Evening star., 1938-01-02
NEW RAD|OBATTLE
OPENS TOMORROW
Broadcasting in Europe De.
voted Chiefly to Prop
aganda.
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE,

$1HSo@Aaled HiesS Eoicikl AL airs WllteI.
NEW YORK. Jan 1.-The broad
casting fight which is due to begin
Monday between Britain and Italy for
the favor of itching Arabian ears IA
the Near East, is just another varia-
ton OF the propaganda warfare which
daily rends the air abroad.
' Premier Mussolini is accused of TO-
menting unrest in Palestine, which is
under British rule, by broadcasting
propaganda. France also has laid at
II Duce's door responsibility for the
serious native troubles in French
Northern Africa recently.
In an effort to Offset the Italian
aerial barrage, the British Broadcast
ing Corp. is inaugurating a daily news
period, oxford accent and all. The
B. B. c., be 1t noted. is under gov
ernment control so the operation has
official backing.
Scandalmonger Of Air.
The European radio spends more
time minding other peoples business
than 1t does its own. It is the keyhole
gossip and scandalmonger of the air.
1t deliberately spreads discomfort and
conflicts abroad; it disrupts govern
ments.
Many countries are using this meth
cd of spreading propaganda, which
often is dumped onto the air without
any effort to conceal its nature. OF
course it is in the language of the
people for whom it is intended.
The Russians were among the first
to recognize the value of this medium
and bombarded virtually all the rest
OF Europe. Sometimes a broadcast ad-
vocated Communism and sometimes it
took hand in political or class con-
f1icts.
When was in Venezuela a while
back regular Communist broadcasts
were coming into the country from
high-powered radio station somewhere
in Europe. They were in perfect Span
1Sh, too.
Venezuela Much Disturbed.
The authorities charged that this
was Russia's doing, though no proof
was offered me. The Venezuelan gov
ernment was much disturbed, for the
country was in a highly nervous and
unsettled state, just after the death of
old Gen. Gomez, the dictator.
The Russian propaganda had much
to do with the birth of Fascism in
Italy and Nazi-ism in Germany. Eng
land and France, among others, pro-
tested heatedly against the assault by
air. and the delay in recognition of
the Soviet Union was due in part to
the broadcasting.
But Russia was merely one of the
smart pioneers. Other countries fol-
lowed suit and one of Moscow's ar
dent imitators was. and is, Nazi Ger
many. Berlin pours a stream of
propaganda into neighboring coun-
tries.
Germany Utilizes Radio.
Germany almost came to blows not
long ago with Austria over such
propagandism. This form of proselyt-
ing played no small part in bringing
Danzig into the Nazi fold recently. At
this moment little Czechoslovakia is
fighting to keep the republic intact
in the face of demands of her Ger
man citizens, who form nearly 25
per cent Of her population. for au-
tonomy-and the Berlin radio is egg
ing the Czechoslovakian Nazis on.
South America covers under an
avalanche of European broadcasts,
some propaganda and some news. FIRE.
quently the two elements are so
cleverly mixed that 1t Is hard to
identify them-and that is the really
telling propaganda.
Sometimes country can keep
propaganda out by employing a pow-
erful radio station to blanket the
offending broadcaster, but that sort
OF business is highly unsatisfactory,
since it interferes with receiving SETS
I encountered an amusing case Of
deliberate jamming in England while
ago. although political propaganda was
not involved. Britain remembers the
Sabbath Day to keep it holy, and
the B. B. c. broadcasts are confined
to about the same sedate level as
the church services Of our Puritan
ancestors. No jazz or frivolity ever
violates the Sunday quiet.
French Programs Drowned Out.
France took advantage of this
weekly lull and started to broadcast
very lively, sponsored advertising pro-
grams to England OF q SUNDAY. I
was among the many unregenerate
listeners-in who enjoyed these pro-
grams. But not for long.
After couple of Sundays the French
offering was absolutely drowned out
by Britain's most powerful radio sta
ton, which broadcast a pipe-organ
recital of irreproachable character.
Ordinary receiving sets couldn't get
anything but the organ.
Over In China the Japanese military
a.