The Coconino sun., 1923-01-12
THE REVOLT AGAINST PROPAGANDA


The newspapers of Arizona are long-suffering
but an action taken at meeting of the publish
ers on Sunday indicates that they are at last
about to turn against their despoer-the propa-
gandist. There were never IN the history of the
world so many people dissatisfied with God, the
government, and things generally as they have
worked themselves out to the existing status as
are at the present time engaged in the process OF
making the world over. In his late report, At
torney General Daugherty stated that he knew of
487 different kinds of propaganda on which mil
lions were being expended every year.
The work which many of the various groups of
propagandists have undertaken is work which
comes within official activities after an exper-
ience, and not propaganda, has impressed con-
siderable number of people that it needs to be
accomplished.
Much of the propaganda originates in pure
foolishness and much IN sefiShness. 1t is intend
ed only to furnish idle and futile men and
women with something with which to busy them
selves in an apparently semi-public way and thus
gain for them place in the public eye. And
much off is without any other aim than to fur
nish the propagandist with jobs carrying greater
or less remuneration.
Most of the propaganda is harmless so far as
concerns its effects upon the public. It is pass
ing wind, gone tomorrow or next year and for
gotten. Other winds have swept down after it.
1t has only taken the money and a part of the
time of those whose interest in it has been en-
listed.
But the newspapers have allowed themselves
! to be embarrassed and inconvenienced by it.
That is, they used to allow themselves to be so
embarrassed, but if one now studies the columns
of the large metropolitan papers, he will find in
them little signs of propaganda. Here is being
dealt blow which propaganda feels, for its life
is in publicity.
The newspapers have been compelled for the
protection of themselves, their subscribers and
advertisers to make a stand against propaganda.
1t is not news 1t relates to what is going to hap
pen tomorrow or some other time in the future.
News is of only things that have been done--to
meetings that have been held and programs that
have been executed, and not of things only IN
prospect, these things in which not one read
er in a hundred feels the slightest concern.
Before the propagandist became so numerous
and claimant for newspaper space, and when be-
cause of their supposed pretended interest IN the
public, they were allowed inordinate space, we
used to look over newspapers for that kind of
stuff which had been submitted as news ("here's
a little piece to fill up your paper.O We often
thought that the papers might a little better
have left the space occupied by the propaganda
run blank. It would have been precisely as en-
tertaining and instructive to the average reader.
It would also have aroused his curiosity, and that
is the next best thing to arousing ones interest
And then the cost of composition would have
been saved.
In those days the newspaper used to be the
principal holder of the sack A propaganda may
have cost the participants in it nothing but their
time and the average propagandist's time is
nothing But it always cost the newspaper a lot
of valuable space
We do not mean to say that all propaganda is
useless, only the most of it, say about nine
tenths. There are always, though, some great
things to be accomplished by cooperation, and
cooperation must be preceded by organization.
The aims of the organization are so meritorious
that they need only to be presented properly, and
their accomplishment will be so plainly and gen.
orally beneficial, that newspapers should join
with all good citizens in furthering them.
This is usually work which cannot be taken up
by official agencies, at any rate, cannot be car
ried along solely on official lines. They are mat
tiers rather of community endeavor in which the
newspaper should play it's part.-Republican