FOOLING AMERICA

Grey River Argus, 29 July 1925, Page 3

FOOLING AMERICA

IICE LEsS P ROP A(« ANDA. During :i debate on “Supply” in .lie Canadian Parliament on May IS. n connection with National Defence, some interesting points wore brought mt by one of the members, a Mr Woodsworth, showing the British ‘xpeuditure on propaganda in the United States during the war. He mid, according to the official report: Debates of the British Parliament iavp already established that British ;var time propaganda in America was a housandfold more virulent and wide spread than the feeble propaganda of ho German Imperialists. Lord North •liffe himself admitted that England aad spent £30,000,000 for propaganda mrpose.s in the United States during 'he war, and he said he considered hat money to be spent to better ad vantage than any equal amount spent luring the entire conflict. There were iver 500 British publicity agents in the United States, it was admitted in the House of Commons. The Britsh Government subsidised its own newsigencies to disseminate oflicial war n-opagandn. Mr McCurdy, M.P., dedared in the British House of Commons, August 5, 1918, that the Government had paid Router’s Agency Cl 26,000,000 for services covering a •ertain period of the war. “We are nlready subsidising Reuter’s Agency, and it is comparatively easy at any time to have only those particular items go through that will carry out the purposes of the particular group that happens to be in authority.” Sir Gilbert Darker, who was in charge of the department for American propaganda, confessed in “Harper’s Magazine, ” March, 1918: “Among other things, we supplied .“60 newspapers in the smaller States of the United States with an English newspaper which gave a weekly review md comment on the affairs of the war. We established connection with the man in the street through cinema pictures of the army and navy, as well ns through interviews, articles, pamphlets. etc., and by letters in reply to individual American critics, which were 1 1 printed in the chief newspapers in the I state in which they lived, and were copied in newspapers of the other and neighbouring States. We advised and stimulated many people to write articles; wo utilised the friendly services and assistance of confidential friends; we had reports from important Americans constantly, and established association by personal correspondence with influential and eminent people of every profession in the United States, beginning with University and college professors and scientific men, and running through all the ranges of the popu lation. We asked our friends and correspondents to arrange for speeches, debates, and lectures by American , citizens, but we did not encourage , Britishers to go to America and preach the doctrine of entrance into the. war. , Resides an immense private correspondence with individuals, we had our documents and literature sent to great ■ numbers of public, libraries, Y.M.C.A societies, clubs and newspapers.” Some of the American newspapers are now feverishly exhorting their readers to be careful lest they should i be trapped a second time.