The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1941-05-22
WNU Service, 1343 H Street N. W.
Washington, d. C.

~ N'sts AAo
WNU Service, 1343 H Street N. w.,
Washington, d. C.
WASHINGTON.-You hear more
and more talk in Washington these
days about total defense with the
accent on the total.
Another way to say it would be
"all-out'' since that is the popular
phrase Of the day borrowed from
the English who usually borrow their
slang from us. A better way to
say what officials are now calling for
is Everybody out" If there is to
be a final test between this democ-
racy and totalitarianism it will be
Everybody OUT with a vengeance.
Already the ramiications Of the
defense effort are reaching into all
corners of national activity. While
our factories are filling the air with
bombers and fighters for England,
the government is planning a little
peaceful air-offensive Of our own
against Germany.
When you feel around on the dial Of
your radio set some day you may
suddenly pick up a voice in German
~broadcasting from Washington.
Do not worry. That will not mean
that the fifth columnists have ar
rived on the Potomac. The voice
will be coming forth not in spite Of,
but because Of, the department of
justice. The words may be as per-
suasive as those of Propaganda
Goebbels or as pleasing as those of
the Poet Goethe but they will be
boosting democracy.
If you can understand what the
b~roadcaster is saying, you can learn
some good things about your I'LL
try and its customs that you may
have forgotten even if the message
is not meant for you. 1t is meant,
as a matter of fact, for the German
speaking fo%reign-born of this coun-
try and the broadcast has been
planned for two purposes.
The first is to remind these more
recent arrivals on Jul shores who
may have been listening to the
short wave broadcasts from Berlin
that there are a lot of good points
about the country Of their adoption
which they may have overlooked.
The second is to try to unite the
newcomers and their offspring in an
effort to S their influence, if they
have any, to pass On some of these
points to the people in the old coun-
try with whom they may still be in
touch, directly or indirectly.
The idea has the support Of At
torney General Jackson but he would
carry it still further. He believes in
fighting fire with fire and shooting
counter-propaganda right at the Ger
mans in Germany.
OF course, news reports from the
Germany and France and other
European countries, as well as South
America right now We know how
difficult it is for the Germans and
people in the occupied countries to
listen to foreign broadcasts. 1t may
mean a life sentence. But we have
ample evidence that the Amer
lean stations have listeners-a great
many more than would be expected
under the circumstances. The peo-
pie in those countries are starved
for the news. They know that the
newspapers they get are simply rub
Der stamps from the censor's office.
They know our news is authentic,
unbiased, accurate.
But some people think that we
ought to 60 much further in this
battle of the ether than merely
b~roadcasting news. They think
that, in addition to the newscasts,
there should be interesting feature
broadcasts which would contain
material planned to counteract the
propaganda which the Germans are
sending out to their own people and
to others abroad.
There are those, Of course, out
side the government who are open
ly demanding that we 60 even fur
Their than this. They say that we
should not limit our efforts to de-
feating German propaganda by a
counter attack on the air waves, but
that we must take over some of the
Goebbels methods in foreign coun-
tries where his dfth-columnists are
busy now-that we should match
dollars against marks where they
will do the most good. organize Sc
cret agents of our own, especially in
South America.
Right now American business
men in South America on their own
initiative have bought time on the
air for programs of new and other
material concerning the United
States.
What further steps the department