NO PROPAGANDA IN U.S.A.

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 283, 24 August 1940, Page 12

NO PROPAGANDA IN U.S.A.

British Decision

FACTS LEFT TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

(By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, August 22.

In a speech at the National Trade Union Club tonight, the Minister of Information, Mr, Duff Coopci, explained why the British Government is not engaging in propaganda in the United States. He said that the opinion of the Government was that the truth must ultimately prevail. There was a mistaken idea in the United States, spread by German propaganda, that the United States entered flic last war because of British propaganda, Mr. Cooper .said. For that reason there was profound distrust in (he United States of British propaganda, though the distrust was stronger a year ago than now.

The decision of the Government was not to carry out propaganda, but to let the facts speak for themselves. Mr. Duff Cooper said that although the German people often cried “Heil Hitler,” in the hearts of many there was hatred of Hitler and everything he stood for. Germany was weak in many parts, and when the strain of battle began to tell, Germany would break in pieces. Exactly the opposite was happening in England. It was much better that criticism should be shouted from the housetops than it should be driven into the cellars and whispered from ear to ear.

Speaking of the unity accomplished in wartime, he said he wondered whether it would not be possible to preserve such unity in peacetime. Post-war international plans must be directed toward preventing war between civilized nations occurring again. They could learn the lesson from past events that no nation was prepared to surrender its own sovereignty.

Speaking of the propaganda against Germany, he said lie hoped every effort would be made to get the writings of exiles into. Germany.