Evening star., 1941-02-22

in America know
that the Nazis
had short David Lawrence.
wave broadcasting program, and,
second, to get a line on the kind Of
programs the friends Of the Nazls
in America would like to hear.
Every now and then sponsors OF
broadcast programs like to check up
with the listeners and the Nazi
propaganda department presum-
ably thought it was worth a few
thousand dollars to get a line on
the American listening public. 1t
was inevitable, of course, that a lot
of strongly worded or sarcastic mes
sages would be sent, but the Nazis
doubtless figured that would be one
way to get the American press to
print stories about the affair.
The significance Of the episode Is
that the German government re-
veals its deep interest in the kind OF
propaganda it can use on the Amer
lean people. There no longer is any
question about the fact that the
Nazi regime is using money TO in
fuence American opinion.
The fayorite way, OF course, to
reach American readers is through
the inspired editorials in the Nazl
press which are regularly cabled to
American readers. These editorials,
to be sure. do not reflect German
public opinion, but what the propa-
ganda officers of the Nazl govern
ment wish to put across the Atlantic
for American consumption.
Hints on Morale Included.
So far as official Washington is
concerned, it hasn't any objection to
this stream of propaganda because,
reading between the lines Of the in
spired editorials, there is a good deal
of information valuable for Amer
leans to know. The ups and downs
of German morale are often to be
read by a study of the Nazi propa-
ganda.
There IS another aspect of the
Nazi propaganda stunt. Since the
Nazis are openly trying to influence
American opinion, there is no reason
why American organizations should
not start regular broadcasts on the
short wave in order to tell the people
Of Germany what America is plan
n,ng to do and why the United
States is aiding England. 1t may be
that millions of Germans who listen
in despite the regulations to the
contrary will learn for the first time
the profound impression that has
been made by Nazi persecution of
helpless men, women and children
in occupied areas.
The battle of morale has hardly
begun. The Nazi government, by re-
vealing that it is willing to spend
money to reach American listeners,
certainly places itself in an awkward
position when it tries to prevent
Germans from listening to foreign
broadcasts.
In America there is no law or reg
ulation forbidding Americans from
listening to any foreign broadcast,
no matter what its origin, nor is
there any such prohibition in Eng
land. In democratic countries there
is faith that the people can dis
tinguish between truth and falsity
and between sound and unsound
argument. 1t may be that the dis
CuSSiOn of the difference between
the Nazi tactics and those of demo-
cratic nations would in itself be in
tereSting to the German people.
With all the work that is being done
to resell Americans on democracy
and with all the organizations that
are apparently seeking to discuss
international issues with the Amer
lean people, it is surprising that
there is no systematic plan under
way to reach the German people
with the truth about American
opinion and American attitudes
toward what the Nazis have done
in the last few years.
Opportunity for Radio.
Evidence aCcumulateS from time
to time that the German people do
listen in to radio broadcasts from
foreign lands. The mere turn of a
dial makes this possible. The dis
cuSSlon among neighbors and friends
OF what has been heard makes the
word of mouth transmission of news
very extensive, despite the rigid CEN
Sorship Of what is broadcast or
printed internally in Germany. In
the last war Germany capitulated
because she saw American might
coming. The end of the war oc-
Cured long before any absolute VIC
tory in military sense was
achieved. In fact no extensive area
Of German territory was invaded.
1t is generally admitted that in the
battle of morale the Allies won.
Something of the same sort could
happen again as the people of Ger
many are told Of the immense prep
arations being made overseas to
help Britain.
For a while these reports will be
discounted and the German press
will reaSsure the people by saying
American help cannot come in time.
but if, as may we'll happen, the
British hold out through 1s41 and
1912, the German people will begin
to turn away from their own leaders
and see for themselves that only by
the elimination of Hitlerism can
they secure freedom and an end of
the war. 1t is in the telling of the
story and progress of American
preparation that the short ra-
dio may play overseas an even
greater part in this war than any
other form of propaganda did in the
World War.