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diff --git a/78634-h/78634-h.htm b/78634-h/78634-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d4eb446 --- /dev/null +++ b/78634-h/78634-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4974 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Propaganda | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} +.p4 {margin-top: 4em;} +.pb4 {margin-bottom: 4em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} +table.autotable { border-collapse: collapse; } +table.autotable td, +table.autotable th { padding: 0.25em; } + +.tdl {text-align: left;} +.tdr {text-align: right;} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.allsmcap {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.large {font-size: large; font-weight: bold;} + +.xlarge {font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;} + +.smaller {font-size: smaller} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; +} + +/* Illustration classes */ +.illowp59 {width: 59%;} +.x-ebookmaker .illowp59 {width: 100%;} +.illowp60 {width: 60%;} +.x-ebookmaker .illowp60 {width: 100%;} + + </style> +</head> + +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78634 ***</div> + + + + + +<h1>Propaganda</h1> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<p class="center large"><span class="u"><i>BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR</i></span></p> + + + +<p class="center">CRYSTALLIZING PUBLIC OPINION<br> +AN OUTLINE OF CAREERS<br> +THE BROADWAY ANTHOLOGY (CO-AUTHOR) +</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + + +<p class="center xlarge">PROPAGANDA</p> + +<p class="center p2 pb4"><i>By</i><br> +<span class="large">EDWARD L. BERNAYS</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp59" id="colophon" style="max-width: 10em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/colophon.jpg" alt="printer's colophon"> +</figure> + +<p class="center p4"><i>New York</i><br> +HORACE LIVERIGHT<br> +1928</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + + +<p class="center"><i>Copyright · 1928 · by</i><br> +HORACE LIVERIGHT · INC</p> + +<p class="center p4"><i>Printed in the United States</i> +</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="colophon2" style="max-width: 10em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/colophon2.jpg" alt="printer's colophon"> +</figure> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + +<p class="center p2"><i>To My Wife</i><br> +<span class="smcap">Doris E. Fleischman</span> +</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="blockquot p2"><p>Some of the ideas and some of the material in +this book have been used in articles written for +<cite>The Bookman</cite>, <cite>The Delineator</cite>, <cite>Advertising and Selling</cite>, +<cite>The Independent</cite>, <cite>The American Journal of Sociology</cite>, +and other journals, to whom the author makes +grateful acknowledgment.</p></div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> +</div> + + +<table class="autotable"> +<tr> +<td class="tdr">I.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Organizing Chaos</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr">II.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The New Propaganda</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr"> III.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The New Propagandists</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr">IV.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Psychology of Public Relations</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_47">47</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr">V.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Business and the Public</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr">VI.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Propaganda and Political Leadership</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_92">92</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr"> VII.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Women’s Activities and Propaganda</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_115">115</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr">VIII.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Propaganda for Education</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr">IX.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Propaganda in Social Service</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr">X.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Art and Science</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_141">141</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr">XI.</td> +<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Mechanics of Propaganda</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER I<br> + +<span class="smaller">ORGANIZING CHAOS</span> +</h2> +</div> + +<p>The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the +organized habits and opinions of the masses is an +important element in democratic society. Those who +manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute +an invisible government which is the true ruling +power of our country.</p> + +<p>We are governed, our minds are molded, our +tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men +we have never heard of. This is a logical result of +the way our democratic society is organized. +Vast numbers of human beings must coöperate in +this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly +functioning society.</p> + +<p>Our invisible governors are, in many cases, unaware +of the identity of their fellow members in the +inner cabinet.</p> + +<p>They govern us by their qualities of natural leadership, +their ability to supply needed ideas and by their +key position in the social structure. Whatever attitude +one chooses to take toward this condition, it +remains a fact that in almost every act of our daily +lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, +in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span>dominated by the relatively small number of persons—a +trifling fraction of our hundred and twenty +million—who understand the mental processes and +social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the +wires which control the public mind, who harness old +social forces and contrive new ways to bind and guide +the world.</p> + +<p>It is not usually realized how necessary these invisible +governors are to the orderly functioning of +our group life. In theory, every citizen may vote +for whom he pleases. Our Constitution does not +envisage political parties as part of the mechanism +of government, and its framers seem not to have +pictured to themselves the existence in our national +politics of anything like the modern political machine. +But the American voters soon found that +without organization and direction their individual +votes, cast, perhaps, for dozens or hundreds of candidates, +would produce nothing but confusion. Invisible +government, in the shape of rudimentary +political parties, arose almost overnight. Ever since +then we have agreed, for the sake of simplicity and +practicality, that party machines should narrow down +the field of choice to two candidates, or at most three +or four.</p> + +<p>In theory, every citizen makes up his mind on +public questions and matters of private conduct. In +practice, if all men had to study for themselves the +abstruse economic, political, and ethical data involved +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span>in every question, they would find it impossible to +come to a conclusion about anything. We have +voluntarily agreed to let an invisible government +sift the data and high-spot the outstanding issues so +that our field of choice shall be narrowed to practical +proportions. From our leaders and the media they +use to reach the public, we accept the evidence and +the demarcation of issues bearing upon public questions; +from some ethical teacher, be it a minister, a +favorite essayist, or merely prevailing opinion, we +accept a standardized code of social conduct to which +we conform most of the time.</p> + +<p>In theory, everybody buys the best and cheapest +commodities offered him on the market. In practice, +if every one went around pricing, and chemically +testing before purchasing, the dozens of soaps or +fabrics or brands of bread which are for sale, economic +life would become hopelessly jammed. To +avoid such confusion, society consents to have its +choice narrowed to ideas and objects brought to its +attention through propaganda of all kinds. There +is consequently a vast and continuous effort going on +to capture our minds in the interest of some policy or +commodity or idea.</p> + +<p>It might be better to have, instead of propaganda +and special pleading, committees of wise men who +would choose our rulers, dictate our conduct, private +and public, and decide upon the best types of clothes +for us to wear and the best kinds of food for us to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span>eat. But we have chosen the opposite method, that +of open competition. We must find a way to make +free competition function with reasonable smoothness. +To achieve this society has consented to permit +free competition to be organized by leadership and +propaganda.</p> + +<p>Some of the phenomena of this process are criticized—the +manipulation of news, the inflation of +personality, and the general ballyhoo by which politicians +and commercial products and social ideas are +brought to the consciousness of the masses. The instruments +by which public opinion is organized and +focused may be misused. But such organization and +focusing are necessary to orderly life.</p> + +<p>As civilization has become more complex, and as +the need for invisible government has been increasingly +demonstrated, the technical means have been +invented and developed by which opinion may be +regimented.</p> + +<p>With the printing press and the newspaper, the +railroad, the telephone, telegraph, radio and airplanes, +ideas can be spread rapidly and even instantaneously +over the whole of America.</p> + +<p>H. G. Wells senses the vast potentialities of these +inventions when he writes in the New York <cite>Times</cite>:</p> + +<p>“Modern means of communication—the power +afforded by print, telephone, wireless and so forth, +of rapidly putting through directive strategic or technical +conceptions to a great number of coöperating +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span>centers, of getting quick replies and effective discussion—have +opened up a new world of political processes. +Ideas and phrases can now be given an +effectiveness greater than the effectiveness of any +personality and stronger than any sectional interest. +The common design can be documented and sustained +against perversion and betrayal. It can be elaborated +and developed steadily and widely without personal, +local and sectional misunderstanding.”</p> + +<p>What Mr. Wells says of political processes is +equally true of commercial and social processes and +all manifestations of mass activity. The groupings +and affiliations of society to-day are no longer subject +to “local and sectional” limitations. When the Constitution +was adopted, the unit of organization was +the village community, which produced the greater +part of its own necessary commodities and generated +its group ideas and opinions by personal contact and +discussion directly among its citizens. But to-day, +because ideas can be instantaneously transmitted to +any distance and to any number of people, this geographical +integration has been supplemented by many +other kinds of grouping, so that persons having the +same ideas and interests may be associated and regimented +for common action even though they live +thousands of miles apart.</p> + +<p>It is extremely difficult to realize how many and +diverse are these cleavages in our society. They may +be social, political, economic, racial, religious or ethical, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span>with hundreds of subdivisions of each. In the +World Almanac, for example, the following groups +are listed under the A’s:</p> + +<p>The League to Abolish Capital Punishment; Association +to Abolish War; American Institute of +Accountants; Actors’ Equity Association; Actuarial +Association of America; International Advertising +Association; National Aeronautic Association; Albany +Institute of History and Art; Amen Corner; +American Academy in Rome; American Antiquarian +Society; League for American Citizenship; American +Federation of Labor; Amorc (Rosicrucian Order); +Andiron Club; American-Irish Historical +Association; Anti-Cigarette League; Anti-Profanity +League; Archeological Association of America; National +Archery Association; Arion Singing Society; +American Astronomical Association; Ayrshire Breeders’ +Association; Aztec Club of 1847. There are +many more under the “A” section of this very +limited list.</p> + +<p>The American Newspaper Annual and Directory +for 1928 lists 22,128 periodical publications in +America. I have selected at random the N’s published +in Chicago. They are:</p> + +<p>Narod (Bohemian daily newspaper); Narod-Polski +(Polish monthly); N.A.R.D. (pharmaceutical); +National Corporation Reporter; National Culinary +Progress (for hotel chefs); National Dog Journal; +National Drug Clerk; National Engineer; National +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span>Grocer; National Hotel Reporter; National Income +Tax Magazine; National Jeweler; National Journal +of Chiropractic; National Live Stock Producer; +National Miller; National Nut News; National +Poultry, Butter and Egg Bulletin; National Provisioner +(for meat packers); National Real Estate +Journal; National Retail Clothier; National Retail +Lumber Dealer; National Safety News; National +Spiritualist; National Underwriter; The Nation’s +Health; Naujienos (Lithuanian daily newspaper); +New Comer (Republican weekly for Italians); +Daily News; The New World (Catholic weekly); +North American Banker; North American Veterinarian.</p> + +<p>The circulation of some of these publications is +astonishing. The National Live Stock Producer has +a sworn circulation of 155,978; The National Engineer, +of 20,328; The New World, an estimated +circulation of 67,000. The greater number of the +periodicals listed—chosen at random from among +22,128—have a circulation in excess of 10,000.</p> + +<p>The diversity of these publications is evident at a +glance. Yet they can only faintly suggest the multitude +of cleavages which exist in our society, and +along which flow information and opinion carrying +authority to the individual groups.</p> + +<p>Here are the conventions scheduled for Cleveland, +Ohio, recorded in a single recent issue of “World +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span>Convention Dates”—a fraction of the 5,500 conventions +and rallies scheduled.</p> + +<p>The Employing Photo-Engravers’ Association of +America; The Outdoor Writers’ Association; the +Knights of St. John; the Walther League; The National +Knitted Outerwear Association; The Knights +of St. Joseph; The Royal Order of Sphinx; The +Mortgage Bankers’ Association; The International +Association of Public Employment Officials; The +Kiwanis Clubs of Ohio; The American Photo-Engravers’ +Association; The Cleveland Auto Manufacturers +Show; The American Society of Heating and +Ventilating Engineers.</p> + +<p>Other conventions to be held in 1928 were those +of:</p> + +<p>The Association of Limb Manufacturers’ Associations; +The National Circus Fans’ Association of +America; The American Naturopathic Association; +The American Trap Shooting Association; The +Texas Folklore Association; The Hotel Greeters; +The Fox Breeders’ Association; The Insecticide and +Disinfectant Association; The National Association +of Egg Case and Egg Case Filler Manufacturers; +The American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages; +and The National Pickle Packers’ Association, not to +mention the Terrapin Derby—most of them with +banquets and orations attached.</p> + +<p>If all these thousands of formal organizations and +institutions could be listed (and no complete list has +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span>ever been made), they would still represent but a +part of those existing less formally but leading +vigorous lives. Ideas are sifted and opinions stereotyped +in the neighborhood bridge club. Leaders +assert their authority through community drives and +amateur theatricals. Thousands of women may unconsciously +belong to a sorority which follows the +fashions set by a single society leader.</p> + +<p>“Life” satirically expresses this idea in the reply +which it represents an American as giving to the +Britisher who praises this country for having no +upper and lower classes or castes:</p> + +<p>“Yeah, all we have is the Four Hundred, the +White-Collar Men, Bootleggers, Wall Street Barons, +Criminals, the D.A.R., the K.K.K., the Colonial +Dames, the Masons, Kiwanis and Rotarians, the K. +of C., the Elks, the Censors, the Cognoscenti, the +Morons, Heroes like Lindy, the W.C.T.U., Politicians, +Menckenites, the Booboisie, Immigrants, +Broadcasters, and—the Rich and Poor.”</p> + +<p>Yet it must be remembered that these thousands +of groups interlace. John Jones, besides being a +Rotarian, is member of a church, of a fraternal order, +of a political party, of a charitable organization, of +a professional association, of a local chamber of +commerce, of a league for or against prohibition or +of a society for or against lowering the tariff, and of +a golf club. The opinions which he receives as a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span>Rotarian, he will tend to disseminate in the other +groups in which he may have influence.</p> + +<p>This invisible, intertwining structure of groupings +and associations is the mechanism by which democracy +has organized its group mind and simplified its +mass thinking. To deplore the existence of such a +mechanism is to ask for a society such as never was +and never will be. To admit that it exists, but expect +that it shall not be used, is unreasonable.</p> + +<p>Emil Ludwig represents Napoleon as “ever on +the watch for indications of public opinion; always +listening to the voice of the people, a voice which +defies calculation. ‘Do you know,’ he said in those +days, ‘what amazes me more than all else? The +impotence of force to organize anything.’”</p> + +<p>It is the purpose of this book to explain the structure +of the mechanism which controls the public +mind, and to tell how it is manipulated by the special +pleader who seeks to create public acceptance for a +particular idea or commodity. It will attempt at the +same time to find the due place in the modern democratic +scheme for this new propaganda and to suggest +its gradually evolving code of ethics and practice.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER II<br> + +<span class="smaller">THE NEW PROPAGANDA</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>In the days when kings were kings, Louis XIV +made his modest remark, “<span lang="fr">L’Etat c’est moi</span>.” He +was nearly right.</p> + +<p>But times have changed. The steam engine, the +multiple press, and the public school, that trio of the +industrial revolution, have taken the power away +from kings and given it to the people. The people +actually gained power which the king lost. For +economic power tends to draw after it political +power; and the history of the industrial revolution +shows how that power passed from the king and the +aristocracy to the bourgeoisie. Universal suffrage +and universal schooling reënforced this tendency, and +at last even the bourgeoisie stood in fear of the common +people. For the masses promised to become +king.</p> + +<p>To-day, however, a reaction has set in. The minority +has discovered a powerful help in influencing +majorities. It has been found possible so to mold +the mind of the masses that they will throw +their newly gained strength in the desired direction. +In the present structure of society, this practice is +inevitable. Whatever of social importance is done +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span>to-day, whether in politics, finance, manufacture, agriculture, +charity, education, or other fields, must be +done with the help of propaganda. Propaganda is +the executive arm of the invisible government.</p> + +<p>Universal literacy was supposed to educate the +common man to control his environment. Once +he could read and write he would have a mind fit to +rule. So ran the democratic doctrine. But instead +of a mind, universal literacy has given him rubber +stamps, rubber stamps inked with advertising slogans, +with editorials, with published scientific data, with +the trivialities of the tabloids and the platitudes of +history, but quite innocent of original thought. Each +man’s rubber stamps are the duplicates of millions +of others, so that when those millions are exposed to +the same stimuli, all receive identical imprints. It +may seem an exaggeration to say that the American +public gets most of its ideas in this wholesale fashion. +The mechanism by which ideas are disseminated on a +large scale is propaganda, in the broad sense of +an organized effort to spread a particular belief or +doctrine.</p> + +<p>I am aware that the word “propaganda” carries to +many minds an unpleasant connotation. Yet whether, +in any instance, propaganda is good or bad depends +upon the merit of the cause urged, and the correctness +of the information published.</p> + +<p>In itself, the word “propaganda” has certain technical +meanings which, like most things in this world, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span>are “neither good nor bad but custom makes them +so.” I find the word defined in Funk and Wagnalls’ +Dictionary in four ways:</p> + +<p>“1. A society of cardinals, the overseers of foreign +missions; also the College of the Propaganda at +Rome founded by Pope Urban VIII in 1627 for the +education of missionary priests; Sacred College <i lang="la">de +Propaganda Fide</i>.</p> + +<p>“2. Hence, any institution or scheme for propagating +a doctrine or system.</p> + +<p>“3. Effort directed systematically toward the +gaining of public support for an opinion or a course +of action.</p> + +<p>“4. The principles advanced by a propaganda.”</p> + +<p>The <cite>Scientific American</cite>, in a recent issue, pleads +for the restoration to respectable usage of that “fine +old word ‘propaganda.’”</p> + +<p>“There is no word in the English language,” it +says, “whose meaning has been so sadly distorted as +the word ‘propaganda.’ The change took place +mainly during the late war when the term took on a +decidedly sinister complexion.</p> + +<p>“If you turn to the Standard Dictionary, you will +find that the word was applied to a congregation or +society of cardinals for the care and oversight of +foreign missions which was instituted at Rome in +the year 1627. It was applied also to the College of +the Propaganda at Rome that was founded by Pope +Urban VIII, for the education of the missionary +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span>priests. Hence, in later years the word came to be +applied to any institution or scheme for propagating +a doctrine or system.</p> + +<p>“Judged by this definition, we can see that in its +true sense propaganda is a perfectly legitimate form +of human activity. Any society, whether it be social, +religious or political, which is possessed of certain +beliefs, and sets out to make them known, either by +the spoken or written words, is practicing propaganda.</p> + +<p>“Truth is mighty and must prevail, and if any +body of men believe that they have discovered a +valuable truth, it is not merely their privilege but +their duty to disseminate that truth. If they realize, +as they quickly must, that this spreading of the truth +can be done upon a large scale and effectively only +by organized effort, they will make use of the press +and the platform as the best means to give it wide +circulation. Propaganda becomes vicious and reprehensive +only when its authors consciously and deliberately +disseminate what they know to be lies, or +when they aim at effects which they know to be prejudicial +to the common good.</p> + +<p>“‘Propaganda’ in its proper meaning is a perfectly +wholesome word, of honest parentage, and with an +honorable history. The fact that it should to-day be +carrying a sinister meaning merely shows how much +of the child remains in the average adult. A group +of citizens writes and talks in favor of a certain +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span>course of action in some debatable question, believing +that it is promoting the best interest of the community. +Propaganda? Not a bit of it. Just a plain +forceful statement of truth. But let another group +of citizens express opposing views, and they are +promptly labeled with the sinister name of propaganda....</p> + +<p>“‘What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the +gander,’ says a wise old proverb. Let us make haste +to put this fine old word back where it belongs, and +restore its dignified significance for the use of our +children and our children’s children.”</p> + +<p>The extent to which propaganda shapes the progress +of affairs about us may surprise even well informed +persons. Nevertheless, it is only necessary +to look under the surface of the newspaper for a +hint as to propaganda’s authority over public opinion. +Page one of the New York <cite>Times</cite> on the day these +paragraphs are written contains eight important news +stories. Four of them, or one-half, are propaganda. +The casual reader accepts them as accounts of spontaneous +happenings. But are they? Here are the +headlines which announce them: “<span class="allsmcap">TWELVE NATIONS +WARN CHINA REAL REFORM MUST COME BEFORE +THEY GIVE RELIEF</span>,” “<span class="allsmcap">PRITCHETT REPORTS ZIONISM +WILL FAIL</span>,” “<span class="allsmcap">REALTY MEN DEMAND A TRANSIT INQUIRY</span>,” +and “<span class="allsmcap">OUR LIVING STANDARD HIGHEST IN +HISTORY, SAYS HOOVER REPORT</span>.”</p> + +<p>Take them in order: the article on China explains +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span>the joint report of the Commission on Extraterritoriality +in China, presenting an exposition of the +Powers’ Stand in the Chinese muddle. What it says +is less important than what it is. It was “made public +by the State Department to-day” with the purpose +of presenting to the American public a picture of the +State Department’s position. Its source gives it authority, +and the American public tends to accept and +support the State Department view.</p> + +<p>The report of Dr. Pritchett, a trustee of the Carnegie +Foundation for International Peace, is an attempt +to find the facts about this Jewish colony in +the midst of a restless Arab world. When Dr. +Pritchett’s survey convinced him that in the long run +Zionism would “bring more bitterness and more unhappiness +both for the Jew and for the Arab,” this +point of view was broadcast with all the authority +of the Carnegie Foundation, so that the public would +hear and believe. The statement by the president of +the Real Estate Board of New York, and Secretary +Hoover’s report, are similar attempts to influence +the public toward an opinion.</p> + +<p>These examples are not given to create the impression +that there is anything sinister about propaganda. +They are set down rather to illustrate how conscious +direction is given to events, and how the men behind +these events influence public opinion. As such they +are examples of modern propaganda. At this point +we may attempt to define propaganda.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span></p> +<p>Modern propaganda is a consistent, enduring effort +to create or shape events to influence the relations +of the public to an enterprise, idea or group.</p> + +<p>This practice of creating circumstances and of +creating pictures in the minds of millions of persons +is very common. Virtually no important undertaking +is now carried on without it, whether that enterprise +be building a cathedral, endowing a university, marketing +a moving picture, floating a large bond issue, +or electing a president. Sometimes the effect on the +public is created by a professional propagandist, +sometimes by an amateur deputed for the job. The +important thing is that it is universal and continuous; +and in its sum total it is regimenting the public mind +every bit as much as an army regiments the bodies of +its soldiers.</p> + +<p>So vast are the numbers of minds which can be +regimented, and so tenacious are they when regimented, +that a group at times offers an irresistible +pressure before which legislators, editors, and teachers +are helpless. The group will cling to its stereotype, +as Walter Lippmann calls it, making of those +supposedly powerful beings, the leaders of public +opinion, mere bits of driftwood in the surf. When +an Imperial Wizard, sensing what is perhaps hunger +for an ideal, offers a picture of a nation all Nordic +and nationalistic, the common man of the older +American stock, feeling himself elbowed out of his +rightful position and prosperity by the newer immigrant +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span>stocks, grasps the picture which fits in so neatly +with his prejudices, and makes it his own. He buys +the sheet and pillow-case costume, and bands with +his fellows by the thousand into a huge group +powerful enough to swing state elections and to +throw a ponderous monkey wrench into a national +convention.</p> + +<p>In our present social organization approval of the +public is essential to any large undertaking. Hence +a laudable movement may be lost unless it impresses +itself on the public mind. Charity, as well as business, and +politics and literature, for that matter, have +had to adopt propaganda, for the public must be +regimented into giving money just as it must be regimented +into tuberculosis prophylaxis. The Near +East Relief, the Association for the Improvement of +the Condition of the Poor of New York, and all +the rest, have to work on public opinion just as +though they had tubes of tooth paste to sell. We +are proud of our diminishing infant death rate—and +that too is the work of propaganda.</p> + +<p>Propaganda does exist on all sides of us, and it +does change our mental pictures of the world. Even +if this be unduly pessimistic—and that remains to +be proved—the opinion reflects a tendency that is +undoubtedly real. In fact, its use is growing as +its efficiency in gaining public support is recognized.</p> + +<p>This then, evidently indicates the fact that any +one with sufficient influence can lead sections of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span>public at least for a time and for a given purpose. +Formerly the rulers were the leaders. They laid +out the course of history, by the simple process of +doing what they wanted. And if nowadays the +successors of the rulers, those whose position or +ability gives them power, can no longer do what +they want without the approval of the masses, +they find in propaganda a tool which is increasingly +powerful in gaining that approval. Therefore, propaganda +is here to stay.</p> + +<p>It was, of course, the astounding success of propaganda +during the war that opened the eyes of +the intelligent few in all departments of life to +the possibilities of regimenting the public mind. +The American government and numerous patriotic +agencies developed a technique which, to most persons +accustomed to bidding for public acceptance, was +new. They not only appealed to the individual by +means of every approach—visual, graphic, and auditory—to +support the national endeavor, but they also +secured the coöperation of the key men in every group—persons +whose mere word carried authority to hundreds +or thousands or hundreds of thousands of +followers. They thus automatically gained the support +of fraternal, religious, commercial, patriotic, +social and local groups whose members took their +opinions from their accustomed leaders and spokesmen, +or from the periodical publications which they +were accustomed to read and believe. At the same +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span>time, the manipulators of patriotic opinion made use +of the mental clichés and the emotional habits of the +public to produce mass reactions against the alleged +atrocities, the terror and the tyranny of the enemy. +It was only natural, after the war ended, that intelligent +persons should ask themselves whether it was +not possible to apply a similar technique to the problems +of peace.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, the practice of propaganda +since the war has assumed very different forms from +those prevalent twenty years ago. This new technique +may fairly be called the new propaganda.</p> + +<p>It takes account not merely of the individual, nor +even of the mass mind alone, but also and especially +of the anatomy of society, with its interlocking group +formations and loyalties. It sees the individual +not only as a cell in the social organism but as a cell +organized into the social unit. Touch a nerve at a +sensitive spot and you get an automatic response +from certain specific members of the organism.</p> + +<p>Business offers graphic examples of the effect that +may be produced upon the public by interested +groups, such as textile manufacturers losing their +markets. This problem arose, not long ago, when the +velvet manufacturers were facing ruin because their +product had long been out of fashion. Analysis +showed that it was impossible to revive a velvet fashion +within America. Anatomical hunt for the vital +spot! Paris! Obviously! But yes and no. Paris is +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>the home of fashion. Lyons is the home of silk. The +attack had to be made at the source. It was determined +to substitute purpose for chance and to utilize +the regular sources for fashion distribution and to +influence the public from these sources. A velvet +fashion service, openly supported by the manufacturers, +was organized. Its first function was to establish +contact with the Lyons manufactories and +the Paris couturiers to discover what they were doing, +to encourage them to act on behalf of velvet, and to +help in the proper exploitation of their wares. An +intelligent Parisian was enlisted in the work. He visited +Lanvin and Worth, Agnès and Patou, and others +and induced them to use velvet in their gowns and +hats. It was he who arranged for the distinguished +Countess This or Duchess That to wear the hat or the +gown. And as for the presentation of the idea to the +public, the American buyer or the American woman +of fashion was simply shown the velvet creations in +the atelier of the dressmaker or the milliner. She +bought the velvet because she liked it and because +it was in fashion.</p> + +<p>The editors of the American magazines and fashion +reporters of the American newspapers, likewise +subjected to the actual (although created) circumstance, +reflected it in their news, which, in turn, +subjected the buyer and the consumer here to the +same influences. The result was that what was at +first a trickle of velvet became a flood. A demand +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span>was slowly, but deliberately, created in Paris and +America. A big department store, aiming to be a +style leader, advertised velvet gowns and hats on the +authority of the French couturiers, and quoted original +cables received from them. The echo of the +new style note was heard from hundreds of department +stores throughout the country which wanted to +be style leaders too. Bulletins followed despatches. +The mail followed the cables. And the American +woman traveler appeared before the ship news photographers +in velvet gown and hat.</p> + +<p>The created circumstances had their effect. “Fickle +fashion has veered to velvet,” was one newspaper +comment. And the industry in the United States +again kept thousands busy.</p> + +<p>The new propaganda, having regard to the constitution +of society as a whole, not infrequently serves +to focus and realize the desires of the masses. A +desire for a specific reform, however widespread, +cannot be translated into action until it is made articulate, +and until it has exerted sufficient pressure upon +the proper law-making bodies. Millions of housewives +may feel that manufactured foods deleterious +to health should be prohibited. But there +is little chance that their individual desires will be +translated into effective legal form unless their half-expressed +demand can be organized, made vocal, +and concentrated upon the state legislature or upon +the Federal Congress in some mode which will produce +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span>the results they desire. Whether they realize +it or not, they call upon propaganda to organize and +effectuate their demand.</p> + +<p>But clearly it is the intelligent minorities which +need to make use of propaganda continuously and +systematically. In the active proselytizing minorities +in whom selfish interests and public interests +coincide lie the progress and development of America. +Only through the active energy of the intelligent +few can the public at large become aware of and act +upon new ideas.</p> + +<p>Small groups of persons can, and do, make the +rest of us think what they please about a given subject. +But there are usually proponents and opponents +of every propaganda, both of whom are equally +eager to convince the majority.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER III<br> + +<span class="smaller">THE NEW PROPAGANDISTS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>Who are the men who, without our realizing it, +give us our ideas, tell us whom to admire and whom +to despise, what to believe about the ownership of +public utilities, about the tariff, about the price of +rubber, about the Dawes Plan, about immigration; +who tell us how our houses should be designed, what +furniture we should put into them, what menus we +should serve on our table, what kind of shirts we +must wear, what sports we should indulge in, what +plays we should see, what charities we should support, +what pictures we should admire, what slang +we should affect, what jokes we should laugh at?</p> + +<p>If we set out to make a list of the men and women +who, because of their position in public life, might +fairly be called the molders of public opinion, we +could quickly arrive at an extended list of persons +mentioned in “Who’s Who.” It would obviously +include, the President of the United States and the +members of his Cabinet; the Senators and Representatives +in Congress; the Governors of our forty-eight +states; the presidents of the chambers of commerce +in our hundred largest cities, the chairmen of +the boards of directors of our hundred or more +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span>largest industrial corporations, the president of many +of the labor unions affiliated in the American Federation +of Labor, the national president of each of +the national professional and fraternal organizations, +the president of each of the racial or language societies +in the country, the hundred leading newspaper +and magazine editors, the fifty most popular +authors, the presidents of the fifty leading charitable +organizations, the twenty leading theatrical or cinema +producers, the hundred recognized leaders of fashion, +the most popular and influential clergymen in +the hundred leading cities, the presidents of our colleges +and universities and the foremost members of +their faculties, the most powerful financiers in Wall +Street, the most noted amateurs of sport, and so on.</p> + +<p>Such a list would comprise several thousand +persons. But it is well known that many of these +leaders are themselves led, sometimes by persons +whose names are known to few. Many a congressman, +in framing his platform, follows the suggestions +of a district boss whom few persons outside the political +machine have ever heard of. Eloquent divines +may have great influence in their communities, but +often take their doctrines from a higher ecclesiastical +authority. The presidents of chambers of commerce +mold the thought of local business men +concerning public issues, but the opinions which they +promulgate are usually derived from some national +authority. A presidential candidate may be +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span>“drafted” in response to “overwhelming popular demand,” +but it is well known that his name may be +decided upon by half a dozen men sitting around a +table in a hotel room.</p> + +<p>In some instances the power of invisible wire-pullers +is flagrant. The power of the invisible cabinet +which deliberated at the poker table in a certain +little green house in Washington has become a national +legend. There was a period in which the +major policies of the national government were dictated +by a single man, Mark Hanna. A Simmons +may, for a few years, succeed in marshaling millions +of men on a platform of intolerance and violence.</p> + +<p>Such persons typify in the public mind the type +of ruler associated with the phrase invisible government. +But we do not often stop to think that there +are dictators in other fields whose influence is just +as decisive as that of the politicians I have mentioned. +An Irene Castle can establish the fashion of short +hair which dominates nine-tenths of the women who +make any pretense to being fashionable. Paris +fashion leaders set the mode of the short skirt, for +wearing which, twenty years ago, any woman would +simply have been arrested and thrown into jail by +the New York police, and the entire women’s +clothing industry, capitalized at hundreds of millions +of dollars, must be reorganized to conform to +their dictum.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span></p> +<p>There are invisible rulers who control the destinies +of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent +the words and actions of our most influential +public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating +behind the scenes.</p> + +<p>Nor, what is still more important, the extent to +which our thoughts and habits are modified by +authorities.</p> + +<p>In some departments of our daily life, in which +we imagine ourselves free agents, we are ruled by +dictators exercising great power. A man buying a +suit of clothes imagines that he is choosing, according +to his taste and his personality, the kind of garment +which he prefers. In reality, he may be obeying +the orders of an anonymous gentleman tailor in +London. This personage is the silent partner in +a modest tailoring establishment, which is patronized +by gentlemen of fashion and princes of the +blood. He suggests to British noblemen and others +a blue cloth instead of gray, two buttons instead of +three, or sleeves a quarter of an inch narrower than +last season. The distinguished customer approves +of the idea.</p> + +<p>But how does this fact affect John Smith of +Topeka?</p> + +<p>The gentleman tailor is under contract with a +certain large American firm, which manufactures +men’s suits, to send them instantly the designs of the +suits chosen by the leaders of London fashion. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span>Upon receiving the designs, with specifications as +to color, weight and texture, the firm immediately +places an order with the cloth makers for several +hundred thousand dollars’ worth of cloth. The suits +made up according to the specifications are then advertised +as the latest fashion. The fashionable men +in New York, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia +wear them. And the Topeka man, recognizing this +leadership, does the same.</p> + +<p>Women are just as subject to the commands of +invisible government as are men. A silk manufacturer, +seeking a new market for its product, suggested +to a large manufacturer of shoes that women’s +shoes should be covered with silk to match their +dresses. The idea was adopted and systematically +propagandized. A popular actress was persuaded to +wear the shoes. The fashion spread. The shoe firm +was ready with the supply to meet the created demand. +And the silk company was ready with the +silk for more shoes.</p> + +<p>The man who injected this idea into the shoe industry +was ruling women in one department of their +social lives. Different men rule us in the various +departments of our lives. There may be one power +behind the throne in politics, another in the manipulation +of the Federal discount rate, and still another +in the dictation of next season’s dances. If there +were a national invisible cabinet ruling our destinies +(a thing which is not impossible to conceive of) it +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span>would work through certain group leaders on Tuesday +for one purpose, and through an entirely different +set on Wednesday for another. The idea of +invisible government is relative. There may be a +handful of men who control the educational methods +of the great majority of our schools. Yet from +another standpoint, every parent is a group leader +with authority over his or her children.</p> + +<p>The invisible government tends to be concentrated +in the hands of the few because of the expense +of manipulating the social machinery which +controls the opinions and habits of the masses. To +advertise on a scale which will reach fifty million +persons is expensive. To reach and persuade the +group leaders who dictate the public’s thoughts and +actions is likewise expensive.</p> + +<p>For this reason there is an increasing tendency to +concentrate the functions of propaganda in the hands +of the propaganda specialist. This specialist is more +and more assuming a distinct place and function in +our national life.</p> + +<p>New activities call for new nomenclature. The +propagandist who specializes in interpreting enterprises +and ideas to the public, and in interpreting the +public to promulgators of new enterprises and ideas, +has come to be known by the name of “public relations +counsel.”</p> + +<p>The new profession of public relations has grown +up because of the increasing complexity of modern +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span>life and the consequent necessity for making the +actions of one part of the public understandable to +other sectors of the public. It is due, too, to the +increasing dependence of organized power of all sorts +upon public opinion. Governments, whether they +are monarchical, constitutional, democratic or communist, +depend upon acquiescent public opinion for +the success of their efforts and, in fact, government is +only government by virtue of public acquiescence. +Industries, public utilities, educational movements, +indeed all groups representing any concept or product, +whether they are majority or minority ideas, +succeed only because of approving public opinion. +Public opinion is the unacknowledged partner in all +broad efforts.</p> + +<p>The public relations counsel, then, is the agent +who, working with modern media of communication +and the group formations of society, brings an +idea to the consciousness of the public. But he is +a great deal more than that. He is concerned with +courses of action, doctrines, systems and opinions, and +the securing of public support for them. He is also +concerned with tangible things such as manufactured +and raw products. He is concerned with public utilities, +with large trade groups and associations representing +entire industries.</p> + +<p>He functions primarily as an adviser to his client, +very much as a lawyer does. A lawyer concentrates +on the legal aspects of his client’s business. A counsel +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span>on public relations concentrates on the public contacts +of his client’s business. Every phase of his +client’s ideas, products or activities which may affect +the public or in which the public may have an interest +is part of his function.</p> + +<p>For instance, in the specific problems of the manufacturer +he examines the product, the markets, the +way in which the public reacts to the product, the attitude +of the employees to the public and towards +the product, and the coöperation of the distribution +agencies.</p> + +<p>The counsel on public relations, after he has examined +all these and other factors, endeavors to +shape the actions of his client so that they will gain +the interest, the approval and the acceptance of the +public.</p> + +<p>The means by which the public is apprised of the +actions of his client are as varied as the means of +communication themselves, such as conversation, letters, +the stage, the motion picture, the radio, the lecture +platform, the magazine, the daily newspaper. +The counsel on public relations is not an advertising +man but he advocates advertising where that is indicated. +Very often he is called in by an advertising +agency to supplement its work on behalf of a client. +His work and that of the advertising agency do not +conflict with or duplicate each other.</p> + +<p>His first efforts are, naturally, devoted to analyzing +his client’s problems and making sure that what +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span>he has to offer the public is something which the +public accepts or can be brought to accept. It is +futile to attempt to sell an idea or to prepare the +ground for a product that is basically unsound.</p> + +<p>For example, an orphan asylum is worried by a +falling off in contributions and a puzzling attitude +of indifference or hostility on the part of the public. +The counsel on public relations may discover upon +analysis that the public, alive to modern sociological +trends, subconsciously criticizes the institution because +it is not organized on the new “cottage plan.” He +will advise modification of the client in this respect. +Or a railroad may be urged to put on a fast +train for the sake of the prestige which it will lend +to the road’s name, and hence to its stocks and bonds.</p> + +<p>If the corset makers, for instance, wished to bring +their product into fashion again, he would unquestionably +advise that the plan was impossible, +since women have definitely emancipated themselves +from the old-style corset. Yet his fashion advisers +might report that women might be persuaded to +adopt a certain type of girdle which eliminated the +unhealthful features of the corset.</p> + +<p>His next effort is to analyze his public. He +studies the groups which must be reached, and the +leaders through whom he may approach these groups. +Social groups, economic groups, geographical groups, +age groups, doctrinal groups, language groups, cultural +groups, all these represent the divisions through +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span>which, on behalf of his client, he may talk to the +public.</p> + +<p>Only after this double analysis has been made and +the results collated, has the time come for the next +step, the formulation of policies governing the general +practice, procedure and habits of the client in all +those aspects in which he comes in contact with the +public. And only when these policies have been +agreed upon is it time for the fourth step.</p> + +<p>The first recognition of the distinct functions of +the public relations counsel arose, perhaps, in the +early years of the present century as a result of the +insurance scandals coincident with the muck-raking +of corporate finance in the popular magazines. The +interests thus attacked suddenly realized that they +were completely out of touch with the public they +were professing to serve, and required expert advice +to show them how they could understand the public +and interpret themselves to it.</p> + +<p>The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, +prompted by the most fundamental self-interest, initiated +a conscious, directed effort to change the attitude +of the public toward insurance companies in +general, and toward itself in particular, to its profit +and the public’s benefit.</p> + +<p>It tried to make a majority movement of itself +by getting the public to buy its policies. It reached +the public at every point of its corporate and separate +existences. To communities it gave health surveys +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span>and expert counsel. To individuals it gave health +creeds and advice. Even the building in which the +corporation was located was made a picturesque landmark +to see and remember, in other words to carry +on the associative process. And so this company +came to have a broad general acceptance. The number +and amount of its policies grew constantly, as +its broad contacts with society increased.</p> + +<p>Within a decade, many large corporations were +employing public relations counsel under one title or +another, for they had come to recognize that they +depended upon public good will for their continued +prosperity. It was no longer true that it was “none +of the public’s business” how the affairs of a corporation +were managed. They were obliged to convince +the public that they were conforming to its demands +as to honesty and fairness. Thus a corporation might +discover that its labor policy was causing public resentment, +and might introduce a more enlightened +policy solely for the sake of general good will. Or a +department store, hunting for the cause of diminishing +sales, might discover that its clerks had a reputation +for bad manners, and initiate formal instruction +in courtesy and tact.</p> + +<p>The public relations expert may be known as public +relations director or counsel. Often he is called secretary +or vice-president or director. Sometimes he +is known as cabinet officer or commissioner. By whatever +title he may be called, his function is well +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span>defined and his advice has definite bearing on the +conduct of the group or individual with whom he is +working.</p> + +<p>Many persons still believe that the public relations +counsel is a propagandist and nothing else. +But, on the contrary, the stage at which many suppose +he starts his activities may actually be the stage at +which he ends them. After the public and the +client are thoroughly analyzed and policies have +been formulated, his work may be finished. In +other cases the work of the public relations counsel +must be continuous to be effective. For in many instances +only by a careful system of constant, thorough +and frank information will the public understand and +appreciate the value of what a merchant, educator or +statesman is doing. The counsel on public relations +must maintain constant vigilance, because inadequate +information, or false information from unknown +sources, may have results of enormous importance. +A single false rumor at a critical moment may drive +down the price of a corporation’s stock, causing a loss +of millions to stockholders. An air of secrecy or +mystery about a corporation’s financial dealings may +breed a general suspicion capable of acting as an invisible +drag on the company’s whole dealings with +the public. The counsel on public relations must be +in a position to deal effectively with rumors and suspicions, +attempting to stop them at their source, +counteracting them promptly with correct or more +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span>complete information through channels which will be +most effective, or best of all establishing such relations +of confidence in the concern’s integrity that +rumors and suspicions will have no opportunity to +take root.</p> + +<p>His function may include the discovery of new +markets, the existence of which had been unsuspected.</p> + +<p>If we accept public relations as a profession, we +must also expect it to have both ideals and ethics. +The ideal of the profession is a pragmatic one. It is +to make the producer, whether that producer be a +legislature making laws or a manufacturer making +a commercial product, understand what the public +wants and to make the public understand the objectives +of the producer. In relation to industry, the +ideal of the profession is to eliminate the waste and +the friction that result when industry does things or +makes things which its public does not want, or when +the public does not understand what is being offered +it. For example, the telephone companies maintain +extensive public relations departments to explain +what they are doing, so that energy may not be +burned up in the friction of misunderstanding. A +detailed description, for example, of the immense +and scientific care which the company takes to choose +clearly understandable and distinguishable exchange +names, helps the public to appreciate the effort that is +being made to give good service, and stimulates it to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span>coöperate by enunciating clearly. It aims to bring +about an understanding between educators and educated, +between government and people, between +charitable institutions and contributors, between nation +and nation.</p> + +<p>The profession of public relations counsel is developing +for itself an ethical code which compares +favorably with that governing the legal and medical +professions. In part, this code is forced upon the +public relations counsel by the very conditions of his +work. While recognizing, just as the lawyer does, +that every one has the right to present his case in its +best light, he nevertheless refuses a client whom +he believes to be dishonest, a product which he believes +to be fraudulent, or a cause which he believes +to be antisocial. One reason for this is that, even +though a special pleader, he is not dissociated from +the client in the public’s mind. Another reason is +that while he is pleading before the court—the court +of public opinion—he is at the same time trying to +affect that court’s judgments and actions. In law, +the judge and jury hold the deciding balance of +power. In public opinion, the public relations counsel +is judge and jury, because through his pleading +of a case the public may accede to his opinion and +judgment.</p> + +<p>He does not accept a client whose interests conflict +with those of another client. He does not accept +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span>a client whose case he believes to be hopeless or +whose product he believes to be unmarketable.</p> + +<p>He should be candid in his dealings. It must be +repeated that his business is not to fool or hoodwink +the public. If he were to get such a reputation, his +usefulness in his profession would be at an end. +When he is sending out propaganda material, it is +clearly labeled as to source. The editor knows from +whom it comes and what its purpose is, and accepts +or rejects it on its merits as news.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IV<br> + +<span class="smaller">THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>The systematic study of mass psychology revealed +to students the potentialities of invisible government +of society by manipulation of the motives +which actuate man in the group. Trotter and Le +Bon, who approached the subject in a scientific manner, +and Graham Wallas, Walter Lippmann and +others who continued with searching studies of the +group mind, established that the group has mental +characteristics distinct from those of the individual, +and is motivated by impulses and emotions which +cannot be explained on the basis of what we know +of individual psychology. So the question naturally +arose: If we understand the mechanism and motives +of the group mind, is it not possible to control and +regiment the masses according to our will without +their knowing it?</p> + +<p>The recent practice of propaganda has proved that +it is possible, at least up to a certain point and within +certain limits. Mass psychology is as yet far from +being an exact science and the mysteries of human +motivation are by no means all revealed. But at +least theory and practice have combined with sufficient +success to permit us to know that in certain +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span>cases we can effect some change in public opinion +with a fair degree of accuracy by operating a certain +mechanism, just as the motorist can regulate the +speed of his car by manipulating the flow of gasoline. +Propaganda is not a science in the laboratory +sense, but it is no longer entirely the empirical affair +that it was before the advent of the study of mass +psychology. It is now scientific in the sense that it +seeks to base its operations upon definite knowledge +drawn from direct observation of the group mind, +and upon the application of principles which have +been demonstrated to be consistent and relatively +constant.</p> + +<p>The modern propagandist studies systematically +and objectively the material with which he is working +in the spirit of the laboratory. If the matter in +hand is a nation-wide sales campaign, he studies the +field by means of a clipping service, or of a corps of +scouts, or by personal study at a crucial spot. He +determines, for example, which features of a product +are losing their public appeal, and in what new direction +the public taste is veering. He will not fail to +investigate to what extent it is the wife who has the +final word in the choice of her husband’s car, or of +his suits and shirts.</p> + +<p>Scientific accuracy of results is not to be expected, +because many of the elements of the situation must +always be beyond his control. He may know with a +fair degree of certainty that under favorable circumstances +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span>an international flight will produce a +spirit of good will, making possible even the consummation +of political programs. But he cannot be +sure that some unexpected event will not overshadow +this flight in the public interest, or that some other +aviator may not do something more spectacular the +day before. Even in his restricted field of public +psychology there must always be a wide margin of +error. Propaganda, like economics and sociology, +can never be an exact science for the reason that its +subject-matter, like theirs, deals with human beings.</p> + +<p>If you can influence the leaders, either with or +without their conscious coöperation, you automatically +influence the group which they sway. But men +do not need to be actually gathered together in a +public meeting or in a street riot, to be subject to the +influences of mass psychology. Because man is by +nature gregarious he feels himself to be member of +a herd, even when he is alone in his room with the +curtains drawn. His mind retains the patterns which +have been stamped on it by the group influences.</p> + +<p>A man sits in his office deciding what stocks to buy. +He imagines, no doubt, that he is planning his purchases +according to his own judgment. In actual +fact his judgment is a mélange of impressions +stamped on his mind by outside influences which unconsciously +control his thought. He buys a certain +railroad stock because it was in the headlines yesterday +and hence is the one which comes most prominently +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span>to his mind; because he has a pleasant +recollection of a good dinner on one of its fast +trains; because it has a liberal labor policy, a reputation +for honesty; because he has been told that +J. P. Morgan owns some of its shares.</p> + +<p>Trotter and Le Bon concluded that the group +mind does not <em>think</em> in the strict sense of the word. +In place of thoughts it has impulses, habits and emotions. +In making up its mind its first impulse is +usually to follow the example of a trusted leader. +This is one of the most firmly established principles +of mass psychology. It operates in establishing the +rising or diminishing prestige of a summer resort, in +causing a run on a bank, or a panic on the stock exchange, +in creating a best seller, or a box-office +success.</p> + +<p>But when the example of the leader is not at hand +and the herd must think for itself, it does so by +means of clichés, pat words or images which stand +for a whole group of ideas or experiences. Not +many years ago, it was only necessary to tag a political +candidate with the word interests to stampede +millions of people into voting against him, because +anything associated with “the interests” seemed necessarily +corrupt. Recently the word Bolshevik +has performed a similar service for persons who +wished to frighten the public away from a line of +action.</p> + +<p>By playing upon an old cliché, or manipulating a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span>new one, the propagandist can sometimes swing a +whole mass of group emotions. In Great Britain, +during the war, the evacuation hospitals came in for +a considerable amount of criticism because of the +summary way in which they handled their wounded. +It was assumed by the public that a hospital gives +prolonged and conscientious attention to its patients. +When the name was changed to evacuation posts +the critical reaction vanished. No one expected more +than an adequate emergency treatment from an institution +so named. The cliché hospital was indelibly +associated in the public mind with a certain picture. +To persuade the public to discriminate between one +type of hospital and another, to dissociate the cliché +from the picture it evoked, would have been an impossible +task. Instead, a new cliché automatically +conditioned the public emotion toward these hospitals.</p> + +<p>Men are rarely aware of the real reasons which +motivate their actions. A man may believe that he +buys a motor car because, after careful study of the +technical features of all makes on the market, he +has concluded that this is the best. He is almost +certainly fooling himself. He bought it, perhaps, +because a friend whose financial acumen he respects +bought one last week; or because his neighbors believed +he was not able to afford a car of that class; +or because its colors are those of his college fraternity.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span></p> +<p>It is chiefly the psychologists of the school of +Freud who have pointed out that many of man’s +thoughts and actions are compensatory substitutes +for desires which he has been obliged to suppress. +A thing may be desired not for its intrinsic worth +or usefulness, but because he has unconsciously come +to see in it a symbol of something else, the desire for +which he is ashamed to admit to himself. A man +buying a car may think he wants it for purposes of +locomotion, whereas the fact may be that he would +really prefer not to be burdened with it, and would +rather walk for the sake of his health. He may +really want it because it is a symbol of social position, +an evidence of his success in business, or a means of +pleasing his wife.</p> + +<p>This general principle, that men are very largely +actuated by motives which they conceal from themselves, +is as true of mass as of individual psychology. +It is evident that the successful propagandist must +understand the true motives and not be content to +accept the reasons which men give for what they do.</p> + +<p>It is not sufficient to understand only the mechanical +structure of society, the groupings and +cleavages and loyalties. An engineer may know all +about the cylinders and pistons of a locomotive, but +unless he knows how steam behaves under pressure +he cannot make his engine run. Human desires +are the steam which makes the social machine work. +Only by understanding them can the propagandist +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span>control that vast, loose-jointed mechanism which is +modern society.</p> + +<p>The old propagandist based his work on the mechanistic +reaction psychology then in vogue in our +colleges. This assumed that the human mind was +merely an individual machine, a system of nerves +and nerve centers, reacting with mechanical regularity +to stimuli, like a helpless, will-less automaton. It +was the special pleader’s function to provide the +stimulus which would cause the desired reaction in +the individual purchaser.</p> + +<p>It was one of the doctrines of the reaction psychology +that a certain stimulus often repeated would +create a habit, or that the mere reiteration of an idea +would create a conviction. Suppose the old type of +salesmanship, acting for a meat packer, was seeking to +increase the sale of bacon. It would reiterate innumerable +times in full-page advertisements: “Eat +more bacon. Eat bacon because it is cheap, because +it is good, because it gives you reserve energy.”</p> + +<p>The newer salesmanship, understanding the group +structure of society and the principles of mass psychology, +would first ask: “Who is it that influences +the eating habits of the public?” The answer, obviously, +is: “The physicians.” The new salesman +will then suggest to physicians to say publicly that +it is wholesome to eat bacon. He knows as a mathematical +certainty, that large numbers of persons will +follow the advice of their doctors, because he understands +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span>the psychological relation of dependence of +men upon their physicians.</p> + +<p>The old-fashioned propagandist, using almost exclusively +the appeal of the printed word, tried to +persuade the individual reader to buy a definite +article, immediately. This approach is exemplified +in a type of advertisement which used to be considered +ideal from the point of view of directness +and effectiveness:</p> + +<p>“YOU (perhaps with a finger pointing at the +reader) <em>buy O’Leary’s rubber heels</em>—NOW.”</p> + +<p>The advertiser sought by means of reiteration and +emphasis directed upon the individual, to break down +or penetrate sales resistance. Although the appeal +was aimed at fifty million persons, it was aimed at +each as an individual.</p> + +<p>The new salesmanship has found it possible, by +dealing with men in the mass through their group +formations, to set up psychological and emotional +currents which will work for him. Instead of assaulting +sales resistance by direct attack, he is interested +in removing sales resistance. He creates +circumstances which will swing emotional currents +so as to make for purchaser demand.</p> + +<p>If, for instance, I want to sell pianos, it is not sufficient +to blanket the country with a direct appeal, +such as:</p> + +<p>“YOU <em>buy a Mozart piano now. It is cheap. +The best artists use it. It will last for years.</em>”</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span></p> +<p>The claims may all be true, but they are in direct +conflict with the claims of other piano manufacturers, +and in indirect competition with the claims +of a radio or a motor car, each competing for the +consumer’s dollar.</p> + +<p>What are the true reasons why the purchaser is +planning to spend his money on a new car instead of +on a new piano? Because he has decided that he +wants the commodity called locomotion more than +he wants the commodity called music? Not altogether. +He buys a car, because it is at the moment +the group custom to buy cars.</p> + +<p>The modern propagandist therefore sets to work +to create circumstances which will modify that custom. +He appeals perhaps to the home instinct which +is fundamental. He will endeavor to develop public +acceptance of the idea of a music room in the home. +This he may do, for example, by organizing an exhibition +of period music rooms designed by well +known decorators who themselves exert an influence +on the buying groups. He enhances the effectiveness +and prestige of these rooms by putting in them rare +and valuable tapestries. Then, in order to create +dramatic interest in the exhibit, he stages an event +or ceremony. To this ceremony key people, persons +known to influence the buying habits of the public, +such as a famous violinist, a popular artist, and a +society leader, are invited. These key persons affect +other groups, lifting the idea of the music room to a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span>place in the public consciousness which it did not +have before. The juxtaposition of these leaders, +and the idea which they are dramatizing, are then +projected to the wider public through various publicity +channels. Meanwhile, influential architects +have been persuaded to make the music room an +integral architectural part of their plans with perhaps +a specially charming niche in one corner for +the piano. Less influential architects will as a matter +of course imitate what is done by the men whom they +consider masters of their profession. They in turn +will implant the idea of the music room in the mind +of the general public.</p> + +<p>The music room will be accepted because it has +been made the thing. And the man or woman +who has a music room, or has arranged a corner of +the parlor as a musical corner, will naturally think +of buying a piano. It will come to him as his own +idea.</p> + +<p>Under the old salesmanship the manufacturer said +to the prospective purchaser, “Please buy a piano.” +The new salesmanship has reversed the process and +caused the prospective purchaser to say to the manufacturer, +“Please sell me a piano.”</p> + +<p>The value of the associative processes in propaganda +is shown in connection with a large real estate +development. To emphasize that Jackson Heights +was socially desirable every attempt was made to +produce this associative process. A benefit performance +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span>of the Jitney Players was staged for the benefit +of earthquake victims of Japan, under the auspices +of Mrs. Astor and others. The social advantages +of the place were projected—a golf course was +laid out and a clubhouse planned. When the +post office was opened, the public relations counsel +attempted to use it as a focus for national interest +and discovered that its opening fell coincident with +a date important in the annals of the American Postal +Service. This was then made the basis of the +opening.</p> + +<p>When an attempt was made to show the public the +beauty of the apartments, a competition was held +among interior decorators for the best furnished +apartment in Jackson Heights. An important committee +of judges decided. This competition drew +the approval of well known authorities, as well as +the interest of millions, who were made cognizant of +it through newspaper and magazine and other publicity, +with the effect of building up definitely the +prestige of the development.</p> + +<p>One of the most effective methods is the utilization +of the group formation of modern society in order +to spread ideas. An example of this is the nation-wide +competitions for sculpture in Ivory soap, open +to school children in certain age groups as well as +professional sculptors. A sculptor of national reputation +found Ivory soap an excellent medium for +sculpture.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span></p> +<p>The Procter and Gamble Company offered a series +of prizes for the best sculpture in white soap. The +contest was held under the auspices of the Art +Center in New York City, an organization of high +standing in the art world.</p> + +<p>School superintendents and teachers throughout +the country were glad to encourage the movement as +an educational aid for schools. Practice among +school children as part of their art courses was stimulated. +Contests were held between schools, between +school districts and between cities.</p> + +<p>Ivory soap was adaptable for sculpturing in the +homes because mothers saved the shavings and the +imperfect efforts for laundry purposes. The work +itself was clean.</p> + +<p>The best pieces are selected from the local competitions +for entry in the national contest. This is +held annually at an important art gallery in New +York, whose prestige with that of the distinguished +judges, establishes the contest as a serious art event.</p> + +<p>In the first of these national competitions about +500 pieces of sculpture were entered. In the +third, 2,500. And in the fourth, more than 4,000. +If the carefully selected pieces were so numerous, +it is evident that a vast number were sculptured during +the year, and that a much greater number +must have been made for practice purposes. The +good will was greatly enhanced by the fact that this +soap had become not merely the concern of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span>housewife but also a matter of personal and intimate +interest to her children.</p> + +<p>A number of familiar psychological motives were +set in motion in the carrying out of this campaign. +The esthetic, the competitive, the gregarious (much +of the sculpturing was done in school groups), the +snobbish (the impulse to follow the example of a +recognized leader), the exhibitionist, and—last but +by no means least—the maternal.</p> + +<p>All these motives and group habits were put in +concerted motion by the simple machinery of group +leadership and authority. As if actuated by the +pressure of a button, people began working for the +client for the sake of the gratification obtained in the +sculpture work itself.</p> + +<p>This point is most important in successful propaganda +work. The leaders who lend their authority +to any propaganda campaign will do so only if it can +be made to touch their own interests. There must +be a disinterested aspect of the propagandist’s activities. +In other words, it is one of the functions of the +public relations counsel to discover at what points +his client’s interests coincide with those of other individuals +or groups.</p> + +<p>In the case of the soap sculpture competition, the +distinguished artists and educators who sponsored +the idea were glad to lend their services and their +names because the competitions really promoted an +interest which they had at heart—the cultivation of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span>the esthetic impulse among the younger generation.</p> + +<p>Such coincidence and overlapping of interests is +as infinite as the interlacing of group formations +themselves. For example, a railway wishes to develop +its business. The counsel on public relations +makes a survey to discover at what points its interests +coincide with those of its prospective customers. The +company then establishes relations with chambers of +commerce along its right of way and assists them in +developing their communities. It helps them to +secure new plants and industries for the town. It +facilitates business through the dissemination of +technical information. It is not merely a case of +bestowing favors in the hope of receiving favors; +these activities of the railroad, besides creating good +will, actually promote growth on its right of way. +The interests of the railroad and the communities +through which it passes mutually interact and feed +one another.</p> + +<p>In the same way, a bank institutes an investment +service for the benefit of its customers in order that +the latter may have more money to deposit with the +bank. Or a jewelry concern develops an insurance +department to insure the jewels it sells, in order to +make the purchaser feel greater security in buying +jewels. Or a baking company establishes an information +service suggesting recipes for bread to +encourage new uses for bread in the home.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span></p> +<p>The ideas of the new propaganda are predicated +on sound psychology based on enlightened self-interest.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>I have tried, in these chapters, to explain the place +of propaganda in modern American life and something +of the methods by which it operates—to tell +the why, the what, the who and the how of the +invisible government which dictates our thoughts, +directs our feelings and controls our actions. In the +following chapters I shall try to show how propaganda +functions in specific departments of group +activity, to suggest some of the further ways in +which it may operate.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER V<br> + +<span class="smaller">BUSINESS AND THE PUBLIC</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>The relationship between business and the public +has become closer in the past few decades. Business +to-day is taking the public into partnership. A number +of causes, some economic, others due to the growing +public understanding of business and the public +interest in business, have produced this situation. +Business realizes that its relationship to the public +is not confined to the manufacture and sale of a given +product, but includes at the same time the selling of +itself and of all those things for which it stands in +the public mind.</p> + +<p>Twenty or twenty-five years ago, business sought +to run its own affairs regardless of the public. The +reaction was the muck-raking period, in which a +multitude of sins were, justly and unjustly, laid to +the charge of the interests. In the face of an +aroused public conscience the large corporations were +obliged to renounce their contention that their affairs +were nobody’s business. If to-day big business +were to seek to throttle the public, a new reaction +similar to that of twenty years ago would take place +and the public would rise and try to throttle big +business with restrictive laws. Business is conscious +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span>of the public’s conscience. This consciousness has +led to a healthy coöperation.</p> + +<p>Another cause for the increasing relationship is +undoubtedly to be found in the various phenomena +growing out of mass production. Mass production +is only profitable if its rhythm can be maintained—that +is, if it can continue to sell its product in steady +or increasing quantity. The result is that while, +under the handicraft or small-unit system of production +that was typical a century ago, demand created +the supply, to-day supply must actively seek to create +its corresponding demand. A single factory, potentially +capable of supplying a whole continent with its +particular product, cannot afford to wait until the +public asks for its product; it must maintain constant +touch, through advertising and propaganda, with the +vast public in order to assure itself the continuous +demand which alone will make its costly plant profitable. +This entails a vastly more complex system of +distribution than formerly. To make customers is +the new problem. One must understand not only his +own business—the manufacture of a particular product—but +also the structure, the personality, the prejudices, +of a potentially universal public.</p> + +<p>Still another reason is to be found in the improvements +in the technique of advertising—as regards +both the size of the public which can be reached +by the printed word, and the methods of appeal. +The growth of newspapers and magazines having a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span>circulation of millions of copies, and the art of the +modern advertising expert in making the printed +message attractive and persuasive, have placed the +business man in a personal relation with a vast and +diversified public.</p> + +<p>Another modern phenomenon, which influences +the general policy of big business, is the new competition +between certain firms and the remainder of the +industry, to which they belong. Another kind of +competition is between whole industries, in their +struggle for a share of the consumer’s dollar. +When, for example, a soap manufacturer claims that +his product will preserve youth, he is obviously attempting +to change the public’s mode of thinking +about soap in general—a thing of grave importance +to the whole industry. Or when the metal furniture +industry seeks to convince the public that it is more +desirable to spend its money for metal furniture than +for wood furniture, it is clearly seeking to alter the +taste and standards of a whole generation. In either +case, business is seeking to inject itself into the lives +and customs of millions of persons.</p> + +<p>Even in a basic sense, business is becoming dependent +on public opinion. With the increasing volume +and wider diffusion of wealth in America, thousands +of persons now invest in industrial stocks. New stock +or bond flotations, upon which an expanding business +must depend for its success, can be effected only if +the concern has understood how to gain the confidence +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span>and good will of the general public. Business +must express itself and its entire corporate existence +so that the public will understand and accept it. It +must dramatize its personality and interpret its objectives +in every particular in which it comes into +contact with the community (or the nation) of which +it is a part.</p> + +<p>An oil corporation which truly understands its +many-sided relation to the public, will offer that +public not only good oil but a sound labor policy. A +bank will seek to show not only that its management +is sound and conservative, but also that its officers are +honorable both in their public and in their private life. +A store specializing in fashionable men’s clothing +will express in its architecture the authenticity of the +goods it offers. A bakery will seek to impress the +public with the hygienic care observed in its manufacturing +process, not only by wrapping its loaves in +dust-proof paper and throwing its factory open to +public inspection, but also by the cleanliness and attractiveness +of its delivery wagons. A construction +firm will take care that the public knows not only +that its buildings are durable and safe, but also that +its employees, when injured at work, are compensated. +At whatever point a business enterprise +impinges on the public consciousness, it must seek to +give its public relations the particular character which +will conform to the objectives which it is pursuing.</p> + +<p>Just as the production manager must be familiar +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span>with every element and detail concerning the materials +with which he is working, so the man in charge +of a firm’s public relations must be familiar with the +structure, the prejudices, and the whims of the general +public, and must handle his problems with the +utmost care. The public has its own standards and +demands and habits. You may modify them, but +you dare not run counter to them. You cannot persuade +a whole generation of women to wear long +skirts, but you may, by working through leaders of +fashion, persuade them to wear evening dresses +which are long in back. The public is not an amorphous +mass which can be molded at will, or dictated +to. Both business and the public have their own personalities +which must somehow be brought into +friendly agreement. Conflict and suspicion are injurious +to both. Modern business must study on +what terms the partnership can be made amicable and +mutually beneficial. It must explain itself, its aims, +its objectives, to the public in terms which the public +can understand and is willing to accept.</p> + +<p>Business does not willingly accept dictation from +the public. It should not expect that it can dictate +to the public. While the public should appreciate +the great economic benefits which business offers, +thanks to mass production and scientific marketing, +business should also appreciate that the public is +becoming increasingly discriminative in its standards +and should seek to understand its demands and meet +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span>them. The relationship between business and the +public can be healthy only if it is the relationship of +give and take.</p> + +<p>It is this condition and necessity which has created +the need for a specialized field of public relations. +Business now calls in the public relations counsel to +advise it, to interpret its purpose to the public, and to +suggest those modifications which may make it conform +to the public demand.</p> + +<p>The modifications then recommended to make the +business conform to its objectives and to the public +demand, may concern the broadest matters of policy +or the apparently most trivial details of execution. +It might in one case be necessary to transform entirely +the lines of goods sold to conform to changing public +demands. In another case the trouble may be found +to lie in such small matters as the dress of the clerks. +A jewelry store may complain that its patronage is +shrinking upwards because of its reputation for +carrying high-priced goods; in this case the public +relations counsel might suggest the featuring of +medium-priced goods, even at a loss, not because the +firm desires a large medium-price trade as such, but +because out of a hundred medium-price customers +acquired to-day a certain percentage will be well-to-do +ten years from now. A department store which is +seeking to gather in the high-class trade may be urged +to employ college graduates as clerks or to engage +well known modern artists to design show-windows +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span>or special exhibits. A bank may be urged to open a +Fifth Avenue branch, not because the actual business +done on Fifth Avenue warrants the expense, but +because a beautiful Fifth Avenue office correctly expresses +the kind of appeal which it wishes to make to +future depositors; and, viewed in this way, it may be +as important that the doorman be polite, or that the +floors be kept clean, as that the branch manager be an +able financier. Yet the beneficial effect of this +branch may be canceled, if the wife of the president +is involved in a scandal.</p> + +<p>Big business studies every move which may express +its true personality. It seeks to tell the public, in all +appropriate ways,—by the direct advertising message +and by the subtlest esthetic suggestion—the quality +of the goods or services which it has to offer. A +store which seeks a large sales volume in cheap goods +will preach prices day in and day out, concentrating +its whole appeal on the ways in which it can save +money for its clients. But a store seeking a high +margin of profit on individual sales would try to +associate itself with the distinguished and the elegant, +whether by an exhibition of old masters or through +the social activities of the owner’s wife.</p> + +<p>The public relations activities of a business cannot +be a protective coloring to hide its real aims. It is +bad business as well as bad morals to feature exclusively +a few high-class articles, when the main stock +is of medium grade or cheap, for the general impression +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</span>given is a false one. A sound public relations +policy will not attempt to stampede the public +with exaggerated claims and false pretenses, but to +interpret the individual business vividly and truly +through every avenue that leads to public opinion. +The New York Central Railroad has for decades +sought to appeal to the public not only on the basis +of the speed and safety of its trains, but also on the +basis of their elegance and comfort. It is appropriate +that the corporation should have been personified to +the general public in the person of so suave and ingratiating +a gentleman as Chauncey M. Depew—an +ideal window dressing for such an enterprise.</p> + +<p>While the concrete recommendations of the public +relations counsel may vary infinitely according to +individual circumstances, his general plan of work +may be reduced to two types, which I might term +continuous interpretation and dramatization by high-spotting. +The two may be alternative or may be +pursued concurrently.</p> + +<p>Continuous interpretation is achieved by trying to +control every approach to the public mind in such a +manner that the public receives the desired impression, +often without being conscious of it. High-spotting, +on the other hand, vividly seizes the attention of the +public and fixes it upon some detail or aspect which is +typical of the entire enterprise. When a real estate +corporation which is erecting a tall office building +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</span>makes it ten feet taller than the highest sky-scraper +in existence, that is dramatization.</p> + +<p>Which method is indicated, or whether both be +indicated concurrently, can be determined only after +a full study of objectives and specific possibilities.</p> + +<p>Another interesting case of focusing public attention +on the virtues of a product was shown in the case +of gelatine. Its advantages in increasing the digestibility +and nutritional value of milk were proven +in the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research. The +suggestion was made and carried out that to further +this knowledge, gelatine be used by certain hospitals +and school systems, to be tested out there. The +favorable results of such tests were then projected +to other leaders in the field with the result that they +followed that group leadership and utilized gelatine +for the scientific purposes which had been proven to +be sound at the research institution. The idea carried +momentum.</p> + +<p>The tendency of big business is to get bigger. +Through mergers and monopolies it is constantly +increasing the number of persons with whom it is in +direct contact. All this has intensified and multiplied +the public relationships of business.</p> + +<p>The responsibilities are of many kinds. There is +a responsibility to the stockholders—numbering perhaps +five persons or five hundred thousand—who +have entrusted their money to the concern and have +the right to know how the money is being used. A +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</span>concern which is fully aware of its responsibility toward +its stockholders, will furnish them with frequent +letters urging them to use the product in which +their money is invested, and use their influence to +promote its sale. It has a responsibility toward the +dealer which it may express by inviting him, at its +expense, to visit the home factory. It has a responsibility +toward the industry as a whole which should +restrain it from making exaggerated and unfair selling +claims. It has a responsibility toward the retailer, +and will see to it that its salesmen express +the quality of the product which they have to sell. +There is a responsibility toward the consumer, who +is impressed by a clean and well managed factory, +open to his inspection. And the general public, apart +from its function as potential consumer, is influenced +in its attitude toward the concern by what it knows +of that concern’s financial dealings, its labor policy, +even by the livableness of the houses in which its +employees dwell. There is no detail too trivial to +influence the public in a favorable or unfavorable +sense. The personality of the president may be a +matter of importance, for he perhaps dramatizes the +whole concern to the public mind. It may be very +important to what charities he contributes, in what +civic societies he holds office. If he is a leader in his +industry, the public may demand that he be a leader +in his community.</p> + +<p>The business man has become a responsible member +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</span>of the social group. It is not a question of ballyhoo, +of creating a picturesque fiction for public consumption. +It is merely a question of finding the appropriate +modes of expressing the personality that is to +be dramatized. Some businessmen can be their own +best public relations counsel. But in the majority of +cases knowledge of the public mind and of the ways +in which it will react to an appeal, is a specialized +function which must be undertaken by the professional +expert.</p> + +<p>Big business, I believe, is realizing this more and +more. It is increasingly availing itself of the services +of the specialist in public relations (whatever +may be the title accorded him). And it is my conviction +that as big business becomes bigger the need +for expert manipulation of its innumerable contacts +with the public will become greater.</p> + +<p>One reason why the public relations of a business +are frequently placed in the hands of an outside +expert, instead of being confided to an officer of the +company, is the fact that the correct approach to a +problem may be indirect. For example, when the +luggage industry attempted to solve some of its +problems by a public relations policy, it was realized +that the attitude of railroads, of steamship companies, +and of foreign government-owned railroads was +an important factor in the handling of luggage.</p> + +<p>If a railroad and a baggage man, for their own +interest, can be educated to handle baggage with more +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</span>facility and promptness, with less damage to the +baggage, and less inconvenience to the passenger; +if the steamship company lets down, in its own interests, +its restrictions on luggage; if the foreign +government eases up on its baggage costs and transportation +in order to further tourist travel; then the +luggage manufacturers will profit.</p> + +<p>The problem then, to increase the sale of their +luggage, was to have these and other forces come +over to their point of view. Hence the public relations +campaign was directed not to the public, who +were the ultimate consumers, but to these other elements.</p> + +<p>Also, if the luggage manufacturer can educate +the general public on what to wear on trips and when +to wear it, he may be increasing the sale of men’s +and women’s clothing, but he will, at the same time, +be increasing the sale of his luggage.</p> + +<p>Propaganda, since it goes to basic causes, can very +often be most effective through the manner of its +introduction. A campaign against unhealthy cosmetics +might be waged by fighting for a return to +the wash-cloth and soap—a fight that very logically +might be taken up by health officials all over the +country, who would urge the return to the salutary +and helpful wash-cloth and soap, instead of cosmetics.</p> + +<p>The development of public opinion for a cause +or line of socially constructive action may very often +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</span>be the result of a desire on the part of the propagandist +to meet successfully his own problem which +the socially constructive cause would further. And +by doing so he is actually fulfilling a social purpose +in the broadest sense.</p> + +<p>The soundness of a public relations policy was +likewise shown in the case of a shoe manufacturer +who made service shoes for patrolmen, firemen, letter +carriers, and men in similar occupations. He +realized that if he could make acceptable the idea +that men in such work ought to be well-shod, he +would sell more shoes and at the same time further +the efficiency of the men.</p> + +<p>He organized, as part of his business, a foot protection +bureau. This bureau disseminated scientifically +accurate information on the proper care of the +feet, principles which the manufacturer had incorporated +in the construction of the shoes. The result +was that civic bodies, police chiefs, fire chiefs, and +others interested in the welfare and comfort of their +men, furthered the ideas his product stood for and +the product itself, with the consequent effect that +more of his shoes were sold more easily.</p> + +<p>The application of this principle of a common +denominator of interest between the object that is +sold and the public good will can be carried to infinite +degrees.</p> + +<p>“It matters not how much capital you may have, +how fair the rates may be, how favorable the conditions +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</span>of service, if you haven’t behind you a sympathetic +public opinion, you are bound to fail.” This +is the opinion of Samuel Insull, one of the foremost +traction magnates of the country. And the late +Judge Gary, of the United States Steel Corporation, +expressed the same idea when he said: “Once you +have the good will of the general public, you can go +ahead in the work of constructive expansion. Too +often many try to discount this vague and intangible +element. That way lies destruction.”</p> + +<p>Public opinion is no longer inclined to be unfavorable +to the large business merger. It resents the +censorship of business by the Federal Trade Commission. +It has broken down the anti-trust laws +where it thinks they hinder economic development. +It backs great trusts and mergers which it +excoriated a decade ago. The government now permits +large aggregations of producing and distributing +units, as evidenced by mergers among railroads and +other public utilities, because representative government +reflects public opinion. Public opinion itself +fosters the growth of mammoth industrial enterprises. +In the opinion of millions of small investors, +mergers and trusts are friendly giants and not ogres, +because of the economies, mainly due to quantity +production, which they have effected, and can pass +on to the consumer.</p> + +<p>This result has been, to a great extent, obtained +by a deliberate use of propaganda in its broadest +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</span>sense. It was obtained not only by modifying the +opinion of the public, as the governments modified +and marshaled the opinion of their publics during +the war, but often by modifying the business concern +itself. A cement company may work with road commissions +gratuitously to maintain testing laboratories +in order to insure the best-quality roads to the public. +A gas company maintains a free school of cookery.</p> + +<p>But it would be rash and unreasonable to take it +for granted that because public opinion has come +over to the side of big business, it will always remain +there. Only recently, Prof. W. Z. Ripley of Harvard +University, one of the foremost national +authorities on business organization and practice, +exposed certain aspects of big business which tended +to undermine public confidence in large corporations. +He pointed out that the stockholders’ supposed voting +power is often illusory; that annual financial +statements are sometimes so brief and summary that +to the man in the street they are downright misleading; +that the extension of the system of non-voting +shares often places the effective control of corporations +and their finances in the hands of a small clique +of stockholders; and that some corporations refuse +to give out sufficient information to permit the public +to know the true condition of the concern.</p> + +<p>Furthermore, no matter how favorably disposed +the public may be toward big business in general, the +utilities are always fair game for public discontent +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</span>and need to maintain good will with the greatest care +and watchfulness. These and other corporations of +a semi-public character will always have to face a +demand for government or municipal ownership if +such attacks as those of Professor Ripley are continued +and are, in the public’s opinion, justified, unless +conditions are changed and care is taken to maintain +the contact with the public at all points of their +corporate existence.</p> + +<p>The public relations counsel should anticipate such +trends of public opinion and advise on how to avert +them, either by convincing the public that its fears +or prejudices are unjustified, or in certain cases by +modifying the action of the client to the extent necessary +to remove the cause of complaint. In such a +case public opinion might be surveyed and the points +of irreducible opposition discovered. The aspects of +the situation which are susceptible of logical explanation; +to what extent the criticism or prejudice +is a habitual emotional reaction and what factors are +dominated by accepted clichés, might be disclosed. +In each instance he would advise some action or +modification of policy calculated to make the readjustment.</p> + +<p>While government ownership is in most instances +only varyingly a remote possibility, public ownership +of big business through the increasing popular investment +in stocks and bonds, is becoming more and +more a fact. The importance of public relations +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</span>from this standpoint is to be judged by the fact that +practically all prosperous corporations expect at some +time to enlarge operations, and will need to float new +stock or bond issues. The success of such issues depends +upon the general record of the concern in the +business world, and also upon the good will which it +has been able to create in the general public. When +the Victor Talking Machine Company was recently +offered to the public, millions of dollars’ worth of +stock were sold overnight. On the other hand, there +are certain companies which, although they are financially +sound and commercially prosperous, would +be unable to float a large stock issue, because public +opinion is not conscious of them, or has some unanalyzed +prejudice against them.</p> + +<p>To such an extent is the successful floating of +stocks and bonds dependent upon the public favor +that the success of a new merger may stand or fall +upon the public acceptance which is created for it. +A merger may bring into existence huge new resources, +and these resources, perhaps amounting to +millions of dollars in a single operation, can often +fairly be said to have been created by the expert +manipulation of public opinion. It must be repeated +that I am not speaking of artificial value given to a +stock by dishonest propaganda or stock manipulation, +but of the real economic values which are created +when genuine public acceptance is gained for an industrial +enterprise and becomes a real partner in it.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</span></p> +<p>The growth of big business is so rapid that in some +lines ownership is more international than national. +It is necessary to reach ever larger groups of people +if modern industry and commerce are to be financed. +Americans have purchased billions of dollars of foreign +industrial securities since the war, and Europeans +own, it is estimated, between one and two +billion dollars’ worth of ours. In each case public +acceptance must be obtained for the issue and the enterprise +behind it.</p> + +<p>Public loans, state or municipal, to foreign countries +depend upon the good will which those countries +have been able to create for themselves here. +An attempted issue by an east European country is +now faring badly largely because of unfavorable +public reaction to the behavior of members of its +ruling family. But other countries have no difficulty +in placing any issue because the public is already convinced +of the prosperity of these nations and the +stability of their governments.</p> + +<p>The new technique of public relations counsel is +serving a very useful purpose in business by acting as +a complement to legitimate advertisers and advertising +in helping to break down unfair competitive +exaggerated and overemphatic advertising by reaching +the public with the truth through other channels +than advertising. Where two competitors in a field +are fighting each other with this type of advertising, +they are undermining that particular industry to a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</span>point where the public may lose confidence in the +whole industry. The only way to combat such +unethical methods, is for ethical members of the industry +to use the weapon of propaganda in order to +bring out the basic truths of the situation.</p> + +<p>Take the case of tooth paste, for instance. Here +is a highly competitive field in which the preponderance +of public acceptance of one product over another +can very legitimately rest in inherent values. However, +what has happened in this field?</p> + +<p>One or two of the large manufacturers have asserted +advantages for their tooth pastes which no +single tooth paste discovered up to the present time +can possibly have. The competing manufacturer is +put in the position either of overemphasizing an already +exaggerated emphasis or of letting the overemphasis +of his competitor take away his markets. +He turns to the weapon of propaganda which can +effectively, through various channels of approach to +the public—the dental clinics, the schools, the +women’s clubs, the medical colleges, the dental press +and even the daily press—bring to the public the +truth of what a tooth paste can do. This will, of +course, have its effect in making the honestly advertised +tooth paste get to its real public.</p> + +<p>Propaganda is potent in meeting unethical or unfair +advertising. Effective advertising has become +more costly than ever before. Years ago, when the +country was smaller and there was no tremendous +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</span>advertising machinery, it was comparatively easy to +get country-wide recognition for a product. A corps +of traveling salesmen might persuade the retailers, +with a few cigars and a repertory of funny stories, +to display and recommend their article on a nation-wide +scale. To-day, a small industry is swamped +unless it can find appropriate and relatively inexpensive +means of making known the special virtues +of its product, while larger industries have sought +to overcome the difficulty by coöperative advertising, +in which associations of industries compete with other +associations.</p> + +<p>Mass advertising has produced new kinds of competition. +Competition between rival products in the +same line is, of course, as old as economic life itself. +In recent years much has been said of the new competition, +we have discussed it in a previous chapter, +between one group of products and another. Stone +competes against wood for building; linoleum against +carpets; oranges against apples; tin against asbestos +for roofing.</p> + +<p>This type of competition has been humorously +illustrated by Mr. O. H. Cheney, Vice-President of +the American Exchange and Irving Trust Company +of New York, in a speech before the Chicago Business +Secretaries Forum.</p> + +<p>“Do you represent the millinery trades?” said Mr. +Cheney. “The man at your side may serve the fur +industry, and by promoting the style of big fur collars +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</span>on women’s coats he is ruining the hat business +by forcing women to wear small and inexpensive +hats. You may be interested in the ankles of the +fair sex—I mean, you may represent the silk hosiery +industry. You have two brave rivals who are ready +to fight to the death—to spend millions in the fight—for +the glory of those ankles—the leather industry, +which has suffered from the low-shoe vogue, +and the fabrics manufacturers, who yearn for the +good old days when skirts were skirts.</p> + +<p>“If you represent the plumbing and heating business, +you are the mortal enemy of the textile industry, +because warmer homes mean lighter clothes. If +you represent the printers, how can you shake hands +with the radio equipment man?...</p> + +<p>“These are really only obvious forms of what I +have called the new competition. The old competition +was that between the members of each trade +organization. One phase of the new competition is +that between the trade associations themselves—between +you gentlemen who represent those industries. +Inter-commodity competition is the new competition +between products used alternatively for the same +purpose. Inter-industrial competition is the new +competition between apparently unrelated industries +which affect each other or between such industries +as compete for the consumer’s dollar—and that +means practically all industries....</p> + +<p>“Inter-commodity competition is, of course, the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</span>most spectacular of all. It is the one which seems +most of all to have caught the business imagination +of the country. More and more business men are +beginning to appreciate what inter-commodity competition +means to them. More and more they are +calling upon their trade associations to help them—because +inter-commodity competition cannot be +fought single-handed.</p> + +<p>“Take the great war on the dining-room table, for +instance. Three times a day practically every dining-room +table in the country is the scene of a fierce +battle in the new competition. Shall we have prunes +for breakfast? No, cry the embattled orange-growers +and the massed legions of pineapple canners. +Shall we eat sauerkraut? Why not eat green olives? +is the answer of the Spaniards. Eat macaroni as a +change from potatoes, says one advertiser—and will +the potato growers take this challenge lying down?</p> + +<p>“The doctors and dietitians tell us that a normal +hard-working man needs only about two or three +thousand calories of food a day. A banker, I suppose, +needs a little less. But what am I to do? The +fruit growers, the wheat raisers, the meat packers, +the milk producers, the fishermen—all want me to +eat more of their products—and are spending millions +of dollars a year to convince me. Am I to eat +to the point of exhaustion, or am I to obey the doctor +and let the farmer and the food packer and the +retailer go broke! Am I to balance my diet in proportion +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</span>to the advertising appropriations of the +various producers? Or am I to balance my diet +scientifically and let those who overproduce go +bankrupt? The new competition is probably keenest +in the food industries because there we have a very +real limitation on what we can consume—in spite of +higher incomes and higher living standards, we cannot +eat more than we can eat.”</p> + +<p>I believe that competition in the future will not +be only an advertising competition between individual +products or between big associations, but that it will +in addition be a competition of propaganda. The +business man and advertising man is realizing that +he must not discard entirely the methods of Barnum +in reaching the public. An example in the annals of +George Harrison Phelps, of the successful utilization +of this type of appeal was the nation-wide hook-up +which announced the launching of the Dodge Victory +Six car.</p> + +<p>Millions of people, it is estimated, listened in to +this program broadcast over 47 stations. The expense +was more than $60,000. The arrangements +involved an additional telephonic hook-up of 20,000 +miles of wire, and included transmission from Los +Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, and New +York. Al Jolson did his bit from New Orleans, +Will Rogers from Beverly Hills, Fred and Dorothy +Stone from Chicago, and Paul Whiteman from New +York, at an aggregate artists’ fee of $25,000. And +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</span>there was included a four-minute address by the +president of Dodge Brothers announcing the new +car, which gave him access in four minutes to an estimated +audience of thirty million Americans, the +largest number, unquestionably, ever to concentrate +their attention on a given commercial product at a +given moment. It was a sugar-coated sales message.</p> + +<p>Modern sales technicians will object: “What you +say of this method of appeal is true. But it increases +the cost of getting the manufacturer’s message across. +The modern tendency has been to reduce this cost +(for example, the elimination of premiums) and concentrate +on getting full efficiency from the advertising +expenditure. If you hire a Galli-Curci to sing +for bacon you increase the cost of the bacon by the +amount of her very large fee. Her voice adds nothing +to the product but it adds to its cost.”</p> + +<p>Undoubtedly. But all modes of sales appeal require +the spending of money to make the appeal attractive. +The advertiser in print adds to the cost of +his message by the use of pictures or by the cost of +getting distinguished endorsements.</p> + +<p>There is another kind of difficulty, created in the +process of big business getting bigger, which calls for +new modes of establishing contact with the public. +Quantity production offers a standardized product +the cost of which tends to diminish with the quantity +sold. If low price is the only basis of competition +with rival products, similarly produced, there ensues +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</span>a cut-throat competition which can end only by taking +all the profit and incentive out of the industry.</p> + +<p>The logical way out of this dilemma is for the +manufacturer to develop some sales appeal other +than mere cheapness, to give the product, in the +public mind, some other attraction, some idea that +will modify the product slightly, some element of +originality that will distinguish it from products in +the same line. Thus, a manufacturer of typewriters +paints his machines in cheerful hues. These special +types of appeal can be popularized by the manipulation +of the principles familiar to the propagandist—the +principles of gregariousness, obedience to authority, +emulation, and the like. A minor element can +be made to assume economic importance by being +established in the public mind as a matter of style. +Mass production can be split up. Big business will +still leave room for small business. Next to a huge +department store there may be located a tiny specialty +shop which makes a very good living.</p> + +<p>The problem of bringing large hats back into +fashion was undertaken by a propagandist. The millinery +industry two years ago was menaced by the +prevalence of the simple felt hat which was crowding +out the manufacture of all other kinds of hats and +hat ornaments. It was found that hats could roughly +be classified in six types. It was found too that four +groups might help to change hat fashions: the society +leader, the style expert, the fashion editor and writer, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</span>the artist who might give artistic approval to the +styles, and beautiful mannequins. The problem, +then, was to bring these groups together before an +audience of hat buyers.</p> + +<p>A committee of prominent artists was organized +to choose the most beautiful girls in New York to +wear, in a series of tableaux, the most beautiful hats +in the style classifications, at a fashion fête at a leading +hotel.</p> + +<p>A committee was formed of distinguished American +women who, on the basis of their interest in the +development of an American industry, were willing +to add the authority of their names to the idea. A +style committee was formed of editors of fashion +magazines and other prominent fashion authorities +who were willing to support the idea. The girls in +their lovely hats and costumes paraded on the running-board +before an audience of the entire trade.</p> + +<p>The news of the event affected the buying habits +not only of the onlookers, but also of the women +throughout the country. The story of the event was +flashed to the consumer by her newspaper as well as +by the advertisements of her favorite store. Broadsides +went to the millinery buyer from the manufacturer. +One manufacturer stated that whereas before +the show he had not sold any large trimmed hats, +after it he had sold thousands.</p> + +<p>Often the public relations counsel is called in to +handle an emergency situation. A false rumor, for +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</span>instance, may occasion an enormous loss in prestige +and money if not handled promptly and effectively.</p> + +<p>An incident such as the one described in the New +York <cite>American</cite> of Friday, May 21, 1926, shows +what the lack of proper technical handling of public +relations might result in.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p class="center large">$1,000,000 LOST BY FALSE RUMOR ON +HUDSON STOCK</p> + +<p>Hudson Motor Company stock fluctuated +widely around noon yesterday and losses estimated +at $500,000 to $1,000,000 were suffered +as a result of the widespread flotation of +false news regarding dividend action.</p> + +<p>The directors met in Detroit at 12:30, New +York time, to act on a dividend. Almost immediately +a false report that only the regular +dividend had been declared was circulated.</p> + +<p>At 12:46 the Dow, Jones & Co. ticker service +received the report from the Stock Exchange +firm and its publication resulted in further drop +in the stock.</p> + +<p>Shortly after 1 o’clock the ticker services received +official news that the dividend had been +increased and a 20 per cent stock distribution +authorized. They rushed the correct news out +on their tickers and Hudson stock immediately +jumped more than 6 points.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</span></p> +<p>A clipping from the <cite>Journal of Commerce</cite> of April +4, 1925, is reproduced here as an interesting example +of a method to counteract a false rumor:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p class="center large">BEECH-NUT HEAD HOME TOWN GUEST</p> + +<p class="center">Bartlett Arkell Signally Honored by Communities +of Mohawk Valley</p> + +<p class="center">(<i>Special to The Journal of Commerce</i>)</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Canajoharie</span>, N. Y., April 3.—To-day was +‘Beech-Nut Day’ in this town; in fact, for the +whole Mohawk Valley. Business men and practically +the whole community of this region +joined in a personal testimonial to Bartlett +Arkell of New York City, president of the +Beech-Nut Packing Company of this city, in +honor of his firm refusal to consider selling his +company to other financial interests to move +elsewhere.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Arkell publicly denied recent +rumors that he was to sell his company to the +Postum Cereal Company for $17,000,000, +which would have resulted in taking the industry +from its birthplace, he did so in terms conspicuously +loyal to his boyhood home, which he +has built up into a prosperous industrial community +through thirty years’ management of his +Beech-Nut Company.</p> + +<p>He absolutely controls the business and flatly +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</span>stated that he would never sell it during his lifetime +‘to any one at any price,’ since it would be +disloyal to his friends and fellow workers. And +the whole Mohawk Valley spontaneously decided +that such spirit deserved public recognition. +Hence, to-day’s festivities.</p> + +<p>More than 3,000 people participated, headed +by a committee comprising W. J. Roser, chairman; +B. F. Spraker, H. V. Bush, B. F. Diefendorf +and J. H. Cook. They were backed by the +Canajoharie and the Mohawk Valley Chambers +of Business Men’s Associations.</p> +</div> + +<p>Of course, every one realized after this that there +was no truth in the rumor that the Beech-Nut Company +was in the market. A denial would not have +carried as much conviction.</p> + +<p>Amusement, too, is a business—one of the largest +in America. It was the amusement business—first +the circus and the medicine show, then the theater—which +taught the rudiments of advertising to industry +and commerce. The latter adopted the ballyhoo +of the show business. But under the stress of practical +experience it adapted and refined these crude +advertising methods to the precise ends it sought to +obtain. The theater has, in its turn, learned from +business, and has refined its publicity methods to +the point where the old stentorian methods are in +the discard.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</span></p> +<p>The modern publicity director of a theater syndicate +or a motion picture trust is a business man, responsible +for the security of tens or hundreds of millions +of dollars of invested capital. He cannot afford +to be a stunt artist or a free-lance adventurer in publicity. +He must know his public accurately and +modify its thoughts and actions by means of the +methods which the amusement world has learned +from its old pupil, big business. As public knowledge +increases and public taste improves, business must be +ready to meet them halfway.</p> + +<p>Modern business must have its finger continuously +on the public pulse. It must understand the changes +in the public mind and be prepared to interpret itself +fairly and eloquently to changing opinion.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VI<br> + +<span class="smaller">PROPAGANDA AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>The great political problem in our modern democracy +is how to induce our leaders to lead. The +dogma that the voice of the people is the voice of +God tends to make elected persons the will-less servants +of their constituents. This is undoubtedly part +cause of the political sterility of which certain American +critics constantly complain.</p> + +<p>No serious sociologist any longer believes that the +voice of the people expresses any divine or specially +wise and lofty idea. The voice of the people expresses +the mind of the people, and that mind is +made up for it by the group leaders in whom it believes +and by those persons who understand the +manipulation of public opinion. It is composed of +inherited prejudices and symbols and clichés and +verbal formulas supplied to them by the leaders.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, the sincere and gifted politician is +able, by the instrument of propaganda, to mold and +form the will of the people.</p> + +<p>Disraeli cynically expressed the dilemma, when +he said: “I <em>must</em> follow the people. Am I not their +leader?” He might have added: “I <em>must</em> lead the +people. Am I not their servant?”</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</span></p> +<p>Unfortunately, the methods of our contemporary +politicians, in dealing with the public, are as archaic +and ineffective as the advertising methods of business +in 1900 would be to-day. While politics was +the first important department of American life to +use propaganda on a large scale, it has been the +slowest in modifying its propaganda methods to meet +the changed conditions of the public mind. American +business first learned from politics the methods of +appealing to the broad public. But it continually improved +those methods in the course of its competitive +struggle, while politics clung to the old formulas.</p> + +<p>The political apathy of the average voter, of +which we hear so much, is undoubtedly due to the +fact that the politician does not know how to meet +the conditions of the public mind. He cannot dramatize +himself and his platform in terms which have +real meaning to the public. Acting on the fallacy +that the leader must slavishly follow, he deprives his +campaign of all dramatic interest. An automaton +cannot arouse the public interest. A leader, a fighter, +a dictator, can. But, given our present political conditions +under which every office seeker must cater to +the vote of the masses, the only means by which the +born leader can lead is the expert use of propaganda.</p> + +<p>Whether in the problem of getting elected to +office or in the problem of interpreting and popularizing +new issues, or in the problem of making the day-to-day +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</span>administration of public affairs a vital part of +the community life, the use of propaganda, carefully +adjusted to the mentality of the masses, is an essential +adjunct of political life.</p> + +<p>The successful business man to-day apes the politician. +He has adopted the glitter and the ballyhoo +of the campaign. He has set up all the side shows. +He has annual dinners that are a compendium of +speeches, flags, bombast, stateliness, pseudo-democracy +slightly tinged with paternalism. On occasion +he doles out honors to employees, much as the republic +of classic times rewarded its worthy citizens.</p> + +<p>But these are merely the side shows, the drums, +of big business, by which it builds up an image of +public service, and of honorary service. This is but +one of the methods by which business stimulates +loyal enthusiasms on the part of directors, the workers, +the stockholders and the consumer public. It is +one of the methods by which big business performs +its function of making and selling products to the +public. The real work and campaign of business consists +of intensive study of the public, the manufacture +of products based on this study, and exhaustive +use of every means of reaching the public.</p> + +<p>Political campaigns to-day are all side shows, all +honors, all bombast, glitter, and speeches. These are +for the most part unrelated to the main business of +studying the public scientifically, of supplying the +public with party, candidate, platform, and performance, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</span>and selling the public these ideas and products.</p> + +<p>Politics was the first big business in America. +Therefore there is a good deal of irony in the fact +that business has learned everything that politics has +had to teach, but that politics has failed to learn very +much from business methods of mass distribution of +ideas and products.</p> + +<p>Emily Newell Blair has recounted in the <cite>Independent</cite> +a typical instance of the waste of effort and +money in a political campaign, a week’s speaking tour +in which she herself took part. She estimates that on +a five-day trip covering nearly a thousand miles she +and the United States Senator with whom she was +making political speeches addressed no more than +1,105 persons whose votes might conceivably have +been changed as a result of their efforts. The cost +of this appeal to these voters she estimates (calculating +the value of the time spent on a very moderate +basis) as $15.27 for each vote which might have been +changed as a result of the campaign.</p> + +<p>This, she says, was a “drive for votes, just as an +Ivory Soap advertising campaign is a drive for +sales.” But, she asks, “what would a company executive +say to a sales manager who sent a high-priced +speaker to describe his product to less than 1,200 +people at a cost of $15.27 for each possible buyer?” +She finds it “amazing that the very men who make +their millions out of cleverly devised drives for soap +and bonds and cars will turn around and give large +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</span>contributions to be expended for vote-getting in an +utterly inefficient and antiquated fashion.”</p> + +<p>It is, indeed, incomprehensible that politicians do +not make use of the elaborate business methods that +industry has built up. Because a politician knows +political strategy, can develop campaign issues, can +devise strong planks for platforms and envisage +broad policies, it does not follow that he can be +given the responsibility of selling ideas to a public as +large as that of the United States.</p> + +<p>The politician understands the public. He knows +what the public wants and what the public will accept. +But the politician is not necessarily a general sales +manager, a public relations counsel, or a man who +knows how to secure mass distribution of ideas.</p> + +<p>Obviously, an occasional political leader may be +capable of combining every feature of leadership, just +as in business there are certain brilliant industrial +leaders who are financiers, factory directors, engineers, +sales managers and public relations counsel all rolled +into one.</p> + +<p>Big business is conducted on the principle that it +must prepare its policies carefully, and that in selling +an idea to the large buying public of America, it +must proceed according to broad plans. The political +strategist must do likewise. The entire campaign +should be worked out according to broad basic +plans. Platforms, planks, pledges, budgets, activities, +personalities, must be as carefully studied, apportioned +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</span>and used as they are when big business desires +to get what it wants from the public.</p> + +<p>The first step in a political campaign is to determine +on the objectives, and to express them exceedingly +well in the current form—that is, as a platform. +In devising the platform the leader should be sure +that it is an honest platform. Campaign pledges and +promises should not be lightly considered by the public, +and they ought to carry something of the guarantee +principle and money-back policy that an honorable +business institution carries with the sale of its +goods. The public has lost faith in campaign promotion +work. It does not say that politicians are +dishonorable, but it does say that campaign pledges +are written on the sand. Here then is one fact of +public opinion of which the party that wishes to be +successful might well take cognizance.</p> + +<p>To aid in the preparation of the platform there +should be made as nearly scientific an analysis as possible +of the public and of the needs of the public. A +survey of public desires and demands would come to +the aid of the political strategist whose business it is to +make a proposed plan of the activities of the parties +and its elected officials during the coming terms of +office.</p> + +<p>A big business that wants to sell a product to the +public surveys and analyzes its market before it takes +a single step either to make or to sell the product. +If one section of the community is absolutely sold to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</span>the idea of this product, no money is wasted in re-selling +it to it. If, on the other hand, another section +of the public is irrevocably committed to another +product, no money is wasted on a lost cause. Very +often the analysis is the cause of basic changes and +improvements in the product itself, as well as an index +of how it is to be presented. So carefully is this +analysis of markets and sales made that when a company +makes out its sales budget for the year, it subdivides +the circulations of the various magazines and +newspapers it uses in advertising and calculates with +a fair degree of accuracy how many times a section +of that population is subjected to the appeal of the +company. It knows approximately to what extent a +national campaign duplicates and repeats the emphasis +of a local campaign of selling.</p> + +<p>As in the business field, the expenses of the political +campaign should be budgeted. A large business +to-day knows exactly how much money it is going +to spend on propaganda during the next year or years. +It knows that a certain percentage of its gross receipts +will be given over to advertising—newspaper, +magazine, outdoor and poster; a certain percentage +to circularization and sales promotion—such as house +organs and dealer aids; and a certain percentage +must go to the supervising salesmen who travel +around the country to infuse extra stimulus in the +local sales campaign.</p> + +<p>A political campaign should be similarly budgeted. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</span>The first question which should be decided +is the amount of money that should be raised for the +campaign. This decision can be reached by a careful +analysis of campaign costs. There is enough +precedent in business procedure to enable experts to +work this out accurately. Then the second question +of importance is the manner in which money should +be raised.</p> + +<p>It is obvious that politics would gain much in prestige +if the money-raising campaign were conducted +candidly and publicly, like the campaigns for the war +funds. Charity drives might be made excellent +models for political funds drives. The elimination +of the little black bag element in politics would +raise the entire prestige of politics in America, and +the public interest would be infinitely greater if the +actual participation occurred earlier and more constructively +in the campaign.</p> + +<p>Again, as in the business field, there should be a +clear decision as to how the money is to be spent. +This should be done according to the most careful +and exact budgeting, wherein every step in the campaign +is given its proportionate importance, and the +funds allotted accordingly. Advertising in newspapers +and periodicals, posters and street banners, the +exploitation of personalities in motion pictures, in +speeches and lectures and meetings, spectacular events +and all forms of propaganda should be considered +proportionately according to the budget, and should +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</span>always be coördinated with the whole plan. Certain +expenditures may be warranted if they represent a +small proportion of the budget and may be totally +unwarranted if they make up a large proportion of +the budget.</p> + +<p>In the same way the emotions by which the public +is appealed to may be made part of the broad plan +of the campaign. Unrelated emotions become maudlin +and sentimental too easily, are often costly, and +too often waste effort because the idea is not part +of the conscious and coherent whole.</p> + +<p>Big business has realized that it must use as many +of the basic emotions as possible. The politician, +however, has used the emotions aroused by words +almost exclusively.</p> + +<p>To appeal to the emotions of the public in a political +campaign is sound—in fact it is an indispensable +part of the campaign. But the emotional content +must—</p> + +<p>(a) coincide in every way with the broad basic +plans of the campaign and all its minor details;</p> + +<p>(b) be adapted to the many groups of the public +at which it is to be aimed; and</p> + +<p>(c) conform to the media of the distribution of +ideas.</p> + +<p>The emotions of oratory have been worn down +through long years of overuse. Parades, mass meetings, +and the like are successful when the public has a +frenzied emotional interest in the event. The candidate +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</span>who takes babies on his lap, and has his photograph +taken, is doing a wise thing emotionally, if this +act epitomizes a definite plank in his platform. Kissing +babies, if it is worth anything, must be used as a +symbol for a baby policy and it must be synchronized +with a plank in the platform. But the haphazard +staging of emotional events without regard to their +value as part of the whole campaign, is a waste of +effort, just as it would be a waste of effort for the +manufacturer of hockey skates to advertise a picture +of a church surrounded by spring foliage. It is true +that the church appeals to our religious impulses and +that everybody loves the spring, but these impulses +do not help to sell the idea that hockey skates are +amusing, helpful, or increase the general enjoyment +of life for the buyer.</p> + +<p>Present-day politics places emphasis on personality. +An entire party, a platform, an international policy +is sold to the public, or is not sold, on the basis of the +intangible element of personality. A charming candidate +is the alchemist’s secret that can transmute a +prosaic platform into the gold of votes. Helpful as +is a candidate who for some reason has caught the +imagination of the country, the party and its aims +are certainly more important than the personality of +the candidate. Not personality, but the ability of the +candidate to carry out the party’s program adequately, +and the program itself should be emphasized +in a sound campaign plan. Even Henry Ford, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</span>the most picturesque personality in business in +America to-day, has become known through his +product, and not his product through him.</p> + +<p>It is essential for the campaign manager to educate +the emotions in terms of groups. The public is not +made up merely of Democrats and Republicans. +People to-day are largely uninterested in politics and +their interest in the issues of the campaign must be +secured by coördinating it with their personal interests. +The public is made up of interlocking groups—economic, +social, religious, educational, cultural, +racial, collegiate, local, sports, and hundreds of +others.</p> + +<p>When President Coolidge invited actors for breakfast, +he did so because he realized not only that actors +were a group, but that audiences, the large group of +people who like amusements, who like people who +amuse them, and who like people who can be amused, +ought to be aligned with him.</p> + +<p>The Shepard-Towner Maternity Bill was passed +because the people who fought to secure its passage +realized that mothers made up a group, that educators +made up a group, that physicians made up a +group, that all these groups in turn influence other +groups, and that taken all together these groups were +sufficiently strong and numerous to impress Congress +with the fact that the people at large wanted this bill +to be made part of the national law.</p> + +<p>The political campaign having defined its broad +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</span>objects and its basic plans, having defined the group +appeal which it must use, must carefully allocate to +each of the media at hand the work which it can +do with maximum efficiency.</p> + +<p>The media through which a political campaign may +be brought home to the public are numerous and +fairly well defined. Events and activities must be +created in order to put ideas into circulation, in these +channels, which are as varied as the means of human +communication. Every object which presents pictures +or words that the public can see, everything that +presents intelligible sounds, can be utilized in one +way or another.</p> + +<p>At present, the political campaigner uses for the +greatest part the radio, the press, the banquet hall, +the mass meeting, the lecture platform, and the +stump generally as a means for furthering his ideas. +But this is only a small part of what may be done. +Actually there are infinitely more varied events that +can be created to dramatize the campaign, and to make +people talk of it. Exhibitions, contests, institutes of +politics, the coöperation of educational institutions, +the dramatic coöperation of groups which hitherto +have not been drawn into active politics, and +many others may be made the vehicle for the presentation +of ideas to the public.</p> + +<p>But whatever is done must be synchronized accurately +with all other forms of appeal to the public. +News reaches the public through the printed word—books, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</span>magazines, letters, posters, circulars and banners, +newspapers; through pictures—photographs and +motion pictures; through the ear—lectures, speeches, +band music, radio, campaign songs. All these must +be employed by the political party if it is to succeed. +One method of appeal is merely one method of appeal +and in this age wherein a thousand movements +and ideas are competing for public attention, one dare +not put all one’s eggs into one basket.</p> + +<p>It is understood that the methods of propaganda +can be effective only with the voter who makes up +his own mind on the basis of his group prejudices and +desires. Where specific allegiances and loyalties exist, +as in the case of boss leadership, these loyalties will +operate to nullify the free will of the voter. In this +close relation between the boss and his constituents +lies, of course, the strength of his position in politics.</p> + +<p>It is not necessary for the politician to be the slave +of the public’s group prejudices, if he can learn how +to mold the mind of the voters in conformity with his +own ideas of public welfare and public service. The +important thing for the statesman of our age is not +so much to know how to please the public, but to +know how to sway the public. In theory, this education +might be done by means of learned pamphlets +explaining the intricacies of public questions. In +actual fact, it can be done only by meeting the conditions +of the public mind, by creating circumstances +which set up trains of thought, by dramatizing personalities, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</span>by establishing contact with the group +leaders who control the opinions of their publics.</p> + +<p>But campaigning is only an incident in political +life. The process of government is continuous. And +the expert use of propaganda is more useful and fundamental, +although less striking, as an aid to democratic +administration, than as an aid to vote getting.</p> + +<p>Good government can be sold to a community just +as any other commodity can be sold. I often wonder +whether the politicians of the future, who are responsible +for maintaining the prestige and effectiveness +of their party, will not endeavor to train politicians +who are at the same time propagandists. I +talked recently with George Olvany. He said that a +certain number of Princeton men were joining Tammany +Hall. If I were in his place I should have +taken some of my brightest young men and set them +to work for Broadway theatrical productions or apprenticed +them as assistants to professional propagandists +before recruiting them to the service of the +party.</p> + +<p>One reason, perhaps, why the politician to-day is +slow to take up methods which are a commonplace +in business life is that he has such ready entry to the +media of communication on which his power depends.</p> + +<p>The newspaper man looks to him for news. And +by his power of giving or withholding information +the politician can often effectively censor political +news. But being dependent, every day of the year +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</span>and for year after year, upon certain politicians for +news, the newspaper reporters are obliged to work in +harmony with their news sources.</p> + +<p>The political leader must be a creator of circumstances, +not only a creature of mechanical processes of +stereotyping and rubber stamping.</p> + +<p>Let us suppose that he is campaigning on a low-tariff +platform. He may use the modern mechanism +of the radio to spread his views, but he will almost +certainly use the psychological method of approach +which was old in Andrew Jackson’s day, and which +business has largely discarded. He will say over the +radio: “Vote for me and low tariff, because the high +tariff increases the cost of the things you buy.” He +may, it is true, have the great advantage of being able +to speak by radio directly to fifty million listeners. +But he is making an old-fashioned approach. He is +arguing with them. He is assaulting, single-handed, +the resistance of inertia.</p> + +<p>If he were a propagandist, on the other hand, although +he would still use the radio, he would use +it as one instrument of a well-planned strategy. +Since he is campaigning on the issue of a low tariff, he +not merely would tell people that the high tariff increases +the cost of the things they buy, but would +create circumstances which would make his contention +dramatic and self-evident. He would perhaps +stage a low-tariff exhibition simultaneously in twenty +cities, with exhibits illustrating the additional cost +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</span>due to the tariff in force. He would see that these +exhibitions were ceremoniously inaugurated by prominent +men and women who were interested in a low +tariff apart from any interest in his personal political +fortunes. He would have groups, whose interests +were especially affected by the high cost of living, +institute an agitation for lower schedules. He would +dramatize the issue, perhaps by having prominent +men boycott woolen clothes, and go to important +functions in cotton suits, until the wool schedule was +reduced. He might get the opinion of social workers +as to whether the high cost of wool endangers the +health of the poor in winter.</p> + +<p>In whatever ways he dramatized the issue, the attention +of the public would be attracted to the question +before he addressed them personally. Then, +when he spoke to his millions of listeners on the +radio, he would not be seeking to force an argument +down the throats of a public thinking of other things +and annoyed by another demand on its attention; on +the contrary, he would be answering the spontaneous +questions and expressing the emotional demands of +a public already keyed to a certain pitch of interest +in the subject.</p> + +<p>The importance of taking the entire world public +into consideration before planning an important event +is shown by the wise action of Thomas Masaryk, then +Provisional President, now President of the Republic +of Czecho-Slovakia.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</span></p> +<p>Czecho-Slovakia officially became a free state on +Monday, October 28, 1918, instead of Sunday, +October 27, 1918, because Professor Masaryk realized +that the people of the world would receive more +information and would be more receptive to the announcement +of the republic’s freedom on a Monday +morning than on a Sunday, because the press would +have more space to devote to it on Monday morning.</p> + +<p>Discussing the matter with me before he made the +announcement, Professor Masaryk said, “I would +be making history for the cables if I changed the +date of Czecho-Slovakia’s birth as a free nation.” +Cables make history and so the date was changed.</p> + +<p>This incident illustrates the importance of technique +in the new propaganda.</p> + +<p>It will be objected, of course, that propaganda will +tend to defeat itself as its mechanism becomes obvious +to the public. My opinion is that it will not. +The only propaganda which will ever tend to weaken +itself as the world becomes more sophisticated and +intelligent, is propaganda that is untrue or unsocial.</p> + +<p>Again, the objection is raised that propaganda is +utilized to manufacture our leading political personalities. +It is asked whether, in fact, the leader makes +propaganda, or whether propaganda makes the +leader. There is a widespread impression that a +good press agent can puff up a nobody into a great +man.</p> + +<p>The answer is the same as that made to the old +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</span>query as to whether the newspaper makes public +opinion or whether public opinion makes the newspaper. +There has to be fertile ground for the leader +and the idea to fall on. But the leader also has to +have some vital seed to sow. To use another figure, a +mutual need has to exist before either can become +positively effective. Propaganda is of no use to the +politician unless he has something to say which the +public, consciously or unconsciously, wants to hear.</p> + +<p>But even supposing that a certain propaganda is +untrue or dishonest, we cannot on that account reject +the methods of propaganda as such. For propaganda +in some form will always be used where leaders +need to appeal to their constituencies.</p> + +<p>The criticism is often made that propaganda tends +to make the President of the United States so important +that he becomes not the President but the +embodiment of the idea of hero worship, not to say +deity worship. I quite agree that this is so, but how +are you going to stop a condition which very accurately +reflects the desires of a certain part of the +public? The American people rightly senses the +enormous importance of the executive’s office. If the +public tends to make of the President a heroic symbol +of that power, that is not the fault of propaganda but +lies in the very nature of the office and its relation to +the people.</p> + +<p>This condition, despite its somewhat irrational puffing +up of the man to fit the office, is perhaps still +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</span>more sound than a condition in which the man utilizes +no propaganda, or a propaganda not adapted to its +proper end. Note the example of the Prince of +Wales. This young man reaped bales of clippings +and little additional glory from his American visit, +merely because he was poorly advised. To the American +public he became a well dressed, charming, sport-loving, +dancing, perhaps frivolous youth. Nothing +was done to add dignity and prestige to this impression +until towards the end of his stay he made a trip +in the subway of New York. This sole venture into +democracy and the serious business of living as evidenced +in the daily habits of workers, aroused new +interest in the Prince. Had he been properly advised +he would have augmented this somewhat by such +serious studies of American life as were made by another +prince, Gustave of Sweden. As a result of the +lack of well directed propaganda, the Prince of Wales +became in the eyes of the American people, not the +thing which he constitutionally is, a symbol of the +unity of the British Empire, but part and parcel of +sporting Long Island and dancing beauties of the +ballroom. Great Britain lost an invaluable opportunity +to increase the good will and understanding +between the two countries when it failed to understand +the importance of correct public relations counsel +for His Royal Highness.</p> + +<p>The public actions of America’s chief executive are, +if one chooses to put it that way, stage-managed. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</span>But they are chosen to represent and dramatize the +man in his function as representative of the people. +A political practice which has its roots in the tendency +of the popular leader to follow oftener than he +leads is the technique of the trial balloon which he +uses in order to maintain, as he believes, his contact +with the public. The politician, of course, has his +ear to the ground. It might be called the clinical ear. +It touches the ground and hears the disturbances of +the political universe.</p> + +<p>But he often does not know what the disturbances +mean, whether they are superficial, or fundamental. +So he sends up his balloon. He may send out an +anonymous interview through the press. He then +waits for reverberations to come from the public—a +public which expresses itself in mass meetings, or +resolutions, or telegrams, or even such obvious manifestations +as editorials in the partisan or nonpartisan +press. On the basis of these repercussions he then +publicly adopts his original tentative policy, or rejects +it, or modifies it to conform to the sum of public +opinion which has reached him. This method is +modeled on the peace feelers which were used during +the war to sound out the disposition of the enemy to +make peace or to test any one of a dozen other popular +tendencies. It is the method commonly used by +a politician before committing himself to legislation +of any kind, and by a government before committing +itself on foreign or domestic policies.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</span></p> +<p>It is a method which has little justification. If a +politician is a real leader he will be able, by the skillful +use of propaganda, to lead the people, instead of +following the people by means of the clumsy instrument +of trial and error.</p> + +<p>The propagandist’s approach is the exact opposite +of that of the politician just described. The whole +basis of successful propaganda is to have an objective +and then to endeavor to arrive at it through an exact +knowledge of the public and modifying circumstances +to manipulate and sway that public.</p> + +<p>“The function of a statesman,” says George Bernard +Shaw, “is to express the will of the people in the +way of a scientist.”</p> + +<p>The political leader of to-day should be a leader +as finely versed in the technique of propaganda as +in political economy and civics. If he remains merely +the reflection of the average intelligence of his community, +he might as well go out of politics. If one +is dealing with a democracy in which the herd and the +group follow those whom they recognize as leaders, +why should not the young men training for leadership +be trained in its technique as well as in its +idealism?</p> + +<p>“When the interval between the intellectual classes +and the practical classes is too great,” says the historian +Buckle, “the former will possess no influence, +the latter will reap no benefits.”</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</span></p> +<p>Propaganda bridges this interval in our modern +complex civilization.</p> + +<p>Only through the wise use of propaganda will our +government, considered as the continuous administrative +organ of the people, be able to maintain that intimate +relationship with the public which is necessary +in a democracy.</p> + +<p>As David Lawrence pointed out in a recent speech, +there is need for an intelligent interpretative bureau +for our government in Washington. There is, it is +true, a Division of Current Information in the Department +of State, which at first was headed by a +trained newspaper man. But later this position began +to be filled by men from the diplomatic service, men +who had very little knowledge of the public. While +some of these diplomats have done very well, Mr. +Lawrence asserted that in the long run the country +would be benefited if the functions of this office were +in the hands of a different type of person.</p> + +<p>There should, I believe, be an Assistant Secretary +of State who is familiar with the problem of dispensing +information to the press—some one upon +whom the Secretary of State can call for consultation +and who has sufficient authority to persuade the +Secretary of State to make public that which, for insufficient +reason, is suppressed.</p> + +<p>The function of the propagandist is much broader +in scope than that of a mere dispenser of information +to the press. The United States Government +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</span>should create a Secretary of Public Relations as +member of the President’s Cabinet. The function of +this official should be correctly to interpret America’s +aims and ideals throughout the world, and to keep +the citizens of this country in touch with governmental +activities and the reasons which prompt them. +He would, in short, interpret the people to the government +and the government to the people.</p> + +<p>Such an official would be neither a propagandist nor +a press agent, in the ordinary understanding of those +terms. He would be, rather, a trained technician +who would be helpful in analyzing public thought +and public trends, in order to keep the government +informed about the public, and the people informed +about the government. America’s relations with +South America and with Europe would be greatly +improved under such circumstances. Ours must be +a leadership democracy administered by the intelligent +minority who know how to regiment and guide +the masses.</p> + +<p>Is this government by propaganda? Call it, if you +prefer, government by education. But education, in +the academic sense of the word, is not sufficient. It +must be enlightened expert propaganda through the +creation of circumstances, through the high-spotting +of significant events, and the dramatization of important +issues. The statesman of the future will thus +be enabled to focus the public mind on crucial points +of policy, and regiment a vast, heterogeneous mass +of voters to clear understanding and intelligent action.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VII<br> + +<span class="smaller">WOMEN’S ACTIVITIES AND PROPAGANDA</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>Women in contemporary America have achieved a +legal equality with men. This does not mean that +their activities are identical with those of men. +Women in the mass still have special interests and +activities in addition to their economic pursuits and +vocational interests.</p> + +<p>Women’s most obvious influence is exerted when +they are organized and armed with the weapon of +propaganda. So organized and armed they have +made their influence felt on city councils, state legislatures, +and national congresses, upon executives, upon +political campaigns and upon public opinion generally, +both local and national.</p> + +<p>In politics, the American women to-day occupy a +much more important position, from the standpoint +of their influence, in their organized groups than +from the standpoint of the leadership they have acquired +in actual political positions or in actual office +holding. The professional woman politician has had, +up to the present, not much influence, nor do women +generally regard her as being the most important element +in question. Ma Ferguson, after all, was +simply a woman in the home, a catspaw for a deposed +husband; Nellie Ross, the former Governor of Wyoming, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</span>is from all accounts hardly a leader of statesmanship +or public opinion.</p> + +<p>If the suffrage campaign did nothing more, it +showed the possibilities of propaganda to achieve certain +ends. This propaganda to-day is being utilized +by women to achieve their programs in Washington +and in the states. In Washington they are organized +as the Legislative Committee of Fourteen Women’s +Organizations, including the League of Women +Voters, the Young Women’s Christian Association, +the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, the Federation +of Women’s Clubs, etc. These organizations +map out a legislative program and then use the modern +technique of propaganda to make this legislative +program actually pass into the law of the land. Their +accomplishments in the field are various. They can +justifiably take the credit for much welfare legislation. +The eight-hour day for women is theirs. +Undoubtedly prohibition and its enforcement are +theirs, if they can be considered an accomplishment. +So is the Shepard-Towner Bill which stipulates support +by the central government of maternity welfare +in the state governments. This bill would not have +passed had it not been for the political prescience +and sagacity of women like Mrs. Vanderlip and Mrs. +Mitchell.</p> + +<p>The Federal measures endorsed at the first convention +of the National League of Women Voters +typify social welfare activities of women’s organizations. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</span>These covered such broad interests as child +welfare, education, the home and high prices, women +in gainful occupations, public health and morals, independent +citizenship for married women, and others.</p> + +<p>To propagandize these principles, the National +League of Women Voters has published all types +of literature, such as bulletins, calendars, election information, +has held a correspondence course on government +and conducted demonstration classes and citizenship +schools.</p> + +<p>Possibly the effectiveness of women’s organizations +in American politics to-day is due to two things: +first, the training of a professional class of executive +secretaries or legislative secretaries during the suffrage +campaigns, where every device known to the +propagandist had to be used to regiment a recalcitrant +majority; secondly, the routing over into peace-time +activities of the many prominent women who +were in the suffrage campaigns and who also devoted +themselves to the important drives and mass +influence movements during the war. Such women +as Mrs. Frank Vanderlip, Alice Ames Winter, Mrs. +Henry Moskowitz, Mrs. Florence Kelley, Mrs. John +Blair, Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont, Doris Stevens, Alice +Paul come to mind.</p> + +<p>If I have seemed to concentrate on the accomplishments +of women in politics, it is because they afford +a particularly striking example of intelligent use of +the new propaganda to secure attention and acceptance +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</span>of minority ideas. It is perhaps curiously appropriate +that the latest recruits to the political arena should +recognize and make use of the newest weapons of +persuasion to offset any lack of experience with what +is somewhat euphemistically termed practical politics. +As an example of this new technique: Some +years ago, the Consumers’ Committee of Women, +fighting the “American valuation” tariff, rented an +empty store on Fifty-seventh Street in New York and +set up an exhibit of merchandise tagging each item +with the current price and the price it would cost if +the tariff went through. Hundreds of visitors to +this shop rallied to the cause of the committee.</p> + +<p>But there are also non-political fields in which +women can make and have made their influence felt +for social ends, and in which they have utilized the +principle of group leadership in attaining the desired +objectives.</p> + +<p>In the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, +there are 13,000 clubs. Broadly classified, they include +civic and city clubs, mothers’ and homemakers’ +clubs, cultural clubs devoted to art, music or literature, +business and professional women’s clubs, and +general women’s clubs, which may embrace either +civic or community phases, or combine some of the +other activities listed.</p> + +<p>The woman’s club is generally effective on behalf +of health education; in furthering appreciation of the +fine arts; in sponsoring legislation that affects the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</span>welfare of women and children; in playground development +and park improvement; in raising standards +of social or political morality; in homemaking +and home economics, education and the like. In +these fields, the woman’s club concerns itself with +efforts that are not ordinarily covered by existing +agencies, and often both initiates and helps to further +movements for the good of the community.</p> + +<p>A club interested principally in homemaking and +the practical arts can sponsor a cooking school for +young brides and others. An example of the keen +interest of women in this field of education is the +cooking school recently conducted by the New York +<cite>Herald Tribune</cite>, which held its classes in Carnegie +Hall, seating almost 3,000 persons. For the several +days of the cooking school, the hall was filled to +capacity, rivaling the drawing power of a McCormack +or a Paderewski, and refuting most dramatically +the idea that women in large cities are not +interested in housewifery.</p> + +<p>A movement for the serving of milk in public +schools, or the establishment of a baby health station +at the department of health will be an effort +close to the heart of a club devoted to the interest of +mothers and child welfare.</p> + +<p>A music club can broaden its sphere and be of +service to the community by coöperating with the +local radio station in arranging better musical programs. +Fighting bad music can be as militant a campaign +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</span>and marshal as varied resources as any political +battle.</p> + +<p>An art club can be active in securing loan exhibitions +for its city. It can also arrange travelling exhibits +of the art work of its members or show the art +work of schools or universities.</p> + +<p>A literary club may step out of its charmed circle +of lectures and literary lions and take a definite part +in the educational life of the community. It can +sponsor, for instance, a competition in the public +schools for the best essay on the history of the city, +or on the life of its most famous son.</p> + +<p>Over and above the particular object for which the +woman’s club may have been constituted, it commonly +stands ready to initiate or help any movement which +has for its object a distinct public good in the community. +More important, it constitutes an organized +channel through which women can make themselves +felt as a definite part of public opinion.</p> + +<p>Just as women supplement men in private life, so +they will supplement men in public life by concentrating +their organized efforts on those objects which +men are likely to ignore. There is a tremendous field +for women as active protagonists of new ideas and +new methods of political and social housekeeping. +When organized and conscious of their power to influence +their surroundings, women can use their newly +acquired freedom in a great many ways to mold the +world into a better place to live in.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VIII<br> + +<span class="smaller">PROPAGANDA FOR EDUCATION</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>Education is not securing its proper share of public +interest. The public school system, materially and +financially, is being adequately supported. There is +marked eagerness for a college education, and a +vague aspiration for culture, expressed in innumerable +courses and lectures. The public is not cognizant +of the real value of education, and does not realize +that education as a social force is not receiving the +kind of attention it has the right to expect in a democracy.</p> + +<p>It is felt, for example, that education is entitled +to more space in the newspapers; that well informed +discussion of education hardly exists; that unless such +an issue as the Gary School system is created, or outside +of an occasional discussion, such as that aroused +over Harvard’s decision to establish a school of business, +education does not attract the active interest of +the public.</p> + +<p>There are a number of reasons for this condition. +First of all, there is the fact that the educator has +been trained to stimulate to thought the individual +students in his classroom, but has not been trained as +an educator at large of the public.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</span></p> +<p>In a democracy an educator should, in addition to +his academic duties, bear a definite and wholesome +relation to the general public. This public does not +come within the immediate scope of his academic duties. +But in a sense he depends upon it for his living, +for the moral support, and the general cultural +tone upon which his work must be based. In the +field of education, we find what we have found in +politics and other fields—that the evolution of the +practitioner of the profession has not kept pace with +the social evolution around him, and is out of gear +with the instruments for the dissemination of ideas +which modern society has developed. If this be +true, then the training of the educators in this respect +should begin in the normal schools, with the +addition to their curricula of whatever is necessary +to broaden their viewpoint. The public cannot understand +unless the teacher understands the relationship +between the general public and the academic +idea.</p> + +<p>The normal school should provide for the training +of the educator to make him realize that his is a two-fold +job: education as a teacher and education as a +propagandist.</p> + +<p>A second reason for the present remoteness of education +from the thoughts and interests of the public +is to be found in the mental attitude of the pedagogue—whether +primary school teacher or college professor—toward +the world outside the school. This is a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</span>difficult psychological problem. The teacher finds +himself in a world in which the emphasis is put on +those objective goals and those objective attainments +which are prized by our American society. He himself +is but moderately or poorly paid. Judging himself +by the standards in common acceptance, he cannot +but feel a sense of inferiority because he finds +himself continually being compared, in the minds of +his own pupils, with the successful business man and +the successful leader in the outside world. Thus the +educator becomes repressed and suppressed in our +civilization. As things stand, this condition cannot +be changed from the outside unless the general public +alters its standards of achievement, which it is not +likely to do soon.</p> + +<p>Yet it can be changed by the teaching profession +itself, if it becomes conscious not only of its individualistic +relation to the pupil, but also of its social +relation to the general public. The teaching profession, +as such, has the right to carry on a very definite +propaganda with a view to enlightening the public +and asserting its intimate relation to the society which +it serves. In addition to conducting a propaganda +on behalf of its individual members, education must +also raise the general appreciation of the teaching +profession. Unless the profession can raise itself by +its own bootstraps, it will fast lose the power of recruiting +outstanding talent for itself.</p> + +<p>Propaganda cannot change all that is at present unsatisfactory +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</span>in the educational situation. There are +factors, such as low pay and the lack of adequate +provision for superannuated teachers, which definitely +affect the status of the profession. It is possible, +by means of an intelligent appeal predicated +upon the actual present composition of the public +mind, to modify the general attitude toward the +teaching profession. Such a changed attitude will +begin by expressing itself in an insistence on the idea +of more adequate salaries for the profession.</p> + +<p>There are various ways in which academic organizations +in America handle their financial problems. +One type of college or university depends, for its +monetary support, upon grants from the state legislatures. +Another depends upon private endowment. +There are other types of educational institutions, +such as the sectarian, but the two chief types +include by far the greater number of our institutions +of higher learning.</p> + +<p>The state university is supported by grants from +the people of the state, voted by the state legislature. +In theory, the degree of support which the university +receives is dependent upon the degree of acceptance +accorded it by the voters. The state university prospers +according to the extent to which it can sell itself +to the people of the state.</p> + +<p>The state university is therefore in an unfortunate +position unless its president happens to be a man of +outstanding merit as a propagandist and a dramatizer +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</span>of educational issues. Yet if this is the case—if the +university shapes its whole policy toward gaining +the support of the state legislature—its educational +function may suffer. It may be tempted to base its +whole appeal to the public on its public service, real +or supposed, and permit the education of its individual +students to take care of itself. It may attempt +to educate the people of the state at the expense of its +own pupils. This may generate a number of evils, to +the extent of making the university a political instrument, +a mere tool of the political group in power. +If the president dominates both the public and the +professional politician, this may lead to a situation +in which the personality of the president outweighs +the true function of the institution.</p> + +<p>The endowed college or university has a problem +quite as perplexing. The endowed college is dependent +upon the support, usually, of key men in industry +whose social and economic objectives are +concrete and limited, and therefore often at variance +with the pursuit of abstract knowledge. The successful +business man criticizes the great universities for +being too academic, but seldom for being too practical. +One might imagine that the key men who +support our universities would like them to specialize +in schools of applied science, of practical salesmanship +or of industrial efficiency. And it may well +be, in many instances, that the demands which the +potential endowers of our universities make upon +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</span>these institutions are flatly in contradiction to the interests +of scholarship and general culture.</p> + +<p>We have, therefore, the anomalous situation of the +college seeking to carry on a propaganda in favor of +scholarship among people who are quite out of sympathy +with the aims to which they are asked to subscribe +their money. Men who, by the commonly +accepted standards, are failures or very moderate successes +in our American world (the pedagogues) seek +to convince the outstanding successes (the business +men) that they should give their money to ideals +which they do not pursue. Men who, through a +sense of inferiority, despise money, seek to win the +good will of men who love money.</p> + +<p>It seems possible that the future status of the endowed +college will depend upon a balancing of these +forces, both the academic and the endowed elements +obtaining in effect due consideration.</p> + +<p>The college must win public support. If the potential +donor is apathetic, enthusiastic public approval +must be obtained to convince him. If he seeks +unduly to influence the educational policy of the institution, +public opinion must support the college in +the continuance of its proper functions. If either +factor dominates unduly, we are likely to find a +demagoguery or a snobbishness aiming to please one +group or the other.</p> + +<p>There is still another potential solution of the problem. +It is possible that through an educational propaganda +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</span>aiming to develop greater social consciousness +on the part of the people of the country, there may +be awakened in the minds of men of affairs, as a class, +social consciousness which will produce more minds +of the type of Julius Rosenwald, V. Everitt Macy, +John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the late Willard Straight.</p> + +<p>Many colleges have already developed intelligent +propaganda in order to bring them into active and +continuous relation with the general public. A definite +technique has been developed in their relation to +the community in the form of college news bureaus. +These bureaus have formed an intercollegiate association +whose members meet once a year to discuss +their problems. These problems include the +education of the alumnus and his effect upon the +general public and upon specific groups, the education +of the future student to the choice of the particular +college, the maintenance of an <i lang="fr">esprit de corps</i> so that +the athletic prowess of the college will not be placed +first, the development of some familiarity with +the research work done in the college in order to attract +the attention of those who may be able to lend +aid, the development of an understanding of the +aims and the work of the institution in order to +attract special endowments for specified purposes.</p> + +<p>Some seventy-five of these bureaus are now affiliated +with the American Association of College News +Bureaus, including those of Yale, Wellesley, Illinois, +Indiana, Wisconsin, Western Reserve, Tufts and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</span>California. A bi-monthly news letter is published, +bringing to members the news of their profession. +The Association endeavors to uphold the ethical +standards of the profession and aims to work in harmony +with the press.</p> + +<p>The National Education Association and other +societies are carrying on a definite propaganda to promote +the larger purposes of educational endeavor. +One of the aims of such propaganda is of course improvement +in the prestige and material position of +the teachers themselves. An occasional McAndrew +case calls the attention of the public to the fact that +in some schools the teacher is far from enjoying full +academic freedom, while in certain communities the +choice of teachers is based upon political or sectarian +considerations rather than upon real ability. If such +issues were made, by means of propaganda, to become +a matter of public concern on a truly national scale, +there would doubtless be a general tendency to +improvement.</p> + +<p>The concrete problems of colleges are more varied +and puzzling than one might suppose. The pharmaceutical +college of a university is concerned because +the drug store is no longer merely a drug store, but +primarily a soda fountain, a lunch counter, a book-shop, +a retailer of all sorts of general merchandise +from society stationery to spare radio parts. The college +realizes the economic utility of the lunch +counter feature to the practicing druggist, yet it +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</span>feels that the ancient and honorable art of compounding +specifics is being degraded.</p> + +<p>Cornell University discovers that endowments are +rare. Why? Because the people think that the +University is a state institution and therefore publicly +supported.</p> + +<p>Many of our leading universities rightly feel that +the results of their scholarly researches should not +only be presented to libraries and learned publications, +but should also, where practicable and useful, +be given to the public in the dramatic form which the +public can understand. Harvard is but one example.</p> + +<p>“Not long ago,” says Charles A. Merrill in <cite>Personality</cite>, +“a certain Harvard professor vaulted into +the newspaper headlines. There were several days +when one could hardly pick up a paper in any of the +larger cities without finding his name bracketed with +his achievement.</p> + +<p>“The professor, who was back from a trip to +Yucatan in the interests of science, had solved the +mystery of the Venus calendar of the ancient Mayas. +He had discovered the key to the puzzle of how the +Mayas kept tab on the flight of time. Checking the +Mayan record of celestial events against the known +astronomical facts, he had found a perfect correlation +between the time count of these Central American +Indians and the true positions of the planet Venus +in the sixth century <span class="allsmcap">B.C.</span> A civilization which flourished +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</span>in the Western Hemisphere twenty-five centuries +ago was demonstrated to have attained heights +hitherto unappreciated by the modern world.</p> + +<p>“How the professor’s discovery happened to be +chronicled in the popular press is, also, in retrospect, +a matter of interest.... If left to his own devices, +he might never have appeared in print, except +perhaps in some technical publication, and his +remarks there would have been no more intelligible +to the average man or woman than if they had +been inscribed in Mayan hieroglyphics.</p> + +<p>“Popularization of this message from antiquity +was due to the initiative of a young man named +James W. D. Seymour....</p> + +<p>“It may surprise and shock some people,” Mr. +Merrill adds, “to be told that the oldest and most +dignified seats of learning in America now hire press +agents, just as railroad companies, fraternal organizations, +moving picture producers and political +parties retain them. It is nevertheless a fact....</p> + +<p>“... there is hardly a college or university in +the country which does not, with the approval of the +governing body and the faculty, maintain a publicity +office, with a director and a staff of assistants, +for the purpose of establishing friendly relations +with the newspapers, and through the newspapers, +with the public....</p> + +<p>“This enterprise breaks sharply with tradition. In +the older seats of learning it is a recent innovation. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</span>It violates the fundamental article in the creed of +the old academic societies. Cloistered seclusion used +to be considered the first essential of scholarship. +The college was anxious to preserve its aloofness +from the world....</p> + +<p>“The colleges used to resent outside interest in +their affairs. They might, somewhat reluctantly and +contemptuously, admit reporters to their Commencement +Day exercises, but no further would they +go....</p> + +<p>“To-day, if a newspaper reporter wants to interview +a Harvard professor, he has merely to telephone +the Secretary for Information to the +University. Officially, Harvard still shies away +from the title ‘Director of Publicity.’ Informally, +however, the secretary with the long title is the publicity +man. He is an important official to-day at +Harvard.”</p> + +<p>It may be a new idea that the president of a +university will concern himself with the kind of +mental picture his institution produces on the public +mind. Yet it is part of the president’s work to see +that his university takes its proper place in the community +and therefore also in the community mind, +and produces the results desired, both in a cultural +and in a financial sense.</p> + +<p>If his institution does not produce the mental picture +which it should, one of two things may be +wrong: Either the media of communication with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</span>the public may be wrong or unbalanced; or his institution +may be at fault. The public is getting an +oblique impression of the university, in which case +the impression should be modified; or it may be that +the public is getting a <em>correct</em> impression, in which +case, very possibly, the work of the university itself +should be modified. For both possibilities lie within +the province of the public relations counsel.</p> + +<p>Columbia University recently instituted a <i lang="it">Casa +Italiana</i>, which was solemnly inaugurated in the +presence of representatives of the Italian government, +to emphasize its high standing in Latin studies +and the Romance languages. Years ago Harvard +founded the Germanic Museum, which was ceremoniously +opened by Prince Henry of Prussia.</p> + +<p>Many colleges maintain extension courses which +bring their work to the knowledge of a broad public. +It is of course proper that such courses should be +made known to the general public. But, to take another +example, if they have been badly planned, +from the point of view of public relations, if they +are unduly scholastic and detached, their effect may +be the opposite of favorable. In such a case, it is +not the work of the public relations counsel to urge +that the courses be made better known, but to urge +that they first be modified to conform to the impression +which the college wishes to create, where that is +compatible with the university’s scholastic ideals.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</span></p> +<p>Again, it may be the general opinion that the +work of a certain institution is 80 per cent postgraduate +research, an opinion which may tend to +alienate public interest. This opinion may be true +or it may be false. If it is false, it should be corrected +by high-spotting undergraduate activities.</p> + +<p>If, on the other hand, it is true that 80 per cent +of the work is postgraduate research, the most should +be made of that fact. It should be the concern of +the president to make known the discoveries which +are of possible public interest. A university expedition +into Biblical lands may be uninteresting as a +purely scholastic undertaking, but if it contributes +light on some Biblical assertion it will immediately +arouse the interest of large masses of the population. +The zoölogical department may be hunting +for some strange bacillus which has no known relation +to any human disease, but the fact that it is +chasing bacilli is in itself capable of dramatic presentation +to the public.</p> + +<p>Many universities now gladly lend members of +their faculties to assist in investigations of public interest. +Thus Cornell lent Professor Wilcox to aid +the government in the preparation of the national +census. Professor Irving Fisher of Yale has been +called in to advise on currency matters.</p> + +<p>In the ethical sense, propaganda bears the same +relation to education as to business or politics. It +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</span>may be abused. It may be used to overadvertise an +institution and to create in the public mind artificial +values. There can be no absolute guarantee against +its misuse.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IX<br> + +<span class="smaller">PROPAGANDA IN SOCIAL SERVICE</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>The public relations counsel is necessary to social +work. And since social service, by its very nature, +can continue only by means of the voluntary support +of the wealthy, it is obliged to use propaganda continually. +The leaders in social service were among +the first consciously to utilize propaganda in its +modern sense.</p> + +<p>The great enemy of any attempt to change men’s +habits is inertia. Civilization is limited by inertia.</p> + +<p>Our attitude toward social relations, toward economics, +toward national and international politics, +continues past attitudes and strengthens them under +the force of tradition. Comstock drops his mantle +of proselytizing morality on the willing shoulders of +a Sumner; Penrose drops his mantle on Butler; Carnegie +his on Schwab, and so <i lang="la">ad infinitum</i>. Opposing +this traditional acceptance of existing ideas is an active +public opinion that has been directed consciously into +movements against inertia. Public opinion was made +or changed formerly by tribal chiefs, by kings, by +religious leaders. To-day the privilege of attempting +to sway public opinion is every one’s. It is one +of the manifestations of democracy that any one may +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</span>try to convince others and to assume leadership on +behalf of his own thesis.</p> + +<p>New ideas, new precedents, are continually striving +for a place in the scheme of things.</p> + +<p>The social settlement, the organized campaigns +against tuberculosis and cancer, the various research +activities aiming directly at the elimination of social +diseases and maladjustments—a multitude of altruistic +activities which could be catalogued only in a +book of many pages—have need of knowledge of the +public mind and mass psychology if they are to +achieve their aims. The literature on social service +publicity is so extensive, and the underlying principles +so fundamental, that only one example is necessary +here to illustrate the technique of social service +propaganda.</p> + +<p>A social service organization undertook to fight +lynching, Jim Crowism and the civil discriminations +against the Negro below the Mason and Dixon line.</p> + +<p>The National Association for the Advancement of +the Colored People had the fight in hand. As a +matter of technique they decided to dramatize the +year’s campaign in an annual convention which would +concentrate attention on the problem.</p> + +<p>Should it be held in the North, South, West or +East? Since the purpose was to affect the entire country, +the association was advised to hold it in the +South. For, said the propagandist, a point of view +on a southern question, emanating from a southern +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</span>center, would have greater authority than the same +point of view issuing from any other locality, particularly +when that point of View was at odds with +the traditional southern point of view. Atlanta +was chosen.</p> + +<p>The third step was to surround the conference +with people who were stereotypes for ideas that carried +weight all over the country. The support of +leaders of diversified groups was sought. Telegrams +and letters were dispatched to leaders of religious, +political, social and educational groups, asking +for their point of view on the purpose of the +conference. But in addition to these group leaders +of national standing it was particularly important +from the technical standpoint to secure the opinions +of group leaders of the South, even from Atlanta itself, +to emphasize the purposes of the conference to +the entire public. There was one group in Atlanta +which could be approached. A group of ministers +had been bold enough to come out for a greater interracial +amity. This group was approached and agreed +to coöperate in the conference.</p> + +<p>The event ran off as scheduled. The program +itself followed the general scheme. Negroes and +white men from the South, on the same platform, expressed +the same point of view.</p> + +<p>A dramatic element was spot-lighted here and +there. A national leader from Massachusetts agreed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</span>in principle and in practice with a Baptist preacher +from the South.</p> + +<p>If the radio had been in effect, the whole country +might have heard and been moved by the speeches +and the principles expressed.</p> + +<p>But the public read the words and the ideas in +the press of the country. For the event had been +created of such important component parts as to +awaken interest throughout the country and to gain +support for its ideas even in the South.</p> + +<p>The editorials in the southern press, reflecting the +public opinion of their communities, showed that the +subject had become one of interest to the editors +because of the participation by southern leaders.</p> + +<p>The event naturally gave the Association itself +substantial weapons with which to appeal to an increasingly +wider circle. Further publicity was attained +by mailing reports, letters, and other propaganda +to selected groups of the public.</p> + +<p>As for the practical results, the immediate one +was a change in the minds of many southern editors +who realized that the question at issue was not only +an emotional one, but also a discussable one; and +this point of view was immediately reflected to their +readers. Further results are hard to measure with a +slide-rule. The conference had its definite effect in +building up the racial consciousness and solidarity of +the Negroes. The decline in lynching is very probably +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</span>a result of this and other efforts of the Association.</p> + +<p>Many churches have made paid advertising and +organized propaganda part of their regular activities. +They have developed church advertising committees, +which make use of the newspaper and the billboard, +as well as of the pamphlet. Many denominations +maintain their own periodicals. The Methodist +Board of Publication and Information systematically +gives announcements and releases to the press and +the magazines.</p> + +<p>But in a broader sense the very activities of social +service are propaganda activities. A campaign for +the preservation of the teeth seeks to alter people’s +habits in the direction of more frequent brushing of +teeth. A campaign for better parks seeks to alter +people’s opinion in regard to the desirability of taxing +themselves for the purchase of park facilities. A +campaign against tuberculosis is an attempt to convince +everybody that tuberculosis can be cured, that +persons with certain symptoms should immediately +go to the doctor, and the like. A campaign to lower +the infant mortality rate is an effort to alter the +habits of mothers in regard to feeding, bathing and +caring for their babies. Social service, in fact, is +identical with propaganda in many cases.</p> + +<p>Even those aspects of social service which are +governmental and administrative, rather than charitable +and spontaneous, depend on wise propaganda +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</span>for their effectiveness. Professor Harry Elmer +Barnes, in his book, “The Evolution of Modern Penology +in Pennsylvania,” states that improvements +in penological administration in that state are hampered +by political influences. The legislature must +be persuaded to permit the utilization of the best +methods of scientific penology, and for this there is +necessary the development of an enlightened public +opinion. “Until such a situation has been brought +about,” Mr. Barnes states, “progress in penology is +doomed to be sporadic, local, and generally ineffective. +The solution of prison problems, then, seems +to be fundamentally a problem of conscientious and +scientific publicity.”</p> + +<p>Social progress is simply the progressive education +and enlightenment of the public mind in regard to its +immediate and distant social problems.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER X<br> + +<span class="smaller">ART AND SCIENCE</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>In the education of the American public toward +greater art appreciation, propaganda plays an important +part. When art galleries seek to launch the +canvases of an artist they should create public acceptance +for his works. To increase public appreciation +a deliberate propagandizing effort must be made.</p> + +<p>In art as in politics the minority rules, but it can +rule only by going out to meet the public on its own +ground, by understanding the anatomy of public +opinion and utilizing it.</p> + +<p>In applied and commercial art, propaganda makes +greater opportunities for the artist than ever before. +This arises from the fact that mass production +reaches an impasse when it competes on a price basis +only. It must, therefore, in a large number of +fields create a field of competition based on esthetic +values. Business of many types capitalizes the esthetic +sense to increase markets and profits. Which +is only another way of saying that the artist has the +opportunity of collaborating with industry in such a +way as to improve the public taste, injecting beautiful +instead of ugly motifs into the articles of common +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</span>use, and, furthermore, securing recognition +and money for himself.</p> + +<p>Propaganda can play a part in pointing out what is +and what is not beautiful, and business can definitely +help in this way to raise the level of American culture. +In this process propaganda will naturally make +use of the authority of group leaders whose taste and +opinion are recognized.</p> + +<p>The public must be interested by means of associational +values and dramatic incidents. New inspiration, +which to the artist may be a very technical +and abstract kind of beauty, must be made vital to +the public by association with values which it recognizes +and responds to.</p> + +<p>For instance, in the manufacture of American +silk, markets are developed by going to Paris for +inspiration. Paris can give American silk a stamp +of authority which will aid it to achieve definite +position in the United States. The French Minister +of Fine Arts may be induced to lend his authority to +the process.</p> + +<p>The following clipping from the New York <cite>Times</cite> +of February 16, 1925, tells the story:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>“Copyright, 1925, by <span class="smcap">The New York Times +Company</span>—Special Cable to <span class="smcap">The New York +Times</span>.</p> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">Paris</span>, Feb. 15.—For the first time in history, +American art materials are to be exhibited +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</span>in the Decorative Arts Section of the Louvre +Museum.</p> + +<p>“The exposition opening on May 26th with +the Minister of Fine Arts, Paul Léon, acting as +patron, will include silks from Cheney Brothers, +South Manchester and New York, the designs +of which were based on the inspiration of Edgar +Brandt, famous French iron worker, the modern +Bellini, who makes wonderful art works +from iron.</p> + +<p>“M. Brandt designed and made the monumental +iron doors of the Verdun war memorial. +He has been asked to assist and participate in +this exposition, which will show France the accomplishments +of American industrial art.</p> + +<p>“Thirty designs inspired by Edgar Brandt’s +work are embodied in 2,500 yards of printed +silks, tinsels and cut velvets in a hundred +colors....</p> + +<p>“These ‘<span lang="fr">prints ferronnières</span>’ are the first textiles +to show the influence of the modern +master, M. Brandt. The silken fabrics possess +a striking composition, showing characteristic +Brandt motifs which were embodied in the +tracery of large designs by the Cheney artists +who succeeded in translating the iron into silk, +a task which might appear almost impossible. +The strength and brilliancy of the original design +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</span>is enhanced by the beauty and warmth of +color.”</p> +</div> + +<p>The result of this ceremony was that prominent +department stores in New York, Chicago and other +cities asked to have this exhibition. They tried to +mold the public taste in conformity with the idea +which had the approval of Paris. The silks of +Cheney Brothers—a commercial product produced in +quantity—gained a place in public esteem by being +associated with the work of a recognized artist and +with a great art museum.</p> + +<p>The same can be said of almost any commercial +product susceptible of beautiful design. There are +few products in daily use, whether furniture, clothes, +lamps, posters, commercial labels, book jackets, +pocketbooks or bathtubs which are not subject to the +laws of good taste.</p> + +<p>In America, whole departments of production are +being changed through propaganda to fill an economic +as well as an esthetic need. Manufacture is +being modified to conform to the economic need to +satisfy the public demand for more beauty. A piano +manufacturer recently engaged artists to design modernist +pianos. This was not done because there existed +a widespread demand for modernist pianos. +Indeed, the manufacturer probably expected to sell +few. But in order to draw attention to pianos one +must have something more than a piano. People at +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</span>tea parties will not talk about pianos; but they may +talk about the new modernist piano.</p> + +<p>When Secretary Hoover, three years ago, was +asked to appoint a commission to the Paris Exposition +of Decorative Arts, he did so. As Associate +Commissioner I assisted in the organizing of the +group of important business leaders in the industrial +art field who went to Paris as delegates to visit and +report on the Exposition. The propaganda carried +on for the aims and purposes of the Commission +undoubtedly had a widespread effect on the attitude +of Americans towards art in industry; it was only a +few years later that the modern art movement penetrated +all fields of industry.</p> + +<p>Department stores took it up. R. H. Macy & +Company held an Art-in-Trades Exposition, in which +the Metropolitan Museum of Art collaborated as +adviser. Lord & Taylor sponsored a Modern Arts +Exposition, with foreign exhibitors. These stores, +coming closely in touch with the life of the people, +performed a propagandizing function in bringing to +the people the best in art as it related to these industries. +The Museum at the same time was alive +to the importance of making contact with the public +mind, by utilizing the department store to increase +art appreciation.</p> + +<p>Of all art institutions the museum suffers most +from the lack of effective propaganda. Most present-day +museums have the reputation of being +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</span>morgues or sanctuaries, whereas they should be +leaders and teachers in the esthetic life of the community. +They have little vital relation to life.</p> + +<p>The treasures of beauty in a museum need to be +interpreted to the public, and this requires a propagandist. +The housewife in a Bronx apartment doubtless +feels little interest in an ancient Greek vase in the +Metropolitan Museum. Yet an artist working with +a pottery firm may adapt the design of this vase +to a set of china and this china, priced low through +quantity production, may find its way to that Bronx +apartment, developing unconsciously, through its fine +line and color, an appreciation of beauty.</p> + +<p>Some American museums feel this responsibility. +The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York +rightly prides itself on its million and a quarter of +Visitors in the year 1926; on its efforts to dramatize +and make visual the civilizations which its various departments +reveal; on its special lectures, its story +hours, its loan collections of prints and photographs +and lantern slides, its facilities offered to commercial +firms in the field of applied art, on the outside lecturers +who are invited to lecture in its auditorium +and on the lectures given by its staff to outside organizations; +and on the free chamber concerts given +in the museum under the direction of David Mannes, +which tend to dramatize the museum as a home of +beauty. Yet that is not the whole of the problem.</p> + +<p>It is not merely a question of making people +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</span>come to the museum. It is also a question of making +the museum, and the beauty which it houses, go +to the people.</p> + +<p>The museum’s accomplishments should not be +evaluated merely in terms of the number of visitors. +Its function is not merely to receive visitors, but to +project itself and what it stands for in the community +which it serves.</p> + +<p>The museum can stand in its community for a definite +esthetic standard which can, by the help of intelligent +propaganda, permeate the daily lives of all +its neighbors. Why should not a museum establish +a museum council of art, to establish standards in +home decoration, in architecture, and in commercial +production? or a research board for applied arts? +Why should not the museum, instead of merely preserving +the art treasures which it possesses, quicken +their meaning in terms which the general public +understands?</p> + +<p>A recent annual report of an art museum in one +of the large cities of the United States, says:</p> + +<p>“An underlying characteristic of an Art Museum +like ours must be its attitude of conservatism, for +after all its first duty is to treasure the great achievements +of men in the arts and sciences.”</p> + +<p>Is that true? Is not another important duty to +interpret the models of beauty which it possesses?</p> + +<p>If the duty of the museum is to be active it must +study how best to make its message intelligible to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</span>the community which it serves. It must boldly assume +esthetic leadership.</p> + +<p>As in art, so in science, both pure and applied. +Pure science was once guarded and fostered by +learned societies and scientific associations. Now +pure science finds support and encouragement also +in industry. Many of the laboratories in which abstract +research is being pursued are now connected +with some large corporation, which is quite willing +to devote hundreds of thousands of dollars to scientific +study, for the sake of one golden invention or +discovery which may emerge from it.</p> + +<p>Big business of course gains heavily when the invention +emerges. But at that very moment it +assumes the responsibility of placing the new invention +at the service of the public. It assumes also the +responsibility of interpreting its meaning to the +public.</p> + +<p>The industrial interests can furnish to the schools, +the colleges and the postgraduate university courses +the exact truth concerning the scientific progress of +our age. They not only can do so; they are under +obligation to do so. Propaganda as an instrument of +commercial competition has opened opportunities to +the inventor and given great stimulus to the research +scientist. In the last five or ten years, the successes +of some of the larger corporations have been so outstanding +that the whole field of science has received +a tremendous impetus. The American Telephone +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</span>and Telegraph Company, the Western Electric Company, +the General Electric Company, the Westinghouse +Electric Company and others have realized the +importance of scientific research. They have also +understood that their ideas must be made intelligible +to the public to be fully successful. Television, +broadcasting, loud speakers are utilized as propaganda +aids.</p> + +<p>Propaganda assists in marketing new inventions. +Propaganda, by repeatedly interpreting new scientific +ideas and inventions to the public, has made the +public more receptive. Propaganda is accustoming +the public to change and progress.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</span></p> +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XI<br> + +<span class="smaller">THE MECHANICS OF PROPAGANDA</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p>The media by which special pleaders transmit +their messages to the public through propaganda include +all the means by which people to-day transmit +their ideas to one another. There is no means of human +communication which may not also be a means +of deliberate propaganda, because propaganda is +simply the establishing of reciprocal understanding +between an individual and a group.</p> + +<p>The important point to the propagandist is that +the relative value of the various instruments of +propaganda, and their relation to the masses, are +constantly changing. If he is to get full reach for +his message he must take advantage of these shifts +of value the instant they occur. Fifty years ago, +the public meeting was a propaganda instrument par +excellence. To-day it is difficult to get more than a +handful of people to attend a public meeting unless +extraordinary attractions are part of the program. +The automobile takes them away from home, the +radio keeps them in the home, the successive daily +editions of the newspaper bring information to them +in office or subway, and also they are sick of the +ballyhoo of the rally.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</span></p> +<p>Instead there are numerous other media of communication, +some new, others old but so transformed +that they have become virtually new. The newspaper, +of course, remains always a primary medium +for the transmission of opinions and ideas—in other +words, for propaganda.</p> + +<p>It was not many years ago that newspaper editors +resented what they called “the use of the news columns +for propaganda purposes.” Some editors +would even kill a good story if they imagined its +publication might benefit any one. This point of +view is now largely abandoned. To-day the leading +editorial offices take the view that the real criterion +governing the publication or non-publication of matter +which comes to the desk is its news value. The +newspaper cannot assume, nor is it its function to +assume, the responsibility of guaranteeing that what +it publishes will not work out to somebody’s interest. +There is hardly a single item in any daily paper, the +publication of which does not, or might not, profit or +injure somebody. That is the nature of news. What +the newspaper does strive for is that the news which +it publishes shall be accurate, and (since it must select +from the mass of news material available) that it +shall be of interest and importance to large groups +of its readers.</p> + +<p>In its editorial columns the newspaper is a personality, +commenting upon things and events from its +individual point of view. But in its news columns +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</span>the typical modern American newspaper attempts to +reproduce, with due regard to news interest, the outstanding +events and opinions of the day.</p> + +<p>It does not ask whether a given item is propaganda +or not. What is important is that it be news. And in +the selection of news the editor is usually entirely +independent. In the New York <cite>Times</cite>—to take an +outstanding example—news is printed because of its +news value and for no other reason. The <cite>Times</cite> editors +determine with complete independence what is +and what is not news. They brook no censorship. +They are not influenced by any external pressure nor +swayed by any values of expediency or opportunism. +The conscientious editor on every newspaper realizes +that his obligation to the public is news. The fact of +its accomplishment makes it news.</p> + +<p>If the public relations counsel can breathe the +breath of life into an idea and make it take its place +among other ideas and events, it will receive the +public attention it merits. There can be no question +of his “contaminating news at its source.” He creates +some of the day’s events, which must compete in +the editorial office with other events. Often the +events which he creates may be specially acceptable +to a newspaper’s public and he may create them with +that public in mind.</p> + +<p>If important things of life to-day consist of transatlantic +radiophone talks arranged by commercial +telephone companies; if they consist of inventions +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</span>that will be commercially advantageous to the men +who market them; if they consist of Henry Fords +with epoch-making cars—then all this is news. The +so-called flow of propaganda into the newspaper +offices of the country may, simply at the editor’s discretion, +find its way to the waste basket.</p> + +<p>The source of the news offered to the editor +should always be clearly stated and the facts accurately +presented.</p> + +<p>The situation of the magazines at the present +moment, from the propagandist’s point of view, is +different from that of the daily newspapers. The +average magazine assumes no obligation, as the +newspaper does, to reflect the current news. It +selects its material deliberately, in accordance with +a continuous policy. It is not, like the newspaper, +an organ of public opinion, but tends rather to become +a propagandist organ, propagandizing for a +particular idea, whether it be good housekeeping, or +smart apparel, or beauty in home decoration, or debunking +public opinion, or general enlightenment or +liberalism or amusement. One magazine may aim +to sell health; another, English gardens; another, +fashionable men’s wear; another, Nietzschean philosophy.</p> + +<p>In all departments in which the various magazines +specialize, the public relations counsel may play an +important part. For he may, because of his client’s +interest, assist them to create the events which +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</span>further their propaganda. A bank, in order to emphasize +the importance of its women’s department, +may arrange to supply a leading women’s magazine +with a series of articles and advice on investments +written by the woman expert in charge of this department. +The women’s magazine in turn will +utilize this new feature as a means of building additional +prestige and circulation.</p> + +<p>The lecture, once a powerful means of influencing +public opinion, has changed its value. The lecture +itself may be only a symbol, a ceremony; its importance, +for propaganda purposes, lies in the fact that +it was delivered. Professor So-and-So, expounding +an epoch-making invention, may speak to five hundred +persons, or only fifty. His lecture, if it is +important, will be broadcast; reports of it will appear +in the newspapers; discussion will be stimulated. +The real value of the lecture, from the +propaganda point of view, is in its repercussion to +the general public.</p> + +<p>The radio is at present one of the most important +tools of the propagandist. Its future development +is uncertain.</p> + +<p>It may compete with the newspaper as an advertising +medium. Its ability to reach millions of persons +simultaneously naturally appeals to the advertiser. +And since the average advertiser has a limited +appropriation for advertising, money spent on the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</span>radio will tend to be withdrawn from the newspaper.</p> + +<p>To what extent is the publisher alive to this new +phenomenon? It is bound to come close to American +journalism and publishing. Newspapers have recognized +the advertising potentialities of the companies +that manufacture radio apparatus, and of radio +stores, large and small; and newspapers have accorded +to the radio in their news and feature columns +an importance relative to the increasing attention +given by the public to radio. At the same time, +certain newspapers have bought radio stations and +linked them up with their news and entertainment +distribution facilities, supplying these two features +over the air to the public.</p> + +<p>It is possible that newspaper chains will sell schedules +of advertising space on the air and on paper. +Newspaper chains will possibly contract with advertisers +for circulation on paper and over the air. +There are, at present, publishers who sell space in +the air and in their columns, but they regard the two +as separate ventures.</p> + +<p>Large groups, political, racial, sectarian, economic +or professional, are tending to control stations to +propagandize their points of view. Or is it conceivable +that America may adopt the English licensing +system under which the listener, instead of the +advertiser, pays?</p> + +<p>Whether the present system is changed, the advertiser—and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</span>propagandist—must necessarily adapt +himself to it. Whether, in the future, air space will +be sold openly as such, or whether the message will +reach the public in the form of straight entertainment +and news, or as special programs for particular +groups, the propagandist must be prepared to meet +the conditions and utilize them.</p> + +<p>The American motion picture is the greatest unconscious +carrier of propaganda in the world to-day. +It is a great distributor for ideas and opinions.</p> + +<p>The motion picture can standardize the ideas and +habits of a nation. Because pictures are made to +meet market demands, they reflect, emphasize and +even exaggerate broad popular tendencies, rather +than stimulate new ideas and opinions. The motion +picture avails itself only of ideas and facts which +are in vogue. As the newspaper seeks to purvey +news, it seeks to purvey entertainment.</p> + +<p>Another instrument of propaganda is the personality. +Has the device of the exploited personality +been pushed too far? President Coolidge photographed +on his vacation in full Indian regalia in +company with full-blooded chiefs, was the climax of +a greatly over-reported vacation. Obviously a public +personality can be made absurd by misuse of the +very mechanism which helped create it.</p> + +<p>Yet the vivid dramatization of personality will +always remain one of the functions of the public +relations counsel. The public instinctively demands +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</span>a personality to typify a conspicuous corporation or +enterprise.</p> + +<p>There is a story that a great financier discharged +a partner because he had divorced his wife.</p> + +<p>“But what,” asked the partner, “have my private +affairs to do with the banking business?”</p> + +<p>“If you are not capable of managing your own +wife,” was the reply, “the people will certainly believe +that you are not capable of managing their +money.”</p> + +<p>The propagandist must treat personality as he +would treat any other objective fact within his +province.</p> + +<p>A personality may create circumstances, as Lindbergh +created good will between the United States +and Mexico. Events may create a personality, as +the Cuban War created the political figure of Roosevelt. +It is often difficult to say which creates the +other. Once a public figure has decided what ends +he wishes to achieve, he must regard himself objectively +and present an outward picture of himself +which is consistent with his real character and his +aims.</p> + +<p>There are a multitude of other avenues of approach +to the public mind, some old, some new as +television. No attempt will be made to discuss each +one separately. The school may disseminate information +concerning scientific facts. The fact that a +commercial concern may eventually profit from a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</span>widespread understanding of its activities because of +this does not condemn the dissemination of such information, +provided that the subject merits study +on the part of the students. If a baking corporation +contributes pictures and charts to a school to show +how bread is made, these propaganda activities, if +they are accurate and candid, are in no way reprehensible, +provided the school authorities accept or reject +such offers carefully on their educational merits.</p> + +<p>It may be that a new product will be announced +to the public by means of a motion picture of a +parade taking place a thousand miles away. Or the +manufacturer of a new jitney airplane may personally +appear and speak in a million homes through +radio and television. The man who would most +effectively transmit his message to the public must +be alert to make use of all the means of propaganda.</p> + +<p>Undoubtedly the public is becoming aware of the +methods which are being used to mold its opinions +and habits. If the public is better informed about +the processes of its own life, it will be so much the +more receptive to reasonable appeals to its own interests. +No matter how sophisticated, how cynical the +public may become about publicity methods, it must +respond to the basic appeals, because it will always +need food, crave amusement, long for beauty, respond +to leadership.</p> + +<p>If the public becomes more intelligent in its commercial +demands, commercial firms will meet the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</span>new standards. If it becomes weary of the old +methods used to persuade it to accept a given idea +or commodity, its leaders will present their appeals +more intelligently.</p> + +<p>Propaganda will never die out. Intelligent men +must realize that propaganda is the modern instrument +by which they can fight for productive ends +and help to bring order out of chaos.</p> + + +<p class="center p2">THE END</p> + +<div class="transnote"> + +<p class="center large">Transcriber’s Notes:</p> + +<p>Variations in spelling and hyphenation are retained.</p> + +<p>Perceived typographical errors have been changed.</p> + +<p>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.</p> +</div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78634 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |