The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-23

CuAR410oAo VA bAAC
erotic, the neurotic, the extra-naar-
ital amorolls. In Washington the
gossip is largely political.
Politics may make strange bed
fellows, but the great motif and
major theme Of bedroom CONVEX
sation Is avoided In Washington for
the simple reason that no smart
politician can afford to be caught.
He therefore covers up well or leads
a reasonably pure life morally and
doesn't repeat what others might
say about himself some day. In that
respect, therefore, Washington gos.
sip is clean. In other respects 1t
makes you reich. '''' '..
The President has on numerous
occasions paid his respects to WASH
ington's gossip OF rumors and
wrong guesSeS. It's. something to
chastise, too, and it's something to
stop unless the capital OF the coun-
try, without the aid Of bombs, Is to
fall Like the walls Of Jericho from
seven repetitious reverberatiolls OF
ill-reports blasted through the tin
horn trurnpetS of SANDER into the
shockproof tympanums Of case
hardened tin ears. Maintenance OF
all this gossip is nothing more than
manifestation Of national morale
fallen flat on its lost face.
EVERY WORD UNTRUE
Unfortunately, you can't lombard
this capital proclivity to gossip with
objective sermonizing. You have to
mention cases to point out what
amounts to vicious fifth column Of
self -sowlr, anti = American propa-
ganda. If 1t be true that the Japa-
nese embassy in Spain Is. plotting
to overthrow the American govern
ment by propaganda warfare, as our
once of Facts and Figures charged
, in an offlcial lfAndout, the Japs
don't need to worry, for the Job Is
being done by auto-intoxication.
Washington is feeding itself poison
through the circulation Of stuff like
the following; in no item of which
is there a single bit Of truth,
though all are repeated In dead
seriousness by the gossip nongers
Item-All the recent criticism Of
the once Of Civilian Defense has
been inspired by the American Lee
gion to promote disunity so that
the veterans Organizations can
take oyer OCD to save 1t, and thus
seize control OF the government to
create Fascist state. .'<
Item-Sure the California Japs
are willing to be moved inland-so
they can spread their fifth column
work In the interior Of the country
and prepare the ground for invading
forces. t
1tem-The war is already Is per
cent lost. The United, States will be
invaded on both oceans and the de-
tending forces will be driven inland
till they hold no more Of the coun-
try than, say, parts Of Kansas and
Nebraska. Maybe wen be ale to
rally, then. and drive the invaders
out. ~ :
The U. S. Navy Is the most over
rated organization In the country
| It Is offlcered by s1lobs who have per-
fected caste system so strong that
men of ability can't penetrate 1t un-
less the y tare good looking and So
cially presentable.
Item-Did you hear what ---
---- (na1ning high government
officiaD, said to the Chinese ambas-
sador? No? He said, Wen lick
these yellow devils yet"
Item - Navy orders are Of two
kinds confidential and secret. Navy
wives who play bridge together pass
along the confidential orders the
day after they're issued, but 1t takes
about three or four days for the
secret ones TO get into general cir.
culatioa.
Item
i Oh, that's enough.
But re;.eatlng--there iS not one
word Of truth in any Of these items
NOW YOU KNOW
/ They are presented here to give
you closet up Of what a propaganda
lie looks like when it's in black and
white. Washington gossip passes
along dozens Of stories like these
every day and, Hitler, Gobbels anc
Co. love them for It.
Heard or told one at time, these
probably make no impression. Pre-.
scented In q bunch like this, you come
to realize how serious q whispering
plot to undermine American char.
acter, confidence and courage car
be. The shame Of this one Is that 4
Is not made In Germany, not made
In Japan, but made In the capita