The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-10-12
SATURDAY. OCTOBER u. lga5.
PROPAGANDA,S SUBTLE WAYS

CIR JOSIAH STAMP, British economist, declares
- America today faces the biggest moral issue in
her hsto in view Of the grave turn of international
events
America he said, could only be cynicaly indif
ferent at the price Of Europe in ruins. Americas
moral issue therefore, is between actively helping
try to save the world and letting things slide
cartoon from a leading London daily depicts
John Bull standing up manfuly to a gigantic Mus
solni, while Uncle Sam from the sidelines is asking
John why he doesn't stay out too
The subtle propaganda already making its ap-
peararoe in Europe has an all too familiar ring For
we belong to the generation that lived through the
World War
At the outset of that the head of great
American news-gatherng organization called on the
premier Of allied country
The American public" he explained "is pretty
haSy on what the wars all about. So I have come
here just as shall do in Berlin to offer to you our
facilities you care to state your case Ours is not
propaganda agency. But we do feel our public is
entitled to hear both sides. Hence our desire to
cooperate"
"Co-operate?" in effect replied the apparently
amazed statesman. II see no call for cooperation
This is our war, not Americas Good morning"
That was at the beginning of Europes war. Ger
many would soon be licked We had nothing to do
with It, It would soon be over and the spos divided
The less America meddled the better.
BEFORE the war was halfway over, however.
picture had entirely changed In speech. press
and cartoon, American being lambasted for STAY
ing out. 1t was for civilization A war TO end
war In fact. it was Americas war And an I'M
sportSmanlike people were holding aIoof, letting
others hight and Gle for them while they coined dol
lars out of Europes blood
We are not concerned here with the RICHNESS
or the Wrongness of all that The point is We were
shamed and bullied by propaganda into lending
hand in fight which, at first admittedly was none
Of our business
Today Europe is inclined to insist that her QUAR-
res' dating back two milenniums, are really our
quaIreIS When European power which did not
get It's share Of the spos of the last war tries to grab
colony somewhere in Africa the other and more
fortunate powers cry out that Americas duty is to
step in and help stop it. The propaganda barraee
begins
Whereupon our wartime memories again come
to life When President Wilson suggested an end
OF the war on a basis of peace without victory
he was jeered When later at the peace confer
ence he fought against the spoils of war. he was
almost leaped upon
1ooayS war in Africa is, and tonlorrovs wars
IN Europe will be, largely because his advice was
not taken Yet when the wars come, we will
De SWamped again by shaming, bullying and Cabling
propaganda to make us feel that it is our war ;"
onquestionahly the world is growing smaller
certainly it will be difficult if not impossible for us
10 stay out of new major war, if it lasts long
enough Nevertheless it is our duty to try And
one way Is for us to keep heads-not to permit
our emotions to run away with our reason
We must learn among other things not To allow
propaganda, whether originating at home or abroad
10 bind us to fundamental truth Which is that
americas first duty to the world is to be loval to
herself