Evening star., 1939-09-08
Both Sides Continue
War of Propaganda

War OF Propaganda
LONDON, Sept. 8 (P).-Europe's
warning nations bombed each other
today with words aimed at morale,
and the sympathies of neutral coun-
tries, as Great Britain and France
slowly developed their offensive
against Germany on the Western
front
The propaganda battle grew like
rolling SNOWFALL with its core the
war of words that preceded actual
combat. e.
Germany exploited her steady ad-
vances in Poland and accused Polish
civilians of the massacre of German
nationals within Poland's borders.
Poland charged Germany with in
discriminatory bombing civilian pop
ulation.
Britain, continuing to play up the
torpedoing of the passenger liner
Athena, scoffed at German hints
that it was a British trick. On all
In land, sea and air operations-and
denials.
The ministry of information an
nounced that British Royal Air
Force planes made a fourth recon-
naissance flight over Germany early
this morning and dropped three and
a half million copies of note to the
German people. The announcement
said the leaflets were scattered over
a part of Northern Germany. The
planes returned safely to their bases.
Cannons Figuring in West.
Meanwhile, the fighting on the
Western Front proceeded in man
ner markedly different from the
swift, fierce engagements of the
early days of the World War
Several factors figured in the
comparatively slow development of
the 1899 combat. Outstanding was
the difference between today S
tactical conditions and those pre-
vailing in 1914.
In 1914 troops maneuvering in
open country clashed and fought
within a few hours after expiration
of Britain's ultimatum to Germany
to get her troops out of neutral
Belgium or 60 to war.
Today great armies are moving
into previously prepared lines, deep
and heavily fortified. Such a
process involves no clashes between
small forces, but instead makes for
extended artillery duels to soften
defenses and clear the way for big
mass infantry and mechanical
forces.
Another angle arises from the
need for caution against f1anking
movements. A quick advance by a
small detachment would leave 1t
open to flank attack by the fast
moving motorized modern armies
movements that can cut off an ad-
vancing force and leave it open to
capture or annihilation.
Still a third important factor was
the conviction of Britain and France
that the element of time is in their
favor.
British strategists contend that
Germany's internal economic
strength is insufficient to withstand
the demands of a long war, that
many German arms are made of
scrap metal which would not stand
up under a long siege and that
German strategy is built around the
Idea of lightning war.
AS consequence, the British and
French are going at their land cam
paign slowly and carefully with a
view to creating a diversion from
the German attack on Poland, where
Germany is meanwhile expending
ammunition, manpower and equip
ment.
Drive on German Shipping.
Meanwhile, Britain devoted her
own principal offensive efforts to-
ward sweeping the seas of German
shipping" to cut off German supply
lines. The British air forces have
been Smelling" Germany with leaf
lets in line with Britain's attack on
the German economic and political
structure.
Advantages other than that OF
propaganda were seen in this move
"a sally against German nerves
through knowledge that hostile air
planes had been flying over their
country with apparent ease.
Britain hailed with delight today
as favoring its long-term campaign
plan the announcement that the
United States neutrality would not
interfere with the barter deal where
by the British trade 175,000 ,00(
pounds of rubber for 800 900 bales o1
cotton for war supplies.
The influential London Times took
cognizance today of criticisms lev.
eled at the new British information
ministry and censorship blaming the
ministry's ''muddles and blunders'
on ineXperience. 1t asserted, "Oul
free people are entitled to know anG
can be trusted with all news bearing
upon the fortunes of their arms
good or bad Moreover we wage
this wal N the sight of all neutra,
nations; believing our cause just We
court their judgment and desire
them to have the fullest material
for forming it."