Evening star., 1940-12-12

1nlS happens #$a4
quite often. The a
most powerful -
piece of propa- David Lawrence.
ganda for example yet transmitted
came in the last 48 hours from Herr
Hitler in speech which was widely
printed in the newspapers of free
America and broadcast over the net
works.
Herr Hitler for the first time took
some penetrating cracks at the
system of American democracy and
used language which will appear
plausible to many listeners and
readers who do not know that the
purpose of the propaganda is not
sincere, but to divide the American
people and intensity their class
cleavages and thus weaken our de-
tense efforts and aid to Britain.
Saw Fertile Ground.
It might, indeed, appear that Herr
Hitler's Bureau of Research. after
analyzing the American elections
and particularly some of the New
Deal campaign speeches came to
the conclusion that there was fer
tile ground in America for fur
ther attack on the system of private
enterprise or private capital.
Herr Hitler's analysis is OF democ-
racy as place where a few have
the wealth and the remainder are
exploited and his emphasis on the
"haves" and the "have-nots" is in
conformity with the doctrines fire.
quently expressed by radicals in
our midst who, Of course, are the
first to denounce Hitlerism and
communism. Herr Hitler applies the
same formula to world affairs, in
sisting that he merely represents
the "have-not" nations which seek
to recover what he alleges was taken
from them by force.
1t is a paradox of the whole prop
aganda situation that Hitler has
free access to the press and radio
of America, yet arguments and an
swers to his speeches would not be
allowed to penetrate either the radio
or the press in Maitland. There
have been mistaken attempts in
America to suppress the Hitler
speeches on the air, but this has
merely resulted in retaliation-a re-
fusal to allow certain American
broadcasters facilities for reporting
of the news from countries now
dominated by Germany.
Gets Wide Audience.
Most students of international
problems would not for a moment
advocate the suppression Of Hitler
speeches, because to do so would be
to admit fear that the propaganda
cannot be critically analyzed and
rejected by American readers and
listeners.
But on the other hand, it Is a
fact that Herr Hitler gets a wide
audience for his propaganda, and
no answer is made inside or outside
America that gets similar space or
attention. There are millions of
American citizens who, when the
propa ganda is clever enough, accept
it as plausible and this, of course,
is exactly what the announcements
from Berlin are designed to accom-
plish.
During the last World War Ameri-
can propaganda swept the world.
The principles of democracy were
extoled, and the radio and press
carried to the four corners of the
earth and even into Central Eu-
rope the full text of President Will
sons famous speeches outlining the
cause of democracy.
Spokesman Is Lacking.
No such spokesman of democracy
has appeared thus far in the pres
ent situation. President Roosevelt,
for reasons best known to himself,
has made speeches largely of de-
nunciation of dictatorship, and so
has Secretary Hull and other
speakers on behalf of the Govern
ment. The Well-reasoned, thought
full appeal designed to reach into the
hearts of people in the oppressed
lands has not been utilized. One
reason, of course, is the belief that
the speeches would not be printed
abroad and that listeners would be
forbidden to turn on their radios.
But it is known that when Presi-
dent of the United States speaks
on international matters the sub
ject matter has a way of getting
through to an influential nucleus
which transmits the information to
others in due time.
This correspondent wrote several
months ago that every Hitler speech
should be answered specifically by
some one in authority here if only
to reach Herr Hitler himself and
make him realize how the rest of
the world analyzes his statements.
Sooner or later such tactics would
provoke replies by Hitler which
would plainly reveal to the people
of Germany by the very nature of
the references in the speeches them
selves that they were not getting
all of the truth.
Mr.. Roosevelt has the opportunity
to do what Mr. Wilson did in the
World War-to hold high the cause
of democracy by being willing to
debate every broad issue that arises.
Clearly democracy's economic woes,
which Herr Hitler now emphasizes,
do not compare with the loss of
liberty which the citizen abroad has
undergone. 1t is on this tack that
q victory of moral force can some
day be won. Otherwise, if Hitler's
speeches go unanswered, they will
make insidious inroads among mil
lions in America who unfortunately
are Influenced by doctrines of super
flciality and plausibility-and the
millions who are thus emotionally
reached are not few In number in