Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-09-17
Foes Propaganda Machines
Geared to Sway War Opinion
1000 Subscribers Each Month Receive Reports
of Analyses Made by Institute Founded
Two Years Ago
By Aivin II. Goidstein.


tilities in Europe and the realization that
propaganda machines of belligerents will
soon be working at top speed to sway
opinion one way or another, subscribers
to the Institute for Propaganda Analysis
this month received the second annual
report of the organization, founded two
years ago to assist the public in de-
tecting and analyzing propaganda"
The texts of some of the analytical re-
ports issued by the institute this year and
last, treating of events in Europe, are of
utmost interest to the American reader.
Some are almost prophetic, although
prophecy is not the field of the organi-
cation. The study scheduled for release
october l, selected before actual war
fare in Poland began, is a discussion of
Europe's present crisis and what it means
to America, emphasizing to propagandas
revolving about Americas own foreign
policy
Let it not be concluded, however that
the work of the institute has been de-
voted entirely to foreign propaganda, I'M
less the propagandas within Our own
borders may be described as alien to
American ideals and concepts. Virtually
every monthly bulletin regardless of date.
concentrates on a subject now the topic
of intense and frequently heated public
discussion.
Has 1000 Subscribers.
Mailed monthly to about 1000 sub
scribers, reports have been made on the
following subjects and others since &C.
tober, 1887:
The Munich Plot" THE Attack on
Democracy" a study of the domestic
crop of Nazi-Fascist groups and leaders;
Communist Propaganda in the United
States; Propaganda in the News;
propaganda in the Schools; Britain
Woos America" and continued discus
sions on the way of the propaganda in
periodicals. on radio networks and
through public relations counsel
more intimately known as publicity men
paid to get favorable comment pub
Ished or to keep unfavorable happenings
in the dark.
Other releases surveyed The Movies
and Propaganda" The Ford Sunday
Evening Hour propaganda Technique
OF German Fascism,' The Associated
Farmers" The A. & P. Campaign" and
the wars in China and Spain with
emphasis on the propaganda methods
pursued by the antagonists. The discus
sion of News From Europe is partic-
ularly significant now to the accompanl-
nent of booming artillery, although it
was published and reached subscribers
year ago.
Book Published.
Inquiry for predication of the docu-
ment written last June entitled Father
Coughlin, Priest and Politician" sup
piled institute researchers with SO many
striking examples of the fine art of
propaganda that the institute this month
published book under that title using
the lectures Of the Detroit crusader as
guide to all the seven catalogued tricks
of the propagandist's trade-name call
ing, glittering generalities, transfer tes-
timonial plain folks, card stacking and
bandWagon.
Thus during its extremely active exist
ence, the institute has focused its gaze
on a variety of subjects, comparing the
declarations of partisans to accredited
fact, announced intentions to actual
performances, and thereby in fashion
has underlined for the reader the COM
mon devices used to excite the public
mind against reason. In this manner,
often permitting the reader to reach
his own conclusions, the institute had
sought to show what part of certain in
formation fed the American public was
established truth and what part was
pure and simple bunk-with a motive.
Before reviewing some of the work of
the Institute for Propaganda Analysis,
one must know something of its origin,
Its sponsors and its functionaries. AS a
result of conclusions readily drawn from
certain findings set forth in monthly re-
ports, the institute has been accused of
being both Fascist and Communist, both
unpatriotic and spawned by the Liberty
League, both liberal and reactionary.
Filene Gave $4,000.
In the current annual report it is set
forth that a national magazine soon will
publish an article by widely col
umnist who will assert that the institute
is pTO-NeW Dedl ana plO-COiilIIluIllSt.
On the other hand, the report quotes one
Milwaukee Man, cited in a bulletin as
pro-Nazi propagandist with the written
commentator: II admit it is well
written article (The Attack of Democ-
racy>, and in general fair to all those
mentioned"
The institute was founded as nom
profit making organization in 1887 on
the inspiration and $4,000 donation of
the late Edward A. Filene, Boston mer-
chant and philanthropist, after Filene
was convinced of the worth of the enter
prise by Prof. Clyde R. Miller, Teachers
College, Columbia University.
Pref Miller, who worked successfully
as newspaper. writer, advertising copy
man and public relations counsel before
making education his profession, had
little difficulty in accepting a definition
of propaganda when he began active
direction of the institute:
propaganda is expression of opinion
or action by individuals or groups delib-
erately designed to influence opinions or
actions of other individuals or groups
with reference to predetermined ends"