A Danger To Be Avoided

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1940, Page 4

A Danger To Be Avoided

WE referred yesterday to the damage to the reputations of individuals which may be done by spreaders of unfounded rumours.. The spreaders may do this damage unconsciously—there is little doubt that in the majority of cases there is no malicious intent —but the urge to carry on a story which makes interesting conversation is too strong. Apart altogether from the damage which may be done to the human element through the agency of rumour, a time. of stress demands that no one should repeat a story affecting national security which he or she has heard unless there is demonstrable proof of its authenticity. A warning signal in this connection has been waved by an experience during the present week. Immediately after the Prime Minister had announced the Government’s intention to invoke emergency powers similar to those taken by the British Government, some people set in circulation a rumour that -the Government would commandeer all deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank. This was obviously an absurdity, but the rumour grew until some depositors became alarmed and withdrew their deposits from the bank. This action was as dangerous as it was unwise, for it might quite easily have precipitated a run on the bank. Fortunately, Mr. Nash and Mr. Fraser were able to demonstrate that the timeworn phrase, “as safe as the bank,” is still applicable to the Post Office Savings Bank, and those who had withdrawn deposits immediately returned them. Panic feeds on rumour, and it is an extraordinary fact that in a time of stress the more ridiculous a rumour is the more ready are people to accept it. Therefore the only course for each individual to pursue is not to start a rumour or listen to one.