The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-04-28

speeches would become tiresome, so
music is often interspersed.
The favorite means of disseminate
ing propaganda is through news
reports" Interesting and informa-
tive, these broadcasts provide sug-
ar-coated pills of bias for the credu-
lous listener.
Breakfasts are usually made in
several languages. Italy transmits
in English, Spanish, Serbian, Chi
nese, Japanese, Turkish, Greek,
French, Portuguese and Albanian.
Few continents are more courted
by broadcasters than South Amer
lea. Mussolini, catering to the Lat
in kinship of his listeners, is max
ing heavy play for our southern
neighbors. But he must combat
equally strong efforts on the part of
Moscow, Germany and Great Brit
ain. The latter nation has just COM
pleted new stransmitters for broad
casts in Spanish and Portuguese to
85,000,000 South Americans.
Brazilian Education.
But the South Americans them
selves appreciate radios value in
| propagandizing. In Brazil, every ra-
dio station must carry govern
ment program from GAS to 7:45
p. m. each day, prepared by the de-
! partment of propaganda. South
America is a natural hotbed of poll
tics, because both Hitler and Mus
solini enjoy encouraging the trend
to absolutism now prevalent in
that continent.
But the United States, conscious
of South Americas proximity, is
not twiddling its thumbs.
Both NBC and Columbia have es-
| tablished international broadcasting
departments. The former operates
Is hours day via short wave in six
languages, Spanish, Italian, French,
German, English and Portuguese.
The programs are designed to pro-
vide Americas challenge to elabo-
| rate short wave systems broadcast
ing programs throughout the world
from powerful stations in Great
Britain, Germany, Italy, Russia,
France and Holland"
Licensed Receivers.
| By contrast, two other democra-
cies-Great Britain and France
have government-operated systems
which derive their revenue from
listeners licenses. With domestic
radio under federal control, foreign
short wave breakfasts can easily be
| justified as a supplementary serv-
ice to colonists and other interest
ed parties"
In the worlds mad attempt to
| contact people with short wave can
be read two opposing purposes. The
| kindlier explanation is that foreign
broadcasts are breaking down ma
tional boundaries and creating a
greater understanding among the
peoples of the earth.
Unfortunately, such is not the
case.
Observers are convinced that in
the last analysis radio is being
doomed as part of general prepa-
ration for war. When and if con-
f1ict does come, these vast COM
munication systems will be of in
estimable Importance. Even as
they are fought now, battles may
be waged through the ether. Threats
will be hurled to the enemy and
counter-threats received. Germa-
ny's experience in the World war,
when her cables were cut and COM
munication facilities were de-
stroyed, proves that the greater the
number of channels of commune
cation under country's control, the
stronger the position of that nation
in the event of war.
Some say that radio favors the
democracy in propaganda wars, be-
cause dictators refuse to risk the
loss of that hypnotic effect afforded
by personal appearances.
If such is the case, Great Brit
ain, France and the United States
may come through victorious in the
current hostilities. But who can dis
count the threat of Europe, where
only three out of thirty national
broadcasting systems are privately
owned and operated?
@ Western Newspaper Union.