece is "Victory" which was the target of congressional congres-sional attack it isn't so bad in comparison com-parison with the expensive Axis magazines but it costs only 35 cents to produce. Three things struck me as a result re-sult of the conference: first, if there is an even chance of obtaining the results expected, the investment is not worth quibbling about; second, since Davis admits that material got into the 'Roosevelt sketch which , should not have and won't again, we either oueht to take Davis' inrlo- material. Of course, by no means all of the OWI propaganda is spread through publications. In fact, the radio broadcasts represent the greater part of the expenditure. OWI is confident that this radio propaganda is not wasted as has been charged although it is admitted admit-ted that the listening audience is being cut down as short-wave sets are seized or wear out and the depreciation de-preciation is heavy. On the other hand, it is known that the radio broadcasts are repeated by word of mouth and in clandestine pamphlets pam-phlets and newspapers. The chief evidence that propaganda propagan-da is reaching into Germany comes from two sources: first, the speeches of Goebbels and other German leaders lead-ers who warn against black listeningwarning listen-ingwarning not to believe the foreign for-eign propaganda and, second, the records of trials of persons arrested arrest-ed for this black listening. Effective in Turkey It is stated that American propaganda propa-ganda has been effective in Turkey because Turks believe it whereas they have caught the Axis in too many lies. , Since publications printed print-ed in Turkish are still forbidden to be sent into Turkey, the printing has to be done there or the material sent in in French or English. In Spain, it is said that in spite of strong handicaps-that is, the ment or else fire him. Thirdly, the public hasn't had a chance to know what the propaganda is all about and the criticism of one phase of it utterly distorts the general picture of the function, purpose and value of the OWI effort. In the first place, these publications publica-tions under consideration are not for our troops abroad or our people at home though I believe they eught to be given some circulation here simply so that their function is understood, at least when it is compatible with the confidential na-'ture na-'ture of some of the means of distribution distri-bution in enemy countries. It is accepted as the duty and function for one political party to do all it can to discredit the leaders of the other party according to the rules of th game of politics but, as Davis quoted the Baltimore Sun, you have to exploit your personalities. personali-ties. People mean a lot more than mere ideas when you are trying to make an impression. Roosevelt can be played up as a powerful symbol to people abroad without affecting the political situation at home. That was done effectively in the case of Woodrow Wilson in the last war, his picture was worshiped all over Europe, Eu-rope, as the symbol of the leader of a nation coming to liberate them. But when he came home, he couldn't sell his program to the American people. 'Sell' Allied Cause I tried to find out what the objective ob-jective of the OWI was, whether it could show any results. Purpose one is counter-attack. We know what German propaganda has done, first in softening countries about to be invaded; second, to keep neutrals leaning Nazi-ward. OWI wants to fight fire with fire. The second purpose is the same as the first and more of it not merely to nullify enemy effort but sell the prospect the idea that America Amer-ica can win and is winning the war and that American victory will be a greater selfish advantage to the prospect than a Nazi victory would be. power of the Falangist party which is openly pro-Axis American propaganda prop-aganda has curtailed this power, has swung many people from a pro-Axis pro-Axis to a pro-Ally attitude. The persecution of the Catholic church in Germany has been used effectively in Spain. Of course, this isn't the whole story of propaganda. All is fair in love and war and some pretty precarious pre-carious tight-rope walking is sometimes some-times done witness democracy's tete-a-tete with Darlan which history his-tory will probably disclose was less a desertion of democratic poUtical methods than waiving of the Queens-berry Queens-berry rules of gallant combat. We can't expect the Allies to show their hands to the enemy and there is no use disturbing the squeamish by revealing the possible although not entirely immaculate condition which might arise from grappling with an especially noisome enemy. What Davis did not go into at this meeting was the question of enemy propaganda directed toward us. That is a very delicate matter and sometimes governments are willing to give the enemy credit for the circulation cir-culation of certain sentiments expressed ex-pressed by people who are just mad at their own public servants and are exercising the inherent right of grousing. As I said before, I am much more interested in whether the propaganda propagan-da job we are doing is effective. As to getting in puffs for the party in power, that is up to the party out of power to stop but one of the inescapable advantages of being an "in" in wartime is that you can squelch some opposition on the ground of patriotism. On the other hand, there was never an administration adminis-tration yet that wasn't thrown out after a war so there is some compensation com-pensation furthermore, the party of the opposition doesn't share the blame for the mistakes. Now that Governor Bricker has announced that he expects the Ohio delegation will support him as a favorite son candidate for the presidency, presi-dency, politics will be raising its lovely head in every headline. |