"DON'T BE A CHUMP"

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 73, 23 September 1943, Page 5

"DON'T BE A CHUMP"

ENEMIES OF UNITY

Recently General Orders in the Middle East contained an extract.from an article entitled "Inside Stuff," which was published in the "World Press Review." This extract read as follows: — "A lot of soldiers may be played for suckers by ,Dr. 'Gobbels.' The Nazi propaganda chief knows that the United Nations are a cinch to lick the Axis if they stay united. So his job is plain enough; divide them. It worked like a breeze in Europe during 1940 when he divided nations, and even people, against themselves, and whipped most of the Continent. He stubbed his toe on the English because they wouldn't be divided. "The Nazi plan for dividing the Allies is simple, and he doesn't even have to do much of the work himself. He just plants some dirty rumour and hopes for ' thoughtless Allied soldiers to spread it for him. They pass along the yarns such, as the one that America plans to gobble up the world's airlines after the war, or that the British are selling lend-lease goods back to Americans at huge prices. "Soldiers who repeat such stories usually accept them second hand and think they're relating some 'inside stuff.' Actually, all they're doing is snapping up the Nazis' sucker bait. , "We wouldn't have a hope on earth to win this war if it weren't for the fact we've got a lot of tough and competent Allies. Many an Allied soldier has already put in more than three years of the hardest kind of fighting on our side. To understand these men and get along with them instead of spreading damaging stories about them is just ordinary horse sense. To fight j them is stupid and dangerous, because if we fight among ourselves we're bound to ease up in our fight on the Axis. That is just what 'Gobbels' and Hitler want."

"NOT SUPPOSED TO MENTION IT, BUT . . ." | How many people cannot resist the temptation to pass on "something they heard." War gossip, like a chain-letter, multiplies in ever-increasing circles at J a rapid rate until it reaches enemy hands. It is not sufficiently realised that the enemy is organised to take advantage of such idle gossip, having an organisation to scientifically collect and classify information from which is sifted what the enemy wants to know. Be discreet . . . avoid careless talk and careless writing. Avoid reference to the location, movements or destination of any branch of the Armed Services. Firmly refuse to discuss ships and shipping movements. Think of the tragic toll of brave men and ships we need for victory. Inserted to assist the war effort by the proprietors of Baxters Lung Pre-' server, Baxters Ltd., 602 Colombo Street, Christchurch.—Advt.