The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-08-29

10 takes months IN make q
picture as against minutes TO
write an editorial; second has
been the radio. an industry
wise beyond Its years In its
understanding Of popular feel
ings; third. but rapidly catch
ing up with the other two.
the press. and we can leave 10
10 the press itself to explain
why 10 elected 10 be the lag
gard.
In any case. those who propose
government propaganda always
have in mind these three avenues
TO the public eye and ear. Not
believing that the people are
aware Of the world crisis, they
would use these media 10 make
them aware. Yet the fact IL that
the picture industry. on
its own initiative. has been giving
its time and its talent for much
more than year 10 furthering
the national defense effort: own
ers. producers. directors. actors,
writers, distributors, exhibitors.
all have been putting their hearts
into II.
Nobody had to ask them to do II
and they don't claim any partic-
ulsr credit for doing II They say
they are merely making the pic
lures 'he people want to see.
And so with radio. While pro-
yiding as much time for the dis
senters as they can use. radio Is
doing its part In every other way.
Merely producing the programs
the people want TO hear, says
radio.
What would or could the gov
eminent do better in the matter
OF pictures IL II were the kind
Of government that wanted to try
IL? What would or could IL do In
the matter of radiog
He Would Wait
And what would or could II do
better than the press will be doing
when IL finally draws on all the
publishers-as IL has on very
many Of them-that IL Hitler wins
his war on democracy therem be
no freedom of the press, consti-
tutional or otherwise. Then the
press. while meeting Its duty to
criticize conduct and expose short
comings, will at the same time
begin to see the whole picture and
present 1t to newspaper readers.
That this is not impossible is made
clear by the fact that many news
papers are doing just that already.
He Looks Abroad
So much for the home front.
What about the urgent demands
that the government develop a
great props uganda offensive
abroad? Some would have us
out-Hitler Hitler or out-gabb
Goebbels. See what Nazi propa-
ganda has done in one foreign
country after another. they say.
A better test. for our purpose,
IN what Nazi propaganda has done
in our own country. The Amer
lean people have been exposed
freely to practically every trick in
the Berlin bag for several years.
and the net result of it all is moth
ing to make Berlin happy. The
net result Of IT all il that Amer
lea is lining up solidly and effec-
lively against all that German
propaganda represents The soft
ening-up process apparently has
only served TO make America
hard.
Praises Newsmen
During this same period there
has been developing an American
propaganda weapon that Is GER
tain TO obtain results. notwith-
standing IL was not designed for
that purpose and does not actually
deal in propaganda.
refer TO the free American
press associations. the finest and
fairest news-gathering and news
disseminating agencies in the
world. and 10 the free American
radio. In practically every coun-
try these two agencies have set a
standard Of truthful reporting
that has caused their reports to
be believed.
win Respect
This Is the fact beyond question
in all countries where the news
papers may stin receive America
news reports. notably the nations
Of South and Central America. In
the course of the past quarter
century the American press as
sociations have so won the respect
of the many excellent newspapers
and the newspaper readers in
those countries that nothing save
a sudden switch 10 dishonesty on
our part can take this advantage
/ from us.
The same story can be told con-
corning American radio news,
with the fact added that Ameri-
can radio news continues TO reach
listeners in European countries
from which American press asso-
citation news is now barred
The American press sssecis-
tons and American radio have
done America a great service al
ready. They can continue In rem
+ der such service II. in our efforts
% supplement what they have
E