The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-12-14
BY vERN SMITH.

THE capitalist press pretends to
impartial reporting Of the news,
just as the capitalist government
of the United States pretends to
democracy. The reason is the same
in both cases: it is cheaper, as long
as it can be done, to fool the work
er into submitting to exploitation
than it is to club or shoot him in
to submission.
Great crises, war or revolution,
or even large scale demonstrations,
like the National Hunger March
cause capitalist governments to
drop the mask and show their
naked force.
RECORDS REVEAL METHOD.
Similar crises do not cause the
newspapers to admit they are only
propaganda house organs of capt.
tahSn, but sometimes cause suffi-
Gent disturbance as to leave re-
cords that prove what they really
are
The Russian revolution was
SuCl d. CItStS, anu VIC bliicC WI
umes of U. S. state department
papers recently published contain
records that prove the u. s.
government regarded newspapers
both here and abroad as Its
weapons in imperialist war
weapons used against both Rus
sian and American workers.
IN June, 1917 a special mission
from President Wilson went to
Russia, 1t was headed by Elihu
Root. Its purpose was to keep
millions of Russian workers and
farmers bleeding and dying on the
Eastern front, for no gain to them
selves, merely for the profit of
Russian and American imperial
lists and their allies.
THE CABLE TO LANSING.
Roots first important cable
from Petrograd (now Leningrad)
to Lansing, Secretary of State in
Washington outlines fully the
method and purpose of capitalist
propaganda. He says June II,
1910:
1--WE think the people of Rus
STA, particularly the soldiers, are
going to decide whether Russia
stays in the war and we have
got to get at them in some way.
Communications to the govern
ment do not reach the real diff
his crowd-V. 81 is taking steps
for the immediate distribution of
information which will cost about
100000.
"At least S5.OOO,O00 could be
expended to the greatest advan-
tage in this way. That would be
less than the cost of maintain
ing five American regiments and
the chance of keeping 100000
Russians in the field against
Germany is worth many times
five regiments. 1t will mean
supply of NEWSPAPERS, print
ing and distribution of posters,
leaflets and pamphlets, employ
ment of numerous lecturers and
moving pictures to 60 about the
front. This work TO be done
with the approval Of Russian
government and NOT TO BE
CONDUCTED IN THE NAME
or THE UNITED STATES. We
particularly recommend the es-
Enlistment upon the Russian
front of Y.M.C.A. stations. They
afford opportunities for access
to the minds of the soldiers"
Here you have cold blooded sta
tistics in the art of using, among
other agencies, the press, with the
hand that pulls the strings care
fully hidden. And that hand is
the U. S. government.
TO be sure that is using the press
i of another country. But would
ruling class be less likely to use
the press of its own country? OF
course not, and in the state de-
partment publication is proof of
that, too. On February 8, 1918,
American Ambassador Francis, in
Petrograd, cabled Lansing: Have
absolutely reliable evidence that
Lenin, Trotsky accepted German
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