Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1922-05-03
ADVERTISING
PROPAGANDA


ing. Unfortunately with the close of
the war and with the armistice there
was no cessation of the use of propa-
ganda and today every minister of
the gospel, every newspaper, every
moving picture house, every public
man is flooded with propaganda of
every nature under the sun. Propa-
ganda is the spreading of some par
ticular doctrine or belief.
The amount of propaganda news
paper receives is amazing, and one OF
the important functions of newspa-
per today is to keep out of its col
umns material which is intended to
educate or influence the public against
the public's best interest, and to know
what is good and what is bad propa-
ganda is difficult indeed. Many pub
lie movements are to be commended
and the public should be urged to
back it, while other movements are
backed by big groups for financial
reasons, and still others are out and
out frauds.
For a few days the editor has been
throwing aside some of the propa-
ganda which has come to his desk and
we shall here mention some of the
material in order that our readers
may know the task which confronts
an editor in determining what not
to use, and the result really is that
he uses none of the material, and
more often throws everything which
bears the earmarks of propaganda
into the waste basket without cere-
mony.
For instance the New England Bu-
reau of Public Information sends
weekly or oftener a so-called news
bulletin. The bureau frankly says 1T
is issued for "the purpose of estab-
fishing a better understanding be-
tween these companies and the pub
lic." By "these companies" is meant
the public service companies such as
electric companies, railroads, tele-
phone companies, etc. Another bit
of material sent out is from the tel
ephone company direct and the "ser-
vice" sheet says: Editors receiving
this service bulletin may use any OF
it's contents, without credit, after
the indicated date of publication. Ma
trix or stereo of illustrations sent on
request"
Another favorite method of reach
ing the editor is through local
dealer and advertiser. The National
Shoe Retailers Association of the
United States of America, Inc, is just
now asking shoe dealers to have their
newspapers use their influence to
keen the tariff off from hides. For
an editor to study this subject and
know whether the farmer would ben
eft most by a tariff which would
probably give him better price for
hides, but probably higher price
for shoes, is a question one canno
answer offhand. But the National
Shoe Dealers Association of the I'm
tied States of America, Inc" doesn't
want tariff on hides and is urging
shoe dealers all over the United
States to go to their newspapers ana
have those newspapers use their IN
fluence on the hide tariff question.
This office has received more IMAM
one of these circulars and requests.
4eThe National Board of Fire I'm
derwriters" sends much material to
newspapers urging them to educate
the public about fire prevention, sure
ly a worthy thing to do, but reflects
profits to the insurance companies.
From Washington comes regularly
q nress bulletin from the philippine
Commission of Independence" urging
the newspaper to create sentiment
for Philippine independence. Inc
bulletin frankly says it goes to lZ'ooo
newspapers, members of Congress
and prominent men throughout the
nation.
The Republican National committee
is another committee which offers
voluminous material fol. free use.
The "Fair Tariff League" of Ra-
cine, Wis, comes forward with pro-
gram which it asks newspapers to
help promote. The N. E. M. P. A. is
prolific producer of propaganda,
and material in which we usually can
concur. The state institutions of
higher learning are adopts at propa-
ganda issuing and so is nearly every
department of the government. state
and nation.
Automobile clubs, tire companies,
cities themselves, cattle clubs, relig-
ious organizations, all try propagan-
da, in fact this seems to be day
and generation of propagandists.
Sorting from great mass of mater
ial here and there an item, an editor
keeps in mind that his is public
trust and that his readers must be
protected from a vast majority of the
material which comes to his office.
And still things do not seem to
coordinate completely in the road de-