Edward L. Bernays - Propaganda - Text

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BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR

CRYSTALLIZING PUBLIC OPINION
i
I
PROPAGANDA
AN OUTLINE OF CAREERS
THE BROADWAY ANTHOLOGY (cO-AUTHOR By
EDWARD L. BERNAYS
New York
HORACE LIVERIGHT
19 2 8
Copyright •
1928 • by
HORACE LIVERIGHT-INC
—®—
Printed in the United States
First printing, November, 1928

Second printing, December, 1928
To My Wife
Doris E. Fleischman
V
CONTENTS
I. Organizing Chaos 9
II. The New Propaganda r
9
III. The New Propagandists . , . .
32
IV. The Psychology of Public Relations 47

Some of the ideas and
book have been used
some of the material in
V. Business and the Public .... 62
this in articles written for The
VI, Propaganda and Political Leadership 92
Bookman, The Delineator Advertising and Selling,
,
The Independent, The American Journal of Soci- VII. Women’s Activities and Propaganda iLS
ology, and other journals, to whom the author makes VIII. Propaganda for Education 121
grateful acknowledgment. IX. Propaganda in Social Service .

135
X. Art and Science 141
XI. The Mechanics of Propaganda 150
4
4
I
CHAPTER I
ORGANIZING CHAOS
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 consti-
tute an invisible government which is the true ruling
power of our country.
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 in which our democratic society is organized.
Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in
this manner if they are to live together as a smooth-
ly functioning society.
Our invisible governors are, in many cases, un-
aware of the identity of their fellow members in the
inner cabinet.
They govern us by their qualities of natural leader-
ship, their ability to supply needed ideas and by their
key position in the social structure. Whatever atti-
tude 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
9
Propaganda
Organizing Chaos
dominated by the relatively small number of per-
in every question, they would find
sons —a trifling fraction of our hundred and twenty
come
it impossible to
million —who understand the mental processes and

to a
conclusion about anything. have We
voluntarily agreed to let an invisible
social patterns of the masses. It is who pull
they the
government
sift the data and high-spot
the outstanding issues so
wires which control the public mind, who harness old
that our field of choice shall be
narrowed to practical
social forces and contrive new ways to bind and guide
proportions. From our leaders and the media they
the world.
use to reach the public, we accept the evidence and
It is not usually realized how necessary these in-
the demarcation of issues .bearing
upon public ques-
visible governors are to the orderly functioning of
tionsj from some ethical teacher, be it a minister, a
our group life. In theory, every citizen may vote
favorite essayist, or merely
prevailing opinion, we
for whom he pleases. Our Constitution does not
accept a standardized code of social
conduct to which
envisage political parties as part of the mechanism
we conform most of the time.
of government, and its framers seem not to have
In theory, everybody buys the best
and cheapest
pictured to themselves the existence in our national
commodities offered him on the market. In
practice,
politics of anything like the modern political ma-
if every one went around
pricing, and chemically
chine. But the American voters soon found that
testing before purchasing, the
dozens of soaps or
without organization and direction their individual
fabrics or brands of bread which are for sale, eco-
votes, cast, perhaps, for dozens or hundreds of can-
nomic life would become hopelessly jammed.
didates, would produce nothing but confusion. In-
To
avoid such confusion, society consents
to have its
visible government, in the shape of rudimentary
choice narrowed and objects brought to its
to ideas
political parties, arose almost overnight. Ever since
attention through propaganda of all
then we have agreed, for the sake of simplicity and
kinds. There
is consequently a vast
and continuous effort going on
practicality, that party machines should narrow down
to capture our minds in the
interest of some policy or
the field of choice to two candidates, or at most three
commodity or idea.
or four.
It might be better to have, instead of propaganda
In theory, every citizen makes up his mind on
and special pleading, committees of
public questions and matters of private conduct. In
wise men who
would choose our rulers, dictate our conduct,
men had private
practice, if all to study for themselves the
and public, and decide upon the best
types of clothes
abstruse economic, political, and ethical data involved
for us to wear and the best kinds
of food for us to
IO
XI
Propaganda Organizing Chaos
eat. But we have chosen the opposite method, that centers, of getting quick replies
and effective discus-
of open competition. We must find a way to make sion— have opened up new world of political proc-
a
free competition function with reasonable smooth- esses. Ideas and phrases can now be
given an
ness. To achieve this society has consented to permit effectiveness greater than the effectiveness of any
free competition to be organized by leadership and personality and stronger than any sectional interest.
propaganda. The common design can be documented and
sustained
Some of the phenomena of this process are crit- against perversion and betrayal.
It can be elaborated
icized — the manipulation of news, the inflation of and developed steadily and widely
without personal,
personality, and the general ballyhoo by which poli- local and sectional misunderstanding.”
ticians and commercial products and social ideas are What Mr. Wells says of political processes is
brought to the consciousness of the masses. The in- equally true of commercial and
social processes and
struments by which public opinion is organized and all manifestations of
mass activity. The groupings
focused may be misused. But such organization and and affiliations of society to-day are
no longer subject
focusing are necessary to orderly life. to “local and sectional” limitations. When
the Con-
As civilization has become more complex, and as stitution was adopted, the
unit of organization was
the need for invisible government has been increas- the village community, which
produced the greater
ingly demonstrated, the technical means have been part of its own
necessary commodities and
generated
invented and developed by which opinion may be its group ideas and opinions by personal
contact and
regimented. discussion directly among its citizens. But to-day,
With the printing press and the newspaper, the because ideas can be instantaneously
transmitted to
railroad, the telephone, telegraph, radio and air- any distance and to any number of people,
this geo-
planes, ideas can be spread rapidly and even instanta- graphical integration has been
supplemented by many
neously over the whole of America. other kinds of grouping, so that
persons having the
H. G. Wells senses the vast potentialities of these same ideas and interests may be
associated and regi-
when he writes in the New York Times'.
inventions mented for common action even though they live
“Modern means of communication the power — thousands of miles apart.
afforded by print, telephone, wireless and so forth, h is extremely difficult to realize how many and
.
of rapidly putting through directive strategic or tech- diverse are these cleavages in our
society. They may
nical conceptions to a great number of cooperating be social, political, economic, racial, religious or eth-
12 13
ical, with hundreds of subdivisions of each. In the Grocer; National Hotel
Reporter; National Income
World Almanac, for example, the following groups Tax Magazine; National Jeweler;
National Journal
are listed under the A’s: oi Chiropractic;
National Live Stock Producer-
The League to Abolish Capital Punishment} As- National Miller; National
Nut News; National
sociation to Abolish War; American Institute of Poultry, Butter and Egg
Bulletin; National Provi-
Accountants; Actors’ Equity Association; Actuarial
sioner (for meat packers); National
Association of America; International Advertising Real Estate
Journal; National Retail Clothier;
Association; National Aeronautic Association; Al- National Retail
Lumber Dealer; National Safety
bany Institute of History and Art; Amen Corner; News; National
Spiritualist; National
Underwriter; The Nation’s
American Academy in Rome; American Antiquarian
Health; Naujienos (Lithuanian
Society; League for American Citizenship; Ameri- daily newspaper);
New Comer (Republican weekly for Italians);
can Federation of Labor; Amorc (Rosicrucian Or-
Daily News; The New
der); Andiron Club; American-Irish Historical World (Catholic weekly);
North American Banker;
Association; Anti-Cigarette League; Anti-Profanity North American Veterina-
rian.
League; Archeological Association of America; Na-
The circulation of some of these
tional Archery Association; Arion Singing Society; publications is
astonishing. The National Live Stock Producer
American Astronomical Association; Ayrshire Breed- has
a sworn circulation of
ers’ Association; Aztec Club of 1847. There are 155,978; The National En-
gineer, of 20,328;
many more under the “A” section of this very The New
World, an estimated
circulation of 6 7,000.
limited list. The greater number of the
The American Newspaper Annual and Directory periodicals listed—chosen
at random from among
for 1928 lists 22,128 periodical publications in 22,128—have a circulation in excess of
10,000
America. I have selected at random the N’s pub- The diversity of these
publications is evident at a
lished in Chicago. They are: g ance Yet they can only faintly
suggest the multi-
Narod (Bohemian daily newspaper) Narod-Pol- tude of cleavages which
; exist in our society,
and
ski (Polish monthly); N.A.R.D. (pharmaceutical); along which flow information
and opinion carrying
National Corporation Reporter; National Culinary authority to the individual
groups.
Progress (for hotel chefs); National Dog Journal; Here are the conventions scheduled
for Cleveland,
National Drug Clerk; National Engineer; National Ohio, recorded in a single recent issue of
“World
H 15
Cenvention Dates” — a fraction of the 5,500 con- ever been made), they would still represent but a
ventions and rallies scheduled. part of those existing less formally but leading
The Employing Photo-Engravers’ Association of vigorous lives. Ideas are sifted and opinions stereo-
America; The Outdoor Writers’ Association; the typed in the neighborhood bridge club. Leaders
Knights of St. John; the Walther League; The Na- assert their authority through community drives and
tional Knitted Outerwear Association; The Knights amateur theatricals. Thousands of women may un-
of St. Joseph; The Royal Order of Sphinx; The consciously belong to a sorority which follows the
Mortgage Bankers’ Association; The International fashions set by a single society leader.
Association of Public Employment Officials; The “Life” satirically expresses this idea in the reply
Kiwanis Clubs of Ohio; The American Photo-En- American
which it represents an as giving to the
gravers’ Association; The Cleveland Auto Manufac-
Britisher who praises this country for having no
turers Show; The American Society of Heating and
upper and lower classes or castes:
Ventilating Engineers.
“Yeah, we have is the Four Hundred, the
all
Other conventions to be held in 1928 were those
White-Collar Men, Bootleggers, Wall Street Barons,
of:
Criminals, the D.A.R., the K.K.K., the Colonial
The Association of Limb Manufacturers’ Asso-
Dames, the Masons, Kiwanis and Rotarians, the K.
ciations;The National Circus Fans’ Association of
of C., the Elks, the Censors, the Cognoscenti, the
America; The American Naturopathic Association;
Morons, Heroes like Lindy, the W.C.T.U., Poli-
The American Trap Shooting Association; The
ticians, Menckenites, the Booboisie, Immigrants,
Texas Folklore Association; The Hotel Greeters;
The Fox Breeders’ Association; The Insecticide and
Broadcasters, and —the Rich and Poor.”
Yet it must be remembered that these thousands
Disinfectant Association; The National Association
of groups interlace. John Jones, besides being a
of Egg Case and Egg Case Filler Manufacturers;
The American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages; Rotarian, is member of a church, of a fraternal order,
and The National Pickle Packers’ Association, not to of a political party, of a charitable organization, of
mention the Terrapin Derby— most of them with a professional association, of a local chamber of
banquets and orations attached. commerce, of a league for or against prohibition or
If all these thousands of formal organizations and of a society for or against lowering the tariff, and of
institutions could be listed (and no complete list has a golf club. The opinions which he receives as a
16 17
8
Propaganda
Rotarian, he will tend to disseminate in the other
groups in which he may have influence.
This invisible, intertwining structure of groupings

and associations is the mechanism by which democ- CHAPTER II
racy has organized its group mind and simplified its

THE NEW PROPAGANDA
mass thinking. To deplore the existence of such a
mechanism is to ask for a society such as never was
In the days when kings were kings, Louis XIV
and never will be. To admit that it exists, but expect
made his modest remark, “L’Etat riest moi.” He
that it shall not be used, is unreasonable. was nearly right.
Emil Ludwig represents Napoleon as “ever on But times have changed. The steam engine, the
the watch for indications of public opinion; always multiple press, and the public school, that trio
of the
industrial revolution, have taken the power away
listening to the voice of the people, a voice which
defies calculation. T>o you know,* he said in those from kings and given it to the people. The people
days, ‘what amazes me more than all else? The actually gained power which the king lost For
impotence of force to organize anything.’ ” economic power tends to draw after it political
It is the purpose of this book to explain the struc- power; and the history of the industrial revolution
ture of the mechanism which controls the public shows how that power passed from the long and the
mind, and to tell how it is manipulated by the special aristocracy to the bourgeoisie. Universal suffrage
pleader who seeks to create public acceptance for a and universal schooling reinforced this tendency, and
at last even the bourgeoisie stood in
particular idea or commodity. It will attempt at the fear of the com-
same time to find the due place in the modern demo- mon people. For the masses promised to become
cratic scheme for this new propaganda and to sug- king.
gest its gradually evolving code of ethics and prac- To-day, however, a reaction has set in. The mi-
nority has discovered a powerful help in
tice. influencing
majorities. It has been found possible so to mold
the mind of the masses that they will throw
their newly gained strength m the desired direction.
In the present structure of society, this practice is
inevitable. Whatever of importance
social is done
1 19
Propaganda The New Propaganda
manufacture, agri- are "neither good nor bad but custom makes them
to-day, whether in politics, finance,
must be so.” I find the word defined in Funk and Wagnalls’
culture, charity, education, or other
fields,
Dictionary in four ways:
done with the help of propaganda. Propaganda
is
the executive arm of the invisible

government. “i. A society of cardinals, the overseers of for-
the eign missions} also the College of the Propaganda at
Universal literacy was supposed to educate
common man to control his environment. Once Rome founded by Pope Urban VIII in1627 for the
a mind fit to education of missionary priests} Sacred College de
he could read and write he would have
So ran the democratic doctrine. But
instead Propaganda Fide.
rule.
given him rubber "2. Hence, any institution or scheme for propa-
of a mind, universal literacy has
slogans, gating a doctrine or system.
stamps, rubber stamps inked with advertising
with editorials,with published scientific data, with “3. Effort directed systematically toward the
the platitudes of gaining of public support for an opinion or a course
the trivialities of the tabloids and
thought. Each of action.
history, but quite innocent of original
man’s rubber stamps are the duplicates of millions “4. The principles advanced by a propaganda.”
of others, so that when those millions are exposed to The Scientific American, in a recent issue, pleads
imprints. It for the restoration to respectable usage of that “fine
the same stimuli, all receive identical
American old word ‘propaganda.’ ”
may seem an exaggeration to say that the
public gets most of its ideas in this
wholesale fashion. "There no word in the English language,”
is it
on a “whose meaning has been so sadly distorted

The mechanism by which ideas are disseminated says, as
large scale is propaganda, in the broad sense of the word ‘propaganda.’ The change took place
effort to spread a particular belief or mainly during the late war when the term took on a
an organized
decidedly sinister complexion.
doctrine.
I am aware that the word "propaganda” carries
to "If you turn to the Standard Dictionary, you will
an unpleasant connotation. Yet whether, find that the word was applied to a congregation or
many minds
in any instance, propaganda is good
or bad depends society of cardinals for the care and oversight of
upon the merit of the cause urged, and the correct- foreign missions which was instituted at Rome in
ness of the information published. the year 1627. It was applied also to the College of
In itself, the word "propaganda” has certain tech- the Propaganda at Rome that was founded by Pope
nical meanings which, like most things in this world, Urban VIII, for the education of the missionary
20 21
Propaganda
The New Propaganda
be course of action in some debatable question, believing

priests. Hence, in later years the word came to
that it is promoting the best interest of the commu-
for propagating
applied to any institution or scheme
nity. Propaganda? Not a bit of it. Just a plain
a doctrine or system. t t
forceful statement of truth. But let another group
this definition, we can see that in its
“Judged by
form of citizens express opposing views, and they are
true sense propaganda is a perfectly legitimate
whether be social, promptly labeled with the sinister name of propa-
of human activity. Any society, it
ganda. . . .
possessed of certain
religious or political, which is
“ ‘What
by is sauce for the goose is sauce for the
beliefs, and sets out to make them known, either
gander,’ says a wise old proverb. Let us make haste
practicing propa
the spoken or written words,
is
to put this fine old word back where it belongs, and
ganda. #
any restore its dignified significance for the use of our
mighty and must prevail, and it
“Truth is
discovered a children and our children’s children.”
body of men believe that they have
their privilege but
The extent to which propaganda shapes the prog-
valuable truth, it is not merely
If they realize,
ress of affairs about us may surprise even well in-
their duty to disseminate that truth.
formed persons. Nevertheless, it is only necessary
spreading of the truth
must, that this
as they quickly
to look under the surface of the newspaper for a
can be done upon a large scale
and effectively only
hint as to propaganda’s authority over public opinion.
by organized effort, they will
make use of the press
to give it wide
Page one of the New York Times on the day these
and the platform as the best means
and repre- paragraphs are written contains eight important news
Propaganda becomes vicious
circulation.
stories. Four of them, or one-half, are propaganda.
hensive only when its authors consciously and delib-
The casual reader accepts them as accounts of spon-
erately disseminate what they know to be lies, or
taneous happenings. Here are the
But are they?
when they aim at effects which they know to be prej-
headlines which announce them: “twelve nations
udicial to the common good.
a perfectly
WARN CHINA REAL REFORM MUST COME BEFORE
“ ‘Propaganda’ in its proper meaning is
and with an THEY GIVE RELIEF,” “PRITCHETT REPORTS ZIONISM

wholesome word, of honest parentage,
should to-day be WILL FAIL,” “REALTY MEN DEMAND A TRANSIT IN-
honorable history. The fact that it
QUIRY,” and “our living standard highest in
carrying a sinister meaning merely shows how much
A group HISTORY, SAYS HOOVER REPORT.”
of the child remains in the average adult.
favor of a certain
Take them in order: the article on China explains
of citizens writes and talks in
22 23
the joint report of the Commission on Extraterri- Modern propaganda is a consistent, enduring ef-
toriality in China, presenting an exposition of the fort to create or shape events to influence the rela-
Powers’ stand in the Chinese muddle. What it says tions of the public to an enterprise, idea or group.
is less important than what it is. It was “made pub- This practice of creating circumstances and of
licby the State Department to-day” with the purpose creating pictures in the minds of millions of persons
of presenting to the American public a picture of the is very common. Virtually no important undertaking
State Department’s position. Its source gives it au- is now carried on without it, whether that enterprise
thority, and the American public tends to
accept and be building a cathedral, endowing a university, mar-
support the State Department view. keting a moving picture, floating a large bond issue,
The report of Dr. Pritchett, a trustee of the Car- or electing a president. Sometimes the effect on the
an at- by a professional propagandist,
negie Foundation for International Peace, public created
is is
tempt to find the facts about this Jewish colony in sometimes by an amateur deputed for the job. The
the midst of a restless Arab world. When Dr. important thing is that it is universal and continuous;
Pritchett’s survey convinced him that in

the long run and in its sum total it is regimenting the public mind
Zionism would “bring more bitterness and
more un- every bit as much as an army regiments the bodies of
happiness both for the Jew and for the Arab,” this its soldiers.
point of view was broadcast with all

the authority So vast are the numbers of minds which can be
the public would regimented, and so tenacious are they when regi-
of the Carnegie Foundation, so that
president of mented, that a group times offers an irresistible
hear and believe. The statement by the
at
the Real Estate Board of New York, and Secretary pressure before which legislators, editors, and teach-
Hoover’s report, are similar attempts to

influence ers are helpless. The group will cling to its stereo-
the public toward an opinion.

type, as Walter Lippmann calls it, making of those
impres- supposedly powerful beings, the leaders of public
These examples are not given to create the
sion that there is anything sinister
about propaganda. opinion, mere bits of driftwood in the surf. When
They are set down rather to illustrate how conscious an Imperial Wizard, sensing what is perhaps hunger
direction is given to events, and how the men behind for an ideal, offers a picture of a nation all Nordic
these events influence public

opinion. As such they and nationalistic, the common man of the older
modern propaganda. At this point American stock, feeling himself elbowed out of his
are examples of
attempt to define propaganda. rightful position and prosperity by the newer immi-
we may
24 25
6

grant stocks, grasps the picture which fits in so neatly public at least for a time and for a given purpose.
with his prejudices, and makes it his own. He buys Formerly the rulers were the leaders. They laid
the sheet and pillow-case costume, and bands with out the course of history, by the simple process of
his fellows by the thousand into a huge group doing what they wanted. And nowadays the
if
powerful enough to swing state elections and to successors of the rulers, those whose position or
throw a ponderous monkey wrench into a national ability gives them power, can no longer do what
convention. they want without the approval of the masses,
In our present social organization approval of the they find in propaganda a tool which is increasingly
public is essential to any large undertaking. Hence powerful in gaining that approval. Therefore, prop-
a laudable movement may be lost unless it impresses aganda is here to stay.
itself on the public mind. Charity, as well as busi- It was, of course, the astounding success of prop-
ness, and politics and literature, for that matter, have aganda during the war that opened the eyes of
had to adopt propaganda, for the public must be the intelligent few in all departments of life to
regimented into giving money just as it must be regi- the possibilities of regimenting the public mind.
mented into tuberculosis prophylaxis. The Near The American government and numerous patriotic
East Relief, the Association for the Improvement of agencies developed a technique which, to most per-
the Condition of the Poor of New York, and all
sons accustomed to bidding for public acceptance, was
the rest, have to work on public opinion just as new. They not only appealed to the individual by
though they had tubes of tooth paste to sell. We means of every approach — visual, graphic, and audi-
are proud of our diminishing infant death rate —and tory — to support the national endeavor, but they also
that too is the work of propaganda. secured the cooperation of the key men in every group
Propaganda does exist on all sides of us, and it
persons whose mere
word carried authority to hun-
does change our mental pictures of the world. Even dreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of
if this be unduly pessimistic —and that remains to
followers. They thus automatically gained the sup-
be proved —the opinion reflects a tendency that is
port of fraternal, religious, commercial, patriotic,
undoubtedly real. In fact, its use is growing as
social and local groups whose members took their
its efficiency in gaining public support is recognized. opinions from their accustomed leaders and spokes-
This then, evidently indicates the fact that any men, or from the periodical publications which they
one with sufficient influence can lead sections of the were accustomed to read and believe. At the same
1
27
time, the manipulators of patriotic opinion
made use the home of fashion. Lyons is the home of silk. The
of the had made was deter-
of the mental cliches and the emotional habits attack to be at the source. It
public to produce mass reactions against

the alleged mined to substitute purpose for chance and to utilize
atrocities, the terror and the tyranny

of the enemy. the regular sources for fashion distribution and to
It was only natural, after the war

ended, that intel- influence the public from these sources. A velvet
it was
ligent persons should ask themselves whether fashion service, openly supported by the manufac-
prob- was organized. was
not possible to apply a similar technique to the turers, Its first function to es-
lems of peace. tablish contact with the Lyons manufactories and

of propaganda the Paris couturiers to discover what they were doing,
As a matter of fact, the practice
since the war has assumed very different forms from to encourage them to act on behalf of velvet, and to
those prevalent twenty years ago. This new tech- help in the proper exploitation of their wares. An
nique may fairly be called the new propaganda. intelligent Parisian was enlisted in the work. He vis-
It takes account not merely of the individual, nor ited Lanvin and Worth, Agnes and Patou, and others
even of the mass mind alone, but also and
especially and induced them to use velvet in their gowns and
of theanatomy of society, with its interlocking group hats. It was he who arranged for the distinguished
It sees the individual Countess This or Duchess That to wear the hat or the
formations and loyalties.
not only as a cell in the social organism
but as a cell gown. And as for the presentation of the idea to the
organized into the social unit. Touch a nerve at a public, the American buyer or the American woman
sensitive spot and you get an automatic response of fashion was simply shown the velvet creations in
from certain specific members of the organism. the atelier of the dressmaker or the milliner. She
Business offers graphic examples of the effect that bought the velvet because she liked it and because
may be produced upon the public by interested it was in fashion.
their The
groups, such as textile manufacturers losing editors of the American magazines and fash-
markets. This problem arose, not long ago, when the ion reporters of the American newspapers, like-
velvet manufacturers were facing ruin because
their wise subjected to the actual (although created) cir-
product had long been out of fashion. Analysis cumstance, reflected it in their news, which, in turn,
showed that it was impossible to revive a velvet fash- subjected the buyer and the consumer here to the
ion within America. Anatomical hunt for the vital same influences. The result was that what was at
spot! Paris! Obviously! But yes and no. Paris is first a trickle of velvet became a flood. A demand
18 29
was slowly, but deliberately, created in Paris and duce the results they desire.
Whether they realize
America. A big department store, aiming to be a it or not, they call
upon propaganda to organize and
style leader, advertised velvet gowns and hats on the effectuate their demand.
authority of the French couturiers, and quoted origi- But clearly it is the intelligent
minorities which
nal cables received from them. The echo of the need to make use of propaganda
continuously and
new style note was heard from hundreds of depart- systematically. In the active proselytizing
minori-
ment stores throughout the country which wanted to ties in whom selfish interests and public interests
be style leaders too. Bulletins followed despatches. coincide lie the progress and development of Amer-
The mail followed the cables. And the American ica. Only through the energy of the intelligent
active
woman traveler appeared before the ship news pho- few can the public at large become aware of and act
tographers in velvet gown and hat. upon new ideas.
The created circumstances had their effect. “Fickle Small groups of persons can,
and do, make the
fashion has veered to velvet,” was one newspaper rest of us think what they please about a given sub-
comment. And the industry in the United States ject. But there are
usually proponents and opponents
again kept thousands busy. of every propaganda, both
of whom are equally
The new propaganda, having regard to the consti- eager to convince the majority.
tution 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 articu-
late, and until it has exerted sufficient pressure upon

the proper law-making bodies. Millions of house-
wives may feel that manufactured foods dele-
terious 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 pro-
30
The New Propagandists
largest industrial corporations, the president of many
of the labor unions affiliated in the American Fed-
eration of Labor, the national president of each of
CHAPTER HI the national professional and fraternal organizations,

the president of each of the racial or language so-
THE NEW PROPAGANDISTS cieties in the country, the hundred leading news-
it,
men who, without our realizing paper and magazine editors, the fifty most popular
Who are the
whom
tell us whom admire and
to authors, the presidents of the fifty leading charitable
rive us our ideas,
ownership of organizations, the twenty leading theatrical or cinema
believe about the
fo despise, what to price of
the tariff, about the producers, the hundred recognized leaders of fash-
public utilities, about
rubber, about the
Dawes Plan, about immigration- ion, the most popular and influential clergymen in
should be designed, what the hundred leading cities, the presidents of our col-
who tell us how our houses menus we
furniture we should
put into them what leges and universities and the foremost members of
what kind o their faculties, the most powerful financiers in Wall
should serve on our table,
must wear, what sports

we should m u ge , Street, the most noted amateurs of sport, and so on.
sup-
what chanties we should Such a list would comprise several thousand
plays we should see,
we should admire w *
ang persons. But it is well known that many of these
port, what pictures
jokes we should laugh
a ? J .
leaders are themselves led, sometimes by persons
we should affect, what wor™j
we set a list of the men an
out to make whose names are known to few. Many a congress-
If
e, mig
position in public li man, in framing his platform, follows the suggestions
who, because of their opinion, we
molders of public of a district boss whom few persons outside the politi-
fairly be called the
list of perso machine have ever heard Eloquent divines
at an extended cal of.
could quickly arrive
It would obviously
“Who’s Who.” may have great influence in their communities, but
mentioned in
of the United States^ t e
often take their doctrines from a higher ecclesiasti-
include, the President
of
cal authority. The presidents of chambers of com-
memberS
ou our forty- merce mold the thought of local business men
tne
sentatives in Congress,
chambers off rnm
com concerning public but the opinions which they
eight states; the presidents of the issues,
cit.es, the chammen promulgate are usually derived from some national
merce in our hundred largest
of our hundred or
mo authority. A presidential candidate may be
directors
the boards of
32 33
Propaganda The New Propagandists
“drafted” response to “overwhelming popular de-

in There are invisible rulers who control the destinies
mand,” but it is well known that his name may be of millions. It is not generally realized to what ex-
decided upon by half a dozen men sitting around a tent the words and actions of our most influential
table in a hotel room. public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating
wire-
In some instances the power of invisible behind the scenes.
invisible cabi-
pullers is flagrant. The power of the Nor, what more important, the extent to
is still
table in a certain
net which deliberated at the poker which our thoughts and habits are modified by
littlegreen house in Washington has become a na- authorities.
tional legend. There was a period in which the In some departments of our daily life, in which
major policies of the national government were dic- we imagine ourselves free agents, we are ruled by
tated by a single man, Mark Hanna. A Simmons dictators exercising great power. A man buying a
may, for a few years, succeed in marshaling mil- suit of clothes imagines that he is choosing, accord-
lions of men on a platform of intolerance

and vio- ing to his taste and his personality, the kind of gar-
lence. ment which he prefers. In reality, he may be obey-

Such persons typify in the public mind the type ing the orders of an anonymous gentleman tailor in
govern-
of ruler associated with the phrase invisible London. This personage is the silent partner in
that there
ment. But we do not often stop to think a modest tailoring establishment, which is patron-
whose influence is just ized by gentlemen of fashion and princes of the
are dictators in other fields
as decisive as that of the politicians I
have mentioned. blood. He suggests to British noblemen and others
An Irene Castle can establish the fashion of short a blue cloth instead of gray, two buttons instead of
hair which dominates nine-tenths of the
women who three, or sleeves a quarter of an inch narrower than
pretense to being fashionable. Paris The distinguished customer approves
make any last season.
mode of the short skirt, for of the idea.
fashion leaders set the
wearing which, twenty years ago, any woman would But how does this fact affect John Smith of
by
simply have been arrested and thrown into
jail Topeka?
the New York and the entire women’s
police, The gentleman tailor is under contract with a
mil-
clothing industry, capitalized at hundreds of certain large American firm, which manufactures
lions of dollars, must be reorganized to
conform to men’s suits, to send them instantly the designs of the
their dictum. suits chosen by the leaders of London fashion.
34 35
Upon receiving the designs, with specifications as would work through certain group leaders on Tues-
to color,weight and texture, the firm immediately day for one purpose, and through an entirely differ-
places an order with the cloth makers for several ent set on Wednesday for another. The idea of
hundred thousand dollars’ worth of cloth. The suits invisible government is relative. There may be a
made up according to the specifications are then ad- handful of men who control the educational meth-
vertised as the latest fashion. The fashionable men ods of the great majority of our schools. Yet from
in New York, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia another standpoint, every parent is a group leader
wear them. And the Topeka man, recognizing this with authority over his or her children.
leadership, does the same. The invisible government tends to be concen-
Women are just as subject to the commands of trated in the hands of the few because of the ex-
invisible government as are men. A silk manufac- pense of manipulating the social machinery which
turer, seeking a new market for its product, sug- controls the opinions and habits of the masses. To
gested to a large manufacturer of shoes that women’s advertise on a scale which will reach fifty million
shoes should be covered with silk to match their persons is expensive. To reach and persuade the
dresses. The idea was adopted and systematically group leaders who dictate the public’s thoughts and
propagandized. A popular actress was persuaded to actions is likewise expensive.
wear the shoes. The fashion spread. The shoe firm For this reason there is an increasing tendency to
was ready with the supply to meet the created de- concentrate the functions of propaganda in the hands
mand. And the silk company was ready with the of the propaganda specialist. This specialist is more
silk for more shoes. and more assuming a distinct place and function in
The man who injected this idea into the shoe in- our national life.
dustry was ruling women in one department of their New activities call for new nomenclature. The
social lives. Different men rule us in the various propagandist who specializes in interpreting enter-
departments of our lives. There may be one power prises and ideas to the public, and in interpreting the
behind the throne in politics, another in the manipu- public to promulgators of new enterprises and ideas,
lation of the Federal discount rate, and still another has come to be known by the name of “public rela-
in the dictation of next season’s dances. If there tions counsel.”
were a national invisible cabinet ruling our destinies The new profession of public relations has grown
(a thing which is not impossible to conceive of) it up because of the increasing complexity of modern
36 37
life and the consequent necessity for making the sel on public relations concentrates on the public con-
actions of one part of the public understandable to tacts of his client’s business. Every phase of his
other sectors of the public. It is due, too, to the client’s ideas, products or activities which may affect
increasing dependence of organized power of all sorts the public or in which the public may have an in-
upon public opinion. Governments, whether they terest is part of his function.
are monarchical, constitutional, democratic or com- For instance, in the specific problems of the manu-
munist, depend upon acquiescent public opinion for facturer he examines the product, the markets, the
the success of their efforts and, in fact, government is way in which the public reacts to the product, the at-
only government by virtue of public acquiescence. titude of the employees to the public and towards
Industries, public utilities, educational movements, the product, and the cooperation of the distribution
indeed allgroups representing any concept or prod- agencies.
uct, whether they are majority or minority ideas, The counsel on public relations, after he has ex-
succeed only because of approving public opinion. amined all these and other factors, endeavors to
Public opinion is the unacknowledged partner in all shape the actions of his client so that they will gain
broad efforts. the interest, the approval and the acceptance of the
The public relations counsel, then, is the agent public.
who, working with modern media of communica- The means by which the public is apprised of the
tion and the group formations of society, brings an actions of his client are as varied as the means of
idea to the consciousness of the public. But he is communication themselves, such as conversation, let-
a great deal more than that. He is concerned with ters, the stage, the motion picture, the radio, the lec-
courses of action, doctrines, systems and opinions, and ture platform, the magazine, the daily newspaper.
the securing of public support for them. He is also The counsel on public relations is not an advertising
concerned with tangible things such as manufactured man but he advocates advertising where that is indi-
and raw products. He is concerned with public utili- cated. Very often he is called in by an advertising
ties, with large trade groups and associations repre- agency to supplement its work on behalf of a client.
senting entire industries. His work and that of the advertising agency do not
He functions primarily as an adviser to his client, conflict with or duplicate each other.
very much as a lawyer does. A lawyer concentrates His first efforts are, naturally, devoted to analyz-
on the legal aspects of his client’s business. A coun- ing his client’s problems and making sure that what
39
he has to offer the public is something which the which, on behalf of his client, he may talk to the
public.
public accepts or can be brought to accept. It is
futile to attempt to sell an idea or to prepare the

Only after this double analysis has been made and
ground for a product that is basically unsound. the results collated, has the time come for the next
For example, an orphan asylum is worried by a step, the formulation of policies governing the gen-
falling off in contributions and a puzzling attitude

eral practice, procedure and habits of the client in all
those aspects in which he comes in contact with the
of indifference or hostility on the part of the public.
The counsel. on public relations may discover upon public. And only when these policies have been
modern sociological agreed upon is it time for the fourth step.
analysis that the public, alive to
trends, subconsciously criticizes the institution
because The first recognition of the distinct functions of
it is not organized on the new “cottage plan.” He the public relations counsel arose, perhaps, in the
of the client in this re- early years of the present century as a result of the
will advise modification
be urged to put on a fast
may insurance scandals coincident with the muck-raking
spect. Or a railroad
train for the sake of the prestige which it will
lend of corporate finance in the popular magazines. The
bonds. interests thus attacked suddenly realized that they
to the road’s name, and hence to its stocks and
were completely out of touch with the public they
If the corset makers, for instance, wished to bring
would un- were professing to serve, and required expert advice
their product into fashion again, he
questionably advise that the plan was impossible,
toshow them how they could understand the public
themselves and interpret themselves to it.
since women have definitely emancipated
from the old-style corset. Yet his fashion advisers The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company,
women might be persuaded to prompted by the most fundamental self-interest, in-
might report that
the itiated a conscious, directed effort to change the atti-
adopt a certain type of girdle which eliminated
tude of the public toward insurance companies in
unhealthful features of the corset.
His next effort is to analyze his public. He general, and toward itself in particular, to its profit
studies the groups which must be reached, and the and the public’s benefit.
leaders through whom he may approach these groups. It tried to make a majority movement of itself
groups, by getting the public to buy its policies. It reached

Social groups, economic groups, geographical
the public at every point of corporate and separate
groups, doctrinal groups, language groups, cul-
its
age
tural groups, all these represent the divisions through
existences. To communities it gave health surveys
40 4i
gave health defined and his advice has definite bearing on the
and expert counsel. To individuals it
Even the building in which the

conduct of the group or individual with whom he is
creeds and advice.
a picturesque land-
working.
corporation was located was made
in other words to carry Many persons still believe that the public rela-
mark to see and remember,
company tions counsel is a propagandist and nothing else.
on the associative process. And so this
The num- But, on the contrary, the stage at which many suppose
came to have a broad general acceptance.
grew constantly, as he starts his activities may actually be the stage at
ber and amount of its policies
which he ends them. After the public and the
its broad contacts with society increased.
were client are thoroughly analyzed and policies have
Within a decade, many large corporations
title or been formulated, his work may be finished. In
employing public relations counsel under one
come to recognize that they other cases the work of the public relations counsel
another, for they had
good will for their continued
must be continuous to be effective. For in many in-
depended upon public
that was “none stances only by a careful system of constant, thorough
It was no longer true
it
prosperity.
corpora- and frank information will the public understand and
how the affairs of a
of the public’s business”
convince appreciate the value of what a merchant, educator or
tion were managed. They were obliged to
to its demands statesman is doing. The counsel on public relations
the public that they were conforming
might must maintain constant vigilance, because inadequate
as tohonesty and fairness. Thus a corporation
information, or false information from unknown
discover that its labor policy was causing public re-
enlightened sources, may have results of enormous importance.
sentment, and might introduce a more
policy solely for the sake of general
good will. Or a A single false rumor at a critical moment may drive
hunting for the cause of diminish-

down the price of a corporation’s stock, causing a loss
department store,
discover that its clerks had a repu-
of millions to stockholders. An air of secrecy or
ing sales, might
formal instruction mystery about a corporation’s financial dealings may
tation for bad manners, and initiate
breed a general suspicion capable of acting as an in-
in courtesy and tact.
may be known as public visible drag on the company’s whole dealings with
The public relations expert
Often he is called sec- the public. The counsel on public relations must be
relations director or counsel.
Sometimes he in a position to deal effectively with rumors and sus-
retary or vice-president or director.
By what- picions, attempting to stop them at their source,
is known as cabinet officer or commissioner.
be called, his function is well counteracting them promptly with correct or more
ever title he may
42 43
will be cooperate by enunciating clearly. It aims to bring

complete information through channels which
such rela- about an understanding between educators and edu-
most effective, or best of all establishing
concern’s integrity that
cated, between government and people, between
tions of confidence in the
charitable institutions and contributors, between na-
rumors and suspicions will have no opportunity
to
tion and nation.
take root.
The profession of public relations counsel de-
His function may include the discovery of new
is
of which had been un- veloping for itself an ethical code which compares
markets, the existence
favorably with that governing the legal and medical
suspected.
If we accept public relations as a profession,
we professions. In part, this code is forced upon the
to have both ideals and ethics. public relations counsel by the very conditions of his
must also expect it
The ideal of the profession is a pragmatic one. It is work. While recognizing, just as the lawyer does,
to make the producer, whether that producer be a that every one has the right to present his case in its
making laws or a manufacturer making

legislature best light, he nevertheless refuses a client whom
a commercial product, understand
what the public he believes to be dishonest, a product which he be-
objec-
wants and to make the public understand the lieves to be fraudulent, or a cause which he believes
tives In relation to industry, the
of the producer. to be antisocial. One reason for this is that, even
ideal of the profession is to eliminate
the waste and though a special pleader, he is not dissociated from
things or
the friction that result when industry does the client in the public’s mind. Another reason is
makes things which its public does not want, or when that while he is pleading before the court — the court
the public does not understand what is
being offered
of public opinion —he is at the same time trying to
it. For example, the telephone companies maintain affect that court’s judgments and actions. In law,
public relations departments to explain
extensive the judge and jury hold the deciding balance of
what they are doing, so that energy may not
be
power. In public opinion, the public relations coun-
burned up in the friction of misunderstanding.
A
sel is judge and jury, because through his pleading
the immense
detailed description, for example, of of a case the public may accede to his opinion and
which the company takes to choose
and scientific care
judgment.
exchange
clearly understandable and distinguishable He does not accept a client whose interests con-
that is
names, helps the public to appreciate the effort flict with those of another client. He does not accept
good service, and stimulates it to
being made to give
45
44
Propaganda
be hopeless or
a client whose case he believes to
whose product he believes to be unmarketable.
He should be candid in his dealings. It must be CHAPTER IV
repeated that his business is not to fool or hoodwink
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
the public. If he were to get such a reputation, his
usefulness in his profession would be at

an end. The systematic study of mass psychology re-
When he is sending out propaganda material, it is vealed to students the potentialities of invisible gov-
clearly labeled as to source. The editor knows from ernment of society by manipulation of the motives
whom it comes and what its purpose is, and accepts which actuate man in the group. Trotter and Le
or rejects it on its merits as news. Bon, who approached the subject in a scientific man-
ner, and Graham Wallas, Walter Lippmann and
others who continued with searching studies of the
group mind, established that the group has mental
from those of the individual,
characteristics distinct
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?
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 suffi-
cient success to permit us to know that in certain
47
46
Propaganda The Psychology of Public Relations
cases we can effect some change in public opinion cumstances an international flight will produce
a
with a fair degree of accuracy by operating a certain spiritof good will, making possible even the con-
mechanism, just as the motorist can regulate the summation of political programs. But he cannot be
speed of his car by manipulating the flow of gaso- sure that some unexpected event will not overshadow
line. Propaganda is not a science in the laboratory this flight in the public interest, or that some other
sense, but it is no longer entirely the empirical affair aviator may notdo something more spectacular the
that it was before the advent of the study of mass day before. Even in his restricted of public field
psychology. It is now scientific in the sense that it psychology there must always be a wide margin of
seeks to base its operations upon definite knowledge error. Propaganda, like economics and sodology,
drawn from direct observation of the group mind, can never be an exact science for the reason
that its
and upon the application of principles which have subject-matter, like theirs, deals with human beings.
been demonstrated to be consistent and relatively If you can influence the leaders, either with or
constant without their consdous cooperation, you automatically
The modem propagandist studies systematically influence the group which they sway. But men
and objectively the material with which he is working do not need to be actually gathered together in a
in the spirit of the laboratory. If the matter in public meeting or in a street riot, to be subject to the
hand is a nation-wide sales campaign, he studies the influences of mass psychology. Because man is by
field by means of a clipping service, or of a corps of nature gregarious he feels himself to be member of
scouts, or by personal study at a crucial spot He a herd, even when he is alone in his room with the
determines, for example, which features of a product curtains drawn. His mind retains the patterns which
are losing their public appeal, and in what new direc- have been stamped on it by the group influences.
tion the public taste is veering. He will not fail to A man sits in his office deriding what stocks to buy.
investigate to wbat extent it is the wife who has the He imagines, no doubt, that he is planning his pur-
final word in the choice of her husband’s car, or of chases according to his own judgment. In actual
his suits and shirts. fact his judgment a melange
is of impressions
Scientific accuracy of results is not to be expected, stamped on his mind by outside influences which un-
because many of the elements of the situation must consriously control his thought. He buys a certain
always be beyond his control. He may know with a railroad stock because it was in the headlines yester-
fair degree of certainty that under favorable dr- day and hence is the one which comes most promi-
48
49
nently to his mind; because he has a pleasant new one, the propagandist can sometimes swing a
recollection of a good dinner on one of its fast whole mass of group emotions. In Great Britain,
trains; because it has a liberal labor policy, a reputa- during the war, the evacuation hospitals came in for
tion for honesty; because he has been told that a considerable amount of criticism because of the
J. P. Morgan owns some of its shares. summary way in which they handled their wounded.
Trotter and Le Bon concluded that the
group It was assumed by the public that a hospital gives
mind does not think in the strict sense of the word. prolonged and conscientious attention to its patients.
In place of thoughts it has impulses, habits and emo- When the name was changed to evacuation posts
In making up its mind its first impulse No
is
tions. the critical reaction vanished. one expected more
leader.
usually to follow the example of a trusted than an adequate emergency treatment from an insti-
This is one of the most firmly established principles tution so named. The cliche hospital was indelibly
of mass psychology. It operates in establishing the associated in the public mind with a certain picture.
rising or diminishing prestige of a

summer resort, in To persuade the public to discriminate between one
stock ex-
causing a run on a bank, or a panic on the type of hospital and another, to dissociate the cliche
a best seller, or a box-office from the evoked, would have been an im-
change, in creating picture it
success. possible task. Instead, a new cliche automatically
But when the example of the leader is not at hand conditioned the public emotion toward these hospi-
and the herd must think for itself, it does so by tals.
stand
means of cliches, pat words or images which Men are rarely aware of the real reasons which
Not A
for a whole group of ideas or experiences. motivate their actions. man may believe that he
many years ago, it was only necessary to tag a political buys a motor car because, after careful study of the
with the word interests to stampede technical features of all makes on the market, he
candidate
millions of people into voting against
him, because has concluded that this is the best. He is almost
anything associated with Hhe interests seemed
nec-
certainly fooling himself. He bought it, perhaps,
corrupt. Recently the word Bolshevik because a friend whose financial acumen he respects
essarily
has performed a similar service for persons who bought one last week; or because his neighbors be-
away from a line of
wished to frighten the public lieved he was not able to afford a car of that class;
action. or because its colors are those of his college fra-
playing upon an old cliche, or manipulating a
By ternity.
'
50 Si
It is chiefly the psychologists of the school of control that vast, loose-jointed mechanism which is
Freud who have pointed out that many of man’s modern society.
compensatory substitutes The old propagandist based work on the mech-
thoughts and actions are ,
his
for desires which he has been obliged to suppress. anistic reaction psychology then in vogue in our
its intrinsic worth human mind was
A thing may be desired not for colleges. This assumed that the
unconsciously come
or usefulness, but because he has merely an individual machine, a system of nerves
in it a symbol of something else,
the desire for and nerve centers, reacting with mechanical regularity
to see
which he is ashamed to admit to himself. A man to stimuli, like a helpless, will-less automaton. It
may think he wants it for purposes of was the special pleader’s function to provide the
buying a car
may be that he would stimulus which would cause the desired reaction in
locomotion, whereas the fact
burdened with and would the individual purchaser.
really prefer not to be
it,
rather walk for the sake of his health.

He may It was one of the doctrines of the reaction psy-
really want it because it is a symbol of social position, chology that a certain stimulus often repeated would
or a means of mere
an evidence of his success in business, create a habit, or that the reiteration of an idea
pleasing his wife. would create a conviction. Suppose the old type of
This general principle, that men are very largely salesmanship, acting for a meat packer, was seeking to
actuated bv motives which they conceal

from them- increase the sale of bacon. It would reiterate innu-
as true of mass as of individual

psychology. merable times in full-page advertisements: “Eat
selves, is
evident that the successful propagandist

must more bacon. Eat bacon because it is cheap, because
It is
content to
understand the true motives and not be it is good, because it gives you reserve energy.”
for what they do.
accept the reasons which men give The newer salesmanship, understanding the group
sufficient to understand only the
not
me- structure of society and the principles of mass psy-
It is
structure of society, the groupings and chology, would first ask: “Who is it that influences
chanical
cleavages and loyalties. An engineer may know all
the eating habits of the public?” The answer, ob-
locomotive, but The new salesman
about the cylinders and pistons of a viously, is: “The physicians.”
under pressure
unless he knows how steam behaves will then suggest to physicians to say publicly that
he cannot make his engine run.

Human desires
it is wholesome to eat bacon. He
knows as a mathe-
are the ste a m which makes
the social machine work. matical certainty, that large numbers of persons will
propagandist
Only by understanding them can the follow the advice of their doctors, because he under-
52 53
stands the psychological relation of dependence of The claims may all be true, but they are in direct
men upon their physicians. conflict with the claims of other piano manufac-
The old-fashioned propagandist, using almost ex- turers, and in indirect competition with the claims
clusively the appeal of the printed word, tried to of a radio or a motor car, each competing for the
persuade the individual reader to buy 3 definite consumer’s dollar.
article, immediately. This approach is exemplified What are the true reasons why the purchaser is
in a type of advertisement which used to be con- planning to spend his money on a new car instead of
sidered ideal from the point of view of directness on a new piano? Because he has decided that he
and effectiveness: wants the commodity called locomotion more than
“YOU (perhaps with a finger pointing at the he wants the commodity called music? Not alto-
reader) buy O’Leary’s rubber heels — NOW.” gether. He buys a car, because it is at the moment
The advertiser sought by means of reiteration and the group custom to buy cars.
emphasis directed upon the individual, to break down The modern propagandist therefore sets to work
or penetrate sales resistance. Although the appeal to create circumstances which will modify that cus-
was aimed at fifty million persons, it was aimed at tom. He appeals perhaps to the home instinct which
each as an individual. is fundamental. He will endeavor to develop public
The new salesmanship has found it possible, by acceptance of the idea of a music room in the home.
dealing with men in the mass through their group This he may do, for example, by organizing an ex-
formations, to set up psychological and emotional hibition of period music rooms designed by well
currents which will work for him. Instead of as- known decorators who themselves exert an influence
saulting sales resistance by direct attack, he is inter- on the buying groups. He enhances the effectiveness
ested in removing sales resistance. He creates and prestige of these rooms by putting in them rare
circumstances which will swing emotional currents and valuable tapestries. Then, in order to create
so as to make for purchaser demand. dramatic interest in the exhibit, he stages an event
If, for instance, I want to sell pianos, it is not suf- or ceremony. To this ceremony key people, persons
ficient to blanket the country with a direct appeal, known to influence the buying habits of the public,
such as: such as a famous violinist, a popular artist, and a
“YOU buy a Mozart -piano now. It is cheap. society leader, are invited. These key persons affect
The best artists use it. It will last for years.” other groups, lifting the idea of the music room to a
54 55
place in the public consciousness which it did not ance of the Jitney Players was staged for the benefit
have before. The juxtaposition of these leaders, of earthquake victims of Japan, under the auspices
and the idea which they are dramatizing, are then of Mrs. Astor and others. The social advantages
projected to the wider public through various pub-
licity channels. Meanwhile, influential architects
of the place were projected —a golf course was
laid out and a clubhouse planned. When the
have been persuaded to make the music room an post office was opened, the public relations counsel
integral architectural part of their plans with per- attempted to use it as a focus for national interest
haps a specially charming niche in one corner for and discovered that its opening fell coincident with
the piano. Less influential architects will as a matter a date important in the annals of the American Postal
of course imitate what is done by the men whom they Service. This was then made the basis of the
consider masters of their profession. They in turn opening.
will implant the idea of the music room in the mind When an attempt was made to show the public the
of the general public. beauty of the apartments, a competition was held
The music room will be accepted because it has among interior decorators for the best furnished
been made the thing. And the man or woman apartment in Jackson Heights. An important com-
who has a music room, or has arranged a corner of mittee of judges decided. This competition drew
the parlor as a musical corner, will naturally think the approval of well known authorities, as well as
of buying a piano. It will come to him as his own the interest of millions, who were made
cognizant of
idea. it through newspaper and magazine and other pub-
Under the old salesmanship the manufacturer said licity, with the effect of building up
definitely the
to the prospective purchaser, “Please buy a piano.” prestige of the development.
The new salesmanship has reversed the process and One of the most effective methods is the utilization
caused the prospective purchaser to say to the manu- of the group formation of modern society in order
facturer, “Please sell me a piano.” to spread ideas. An example of this is the nation-
The value of the associative processes in propa- wide competitions for sculpture in Ivory soap, open
ganda is shown in connection with a large real estate to school children in certain age groups as well as
development. To emphasize that Jackson Heights professional sculptors. A sculptor of national repu-
was socially desirable every attempt was made to tation found Ivory soap an excellent medium for
produce this associative process. A benefit perform- sculpture.
56
57
The Procter and Gamble Company offered a series housewife but also a matter of personal and intimate
of prizes for the best sculpture in white soap. The interest to her children.
contest was held under the auspices of the Art A number of familiar psychological motives were
Center in New York City, an organization of high set in motion in the carrying out of this campaign.
standing in the art world. The esthetic, the competitive, the gregarious (much
School superintendents and teachers throughout of the sculpturing was done in school groups), the
the country were glad to encourage the movement as snobbish (the impulse to follow the example of a
an educational aid for schools. Practice among recognized leader), the exhibitionist, and — last but
school children as part of their art courses was stim- by no means least — the maternal.
ulated. Contests were held between schools, be- All these motives and group habits were put in
tween school districts and between cities.
concerted motion by the simple machinery of group
Ivory soap was adaptable for sculpturing in the leadership and authority. As if actuated by the
homes because mothers saved the shavings and the pressure of a button, people began working for the
imperfect efforts for laundry purposes. The work client for the sake of the gratification obtained in the
itself was clean. sculpture work itself.
The best pieces are selected from the local com- This point is most important in successful propa-
petitions for entry in the national contest. This is
ganda work. The leaders who lend their authority
held annually at an important art gallery in New to any propaganda campaign will do so only if it can
York, whose prestige with that of the distinguished be made to touch their own interests. There must
judges, establishes the contest as a serious art event. be a disinterested aspect of the propagandist’s activi-
In the first of these national competitions about ties. In other words, it is one of the functions of the
pieces of sculpture were entered. In the
500 public relations counsel to discover at what points
third, 2,500. And in the fourth, more than 4,000. his client’s interests coincide with those of other indi-
If the carefully selected pieces were so numerous, viduals or groups.

it is evident that a vast number
were sculptured dur- In the case of the soap sculpture competition, the
ing the year, and that a much greater number distinguished artists and educators who sponsored
must have been made for practice purposes. The the idea were glad to lend their services and their
good will was greatly enhanced by the fact that this names because the competitions really promoted an
soap had become not merely the concern of
the
interest which they had at heart — the cultivation of
58 59
the esthetic impulse among the younger generation. The ideas of the new propaganda are predicated
Such coincidence and overlapping of interests is on sound psychology based on enlightened
self-
as infinite as the interlacing of group formations interest.
themselves. For example, a railway wishes to de-

velop its business. The counsel on public relations I have tried, in these chapters, to explain the
place
makes a survey to discover at what points its interests of propaganda in modern American life and
some-
coincide with those of its prospective customers. The thing of the methods by which it operates
to tell —
company then establishes relations with chambers of the why, the what, the who and the how of the
commerce along its right of way and assists them in invisible government which our thoughts,
dictates
developing their communities. It helps them to directsour feelings and controls our actions. In the
secure new plants and industries for the town. It

following chapters I shall try to show how propa-
facilitates business through the dissemination of ganda functions in specific departments of group
activity, to suggest some of the further ways in
technical information. It is not merely a case of
bestowing favors in the hope of receiving favors; which it may operate.
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.
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 in-
formation service suggesting recipes for bread to

encourage new uses for bread in the home.
6o
61
—
Business and the Public
of the public’s conscience. This consciousness has
led to a healthy cooperation.
Another cause for the increasing relationship is
CHAPTER V undoubtedlyto be found in the various phenomena
BUSINESS AND THE PUBLIC growing out of mass production. Mass production
is only profitable if its rhythm can be maintained
The relationship between business and the public that is, if it can continue to sell its product in steady
has become closer in the past few decades. Business or increasing quantity. The result is that while,
to-day is taking the public into partnership. A num- under the handicraft or small-unit system of produc-
ber of causes, some economic, others due to the grow- tion that was typical a century ago, demand
created
ing public understanding of business and the public the supply, to-day supply must actively seek to create
interest in business, have produced this situation.
its corresponding demand. A
single factory, poten-
Business realizes that its relationship to the public tially capable of supplying a whole continent with its
is not confined to the manufacture and sale of a given particular product, cannot afford to wait until the
product, but includes at the same time the selling of public asks forits product it must maintain constant
;
itself and of all those things for which it stands in touch, through advertising and propaganda, with
the
the public mind. vast public in order to assure itself the continuous
Twenty or twenty-five years ago, business sought demand which make its costly plant profit-
alone will
to run its own affairs regardless of the public. The able. This more complex system of
entails a vastly
reaction was the muck-raking period, in which a distribution than formerly. To make customers is
multitude of sins were, justly and unjustly, laid to thenew problem. One must understand not only his
the charge of the interests. In the face of an
—
own business the manufacture of a particular prod-
aroused public conscience the large corporations were uct —but also the structure, the personality, the prej-
obliged to renounce their contention that their affairs udices, of a potentially universal public.
were nobody’s business. If to-day big business Still another reason is to be found in the improve-
were new
to seek to throttle the public, a
similar to that of twenty years ago would

reaction
take place
ments in the technique of advertising
as regards —
both the size of the public which can be reached
and the public would rise and try to throttle big by the printed word, and the methods of appeal.
business with restrictive laws. Business is conscious The growth of newspapers and magazines having a
62
63
Propaganda Business and the Public
circulation of millions of copies, and the art of the dence and good will of the general
public. Business
modern advertising expert in making the printed must express itself and its entire corporate existence
message attractive and persuasive, have placed the so that the public will understand
and accept it. It
business man in a personal relation with a vast and must dramatize its personality and interpret its ob-
diversified public. jectives in every particular which
in it comes into
Another modern phenomenon, which' influences contact with the community (or the nation) of which
the general policy of big business, is the new compe- it is a part.
tition between certain firms and the remainder of the An oil corporation which truly understands its
industry, to which they belong. Another kind of many-sided relation to the public, will offer that
competition is between whole industries, in their public not only good oil but a sound labor policy. A
struggle for a share of the consumer’s dollar. bank will seek to show not only that its management
When, for example, a soap manufacturer claims that is sound and conservative, but also that its officers are
his product will preserve youth, he is obviously at- honorable both in their public and in their private life.
tempting to change the public’s mode of thinking A store specializing in fashionable men’s clothing
about soap in general —a thing of grave importance will express in its architecture the authenticity of the
to the whole industry. Or when the metal furniture goods it offers. A

bakery will seek to impress the
industry seeks to convince the public that more public with the hygienic care observed
it is in its manu-
desirable to spend its money for metal furniture than facturing process, not only by wrapping
its loaves in
for wood furniture, it is clearly seeking to alter the dust-proof paper and throwing its factory open to
taste and standards of a whole generation. In either public inspection, but also by the cleanliness
and at-
tractiveness of its delivery wagons.
case, business is seeking to inject itself into the lives construction A
and customs of millions of persons. firm will take care that the public knows
not only
Even in a basic sense, business is becoming depend- that its buildings are durable and safe, but also that
ent on public opinion. With the increasing volume its employees, when injured at
work, are com-
and wider diffusion of wealth in America, thousands pensated. At whatever point a business enterprise
of persons now invest in industrial stocks. New stock impinges on the public consciousness, it must seek
to
or bond flotations, upon which an expanding business give itspublic relations the particular character which
must depend for its success, can be effected only if will conform to the objectives which it is pursuing.
the concern has understood how to gain the confi- Just as the production manager must be familiar
64 65
Propaganda
with every element and detail concerning the mate-
them. The relationship between business and the
rials with which he is working, so the man in charge
public can be healthy only if it is the relationship of
of a firm’s public relations must be familiar with the
give and take.
structure, the prejudices, and the whims of the gen-
It is this condition and necessity which has created
eral public, and must handle his problems with the
the need for a specialized field of
utmost care. The public has its own standards and public relations.
Business now calls in the public
demands and You may modify them, but
habits. relations counsel to
advise it, to interpret its purpose to the
you dare not run counter to them. You cannot per- public, and to
su gg e st those modifications which
suade a whole generation of women to wear long may make it con-
form to the public demand.
skirts, but you may, by working through leaders of
The modifications then recommended to make the
fashion, persuade them to wear evening dresses
business conform to
its objectives and to the public
which are long in back. The public is not an amor-
demand, may concern the broadest matters of policy
phous mass which can be molded at will, or dictated
or the apparently most trivial details
to. Both business and the public have their own per- of execution.
It might in one case be necessary
sonalities which must somehow be brought into to transform entirely
the lines of goods sold to conform to changing public
friendly agreement. Conflict and suspicion are in-
demands. In another case the trouble may be found
jurious to both. Modern must study on
business
to lie in such small matters as
what terms the partnership can be made amicable and the dress of the clerks,
mutually beneficial. It must explain itself, its aims,

A jewelry store may complain that its patronage
is
shrinking upwards because of
its objectives, to the public in terms which the public its reputation for
carrying high-priced goods; in this
can understand and is willing to accept. case the public
relations counsel might suggest
Business does not willingly accept dictation from the featuring of
medium-priced goods, even at a loss, not because the
the public. It should not expect that it can dictate
firm desires a large medium-price
to the public. While the public should appreciate trade as such, but
because out of a hundred medium-price
the great economic benefits which business offers, customers
acquired to-day a certain percentage
thanks to mass production and scientific marketing, will be well-to-
do ten years from now. A
department store
business should also appreciate that the public is which is
seeking to gather in the high-class trade
becoming increasingly discriminative in its standards may be urged
to employ college graduates
and should seek to understand its demands and meet as clerks or to engage
well known modern artists to design
66 show-windows
67
Propaganda
or special exhibits. A bank may be urged to open a
pression given
Fifth Avenue branch, not because the actual business
is a false one. A sound public rela-
tions policy will not attempt
done on Fifth Avenue warrants the expense, but
to stampede the public
with exaggerated, claims
and false pretenses, but to
because a beautiful Fifth Avenue office correctly ex-
interpret the individual
business vividly and truly
presses the kind of appeal which it wishes to make to
through every avenue that leads
to public opinion
future depositors; and, viewed in this way, it may be
The New York Central Railroad has for decades
as important that the doorman be polite, or that the
sought to appeal to the public
not only on the basis
floors be kept clean, as that the branch manager be an
of the speed and safety of its
trains, but also on the
able financier. Yet the beneficial effect of this
basis of their elegance and
branch may be canceled, if the wife of the president comfort. It is appropriate
that the corporation should
is involved in a scandal. have beenpersonified to
the general public in the
Big business studies every move which may express person of so suave and in-
gratiating a gentleman as Chauncey
its true personality. It seeks to tell the public, in all M. Depew—an
appropriate ways, —by the direct advertising message
idealwindow dressing for such an enterprise.
and by the subtlest esthetic suggestion — the quality
While the concrete recommendations of
relations
the public
of the goods or services which it has to offer. A counsel may vary
infinitely according to
individual circumstances, his
store which seeks a large sales volume in cheap goods general plan of work
will preach prices day in and day out, concentrating
may be reduced to two types, which I might term
whole appeal on the ways in which can save continuous interpretation and
its it dramatization by high-
money for its clients. But a store seeking a high spotting. The two may be alternative or may be
margin of profit on individual sales would try to pursued concurrently.
associate itself with the distinguished and the elegant, Continuous interpretation is achieved by trying to
whether by an exhibition of old masters or through control every approach to the public
mind in such a
the social activities of the owner’s wife. manner that the public receives the desired impression,
The public relations activities of a business cannot often without being conscious of
it. High-spotting,
be a protective coloring to hide its real aims. It is on the other hand, vividly seizes the
attention of the
bad business as well as bad morals to feature exclu- public and fixes it upon some detail or aspect which is
sively a few high-class articles, when the main stock typical of the entire enterprise. When a real estate
is of medium grade or cheap, for the general im- corporation which is erecting a tall office building
68
69
concern which is fully aware of its responsibility to-
makes it ten feet taller than the highest sky-scraper
dramatization.
ward its stockholders, will furnish them with fre-
in existence, that is
indicated, or whether both be quent letters urging them to use the product in which
Which method is
only after their money is invested, and use their influence to

indicated concurrently, can be determined
promote its sale. It has a responsibility toward the
a full study of objectives and specific possibilities.
case of focusing public atten-

dealer which it may express by inviting him, at its
Another interesting
expense, to visit the home factory. It has a responsi-
tion on the virtues of a product was shown in the case
bility toward the industry as a whole which should
of gelatine. Its advantages in increasing the diges-
restrain from making exaggerated and unfair sell-
and nutritional value of milk were proven
it
tibility
ing claims. has a responsibility toward the re-
Mellon Institute of Industrial Research. The
It
in the
further tailer, and will see to it that its salesmen express
suggestion was made and carried out that to
hospitals the quality of the product which they have to sell.
this knowledge, gelatine be used by certain
The There is a responsibility toward the consumer, who
and school systems, to be tested out there.
projected is impressed by a clean and well managed factory,
favorable results of such tests were then
that they open to his inspection. And the general public, apart
to other leaders in the field with the result
from its function as potential consumer, is influenced
followed that group leadership and utilized gelatine
proven to in its attitude toward the concern by what it knows
for the scientific purposes which had been
The idea car- of that concern’s financial dealings, its labor policy,
be sound at the research institution.
even by the livableness of the houses in which its
ried momentum.
employees dwell. There is no detail too trivial to
The tendency of big business is to get bigger.
influence the public in a favorable or unfavorable
Through mergers and monopolies it is constantly
The personality of the president may be a
number of persons with whom it is in
sense.
increasing the
matter of importance, for he perhaps dramatizes the
direct contact. All this has intensified and multiplied
whole concern to the public mind. It may be very
the public relationships of business.
many kinds. There is important to what charities he contributes, in what
The responsibilities are of
numbering per- civic societies he holds office. If he is a leader in his
a responsibility to the stockholders
hundred thousand who
five
industry, the public may demand that he be a leader
haps five persons or
in his community.
have entrusted their money to the concern and have
money being used. A The business man has become a responsible member
the right to know how the is
7i
70
I
of the social group. It is not a question of ballyhoo, facility and promptness, with less damage to the
of creating a picturesque fiction for public consump- baggage, and less inconvenience to the passenger j
tion. It is merely a question of finding the appro- if the steamship company lets down, in its own in-
priatemodes of expressing the personality that is to terests, its restrictions on luggage j

if the foreign
be dramatized. Some business men can be their own government eases up on its baggage costs and trans-
best public relations counsel. But in the majority of portation in order to further tourist travel ;
then the
cases knowledge of the public mind and of the ways luggage manufacturers will profit.
in which it will react to an appeal, is a specialized The problem then, to increase the sale of their
function which must be undertaken by the profes- luggage, was to have these and other forces come
sional expert.
over to their point of view. Hence the public rela-
Big business, I believe, is realizing this more and tions campaign was directed not to the public, who
more. It is increasingly availing itself of the serv- were the ultimate consumers, but to these other ele-
ices of the specialist in public relations (whatever ments.
may be the title accorded him). And it is my con- Also, if the luggage manufacturer can educate
viction that as big business becomes bigger the need the general public on what to wear on trips and when
for expert manipulation of its innumerable contacts to wear it, he may be increasing the sale of men’s
with the public will become greater. and women’s clothing, but he will, at the same time,
the public relations of a business
why be increasing the sale of his luggage.
One reason
are frequently placed in the hands of an
outside Propaganda, since it goes to basic causes, can very
expert, instead of being confided to an officer

of the often be most effective through the manner of its
company, is the fact that the correct

approach to a introduction. A campaign against unhealthy cos-
problem may be For example, when the
indirect. metics might be waged by fighting for a return to
luggage industry attempted to solve some of its the wash-cloth and soap — a fight that very logically
problems by a public relations policy, it was realized might be taken up by health officials all over the
that the attitude of railroads, of steamship companies,

country, who would urge the return to the salutary
and of foreign government-owned railroads was and helpful wash-cloth and soap, instead of cos-
in the handling of luggage. metics.

an important factor
If a railroad and a baggage man, for their own The development of public opinion for a cause
interest, can be educated to handle baggage with more or line of socially constructive action may very often
72 73
be the result of a desire on the part of the propa-
tions of service, if you haven’t behind you a sympa-
gandist to meet successfully his own problem which thetic public opinion, you are bound to fail.” This
the socially constructive cause would further. And the opinion of
is Samuel Insull, one the foremost
by doing so he is actually fulfilling a social purpose
tractionmagnates of the country. And the late
in the broadest sense.
Judge Gary, of the United States Steel Corporation,
The soundness of a public relations policy was
expressed the same idea when he said: “Once you
likewise shown in the case of a shoe manufacturer
have the good will of the general public, you
can go
who made service shoes for patrolmen, firemen, let-
ahead in the work of constructive expansion.
Too
ter carriers, and men in similar occupations. He often many try to discount this vague and intangible
realized that if he could make acceptable the idea
element. That way lies destruction.”
that men in such work ought to be well-shod, he
Public opinion is no longer inclined
to be unfavor-
would sell more shoes and at the same time further able to the large business merger.
It resents the
the efficiency of the men.
censorship of business by the Federal
Trade Com-
He organized, as part of his business, a foot pro- mission. has broken
It down the anti-trust laws
tection bureau. This bureau disseminated scientifi-
where it thinks they hinder economic develop-
cally accurate information on the proper care of the
ment. It backs great trusts and mergers which it
feet, principles which the manufacturer had incor- excoriated a decade ago. The government now per-
porated in the construction of the shoes. The result
mits large aggregations of producing and
distributing
was that civic bodies, police chiefs, fire chiefs, and units, as evidenced by mergers
among railroads and
others interested in the welfare and comfort of their
other public utilities, because representative govern-
men, furthered the ideas his product stood for and ment reflects public opinion. Public opinion itself
the product itself, with the consequent effect that fosters the growth of mammoth industrial enter-
more of his shoes were sold more easily.
prises. In the opinion of millions of small investors,
The application of this principle of a common mergers and trusts are friendly giants and not
ogres,
denominator of interest between the object that is
because of the economies, mainly
due to quantity
sold and the public good will can be carried to in-
production, which they have effected, and
can pass
finite degrees.
on to the consumer.
“It matters not how much capital you may have, This result has been, to a great extent, obtained
how fair the rates may be, how favorable the condi- by a deliberate use of propaganda in its broadest
74
75
Propaganda
the and need to maintain good will with the greatest care
sense. was obtained not only by modifying,
It
modified and watchfulness. These and other corporations of
opinion of the public, as the
governments
a semi-public character will always have to face a
publics during
and marshaled the opinion of their demand for government or municipal ownership if
the business concern
the war, but often by modifying
such attacks as those of Professor Ripley are con-
itself. A cement company may work with road com- tinued and are, in the public’s opinion, justified, un-
testing laboratories
missions gratuitously to maintain
less conditions are changed and care is taken to main-
roads to the public.
in order to insure the best-quality
tain the contact with the public at all points of their
school of cookery.
A gas company maintains a free
corporate existence.
it would be rash
But and unreasonable to take it
opinion has come The public relations counsel should anticipate such
for granted that because public
will always remain
trends of public opinion and advise on how to avert
over to the side of big business, it
of Har- them, either by convincing the public that its fears
there. Only recently, Prof. W. Z. Ripley
national or prejudices are unjustified, or in certain cases by
University, one of the foremost
vard
modifying the action of the client to the extent nec-
on business organization and
practice,
authorities
which tended essary to remove th£ cause of complaint. In such a
exposed certain aspects of big business
case public opinion might be surveyed and the points
undermine public confidence in large corporations.
to
supposed vot- of irreducible opposition discovered. The aspects of
He pointed out that the stockholders’
the situation which are susceptible of logical ex-
is often illusory;
that annual financial
ing power
planation; to what extent the criticism or prejudice
statements are sometimes so brief
and summary that
is a habitual emotional reaction and what factors are
are downright mislead-
to the man in the street they
dominated by accepted cliches, might be disclosed.
ing; that the extension of the
system of non-voting
In each instance he would advise some action or
control of corpora-
shares often places the effective
modification of policy calculated to make the read-
tions and their finances in the
hands of a small clique
corporations refuse
justment.
of stockholders; and that some
While government ownership is in most instances
to give out sufficient
'information to permit the public
only varyingly a remote possibility, public ownership
the concern.
to know the true condition of
disposed of big business through the increasing popular in-
Furthermore, no matter how favorably
vestment in stocks and bonds, is becoming more and
business in general, the
the public may be toward big
for public discontent
more a fact. The importance of public relations
utilities are always fair game
77
76
from this standpoint is to be judged by the fact that The growth of big business is so rapid that in some
practically all prosperous corporations expect at some mes ownership is more
international than national.
time to enlarge operations, and will need to float new It is necessary to reach ever larger
groups of people
stock or bond issues. The success of such issues de- modern industry and commerce
if
are to be financed.
pends upon the general record of the concern in the Americans have purchased billions
of dollars of for-
business world, and also upon the good will which it eign industrial securities
since the war, and Euro-
has been able to create in the general public. When peans own, it is estimated,
between one and two
the Victor Talking Machine Company was recently billion dollars’worth of ours. In each case
public
offered to the public, millions of dollars’ worth of acceptance must be obtained for
the issue and the en-
stock were sold overnight. On the other hand, there terprise behind it.
are certain companies which, although they are fi- Public loans > state or municipal,
.
to foreign coun-
nancially sound and commercially prosperous, would tries depend upon
the good will which those
coun-
be unable to float a large stock issue, because public tries have been able to create for
themselves here.
opinion is not conscious of them, or has some unana- An attempted issue by an east
European country is
lyzed prejudice against them. now faring badly largely because
of unfavorable
To such an extent is the successful floating of public reaction to the behavior
of members of its
stocks and bonds dependent upon the public favor ruling family. But other countries have no difficulty
that the success of a new merger may stand or fall in placing any
.
issue because the public

is already con-
upon the public acceptance which is created for it. vinced of the prosperity of
these nations and the
A merger may bring into existence huge new re- stability of their governments.
sources, and these resources, perhaps amounting to The newtechnique of public relations
counsel is
millions of dollars in a single operation, can often serving a very useful purpose
in business by acting as
fairly be said to have been created by the expert a complement to legitimate advertisers
and adver-
manipulation of public opinion. It must be repeated tising m
helping to break down unfair
competitive
that I am not speaking of artificial value given to a exaggerated and overemphatic
advertising by reach-
stock by dishonest propaganda or stock manipulation, ing the public with the
truth through other channels
but of the real economic values which are created than advertising. Where
two competitors in a field
when genuine public acceptance is gained for an in- are fighting each other
with this type of advertising,
dustrial enterprise and becomes a real partner in it. they are undermining that
particular industry to a
78
79
point where the public may lose confidence in the
advertising machinery, it was comparatively easy to
whole industry. The only way to combat such get country-wide recognition for a product. A corps
unethical methods, is for ethical members of the in- of traveling salesmen might persuade the retailers,
dustry to use the weapon of propaganda in order to
with a few cigars and a repertory of funny stories,
bring out the basic truths of the situation. to display and recommend their article on a nation-
Take the case of tooth paste, for instance. Here wide scale. To-day, a small industry is swamped
is a highly competitive field in which the preponder- unless it can find appropriate and relatively inex-
ance of public acceptance of one product over another pensive means of making known the special virtues
can very legitimately rest in inherent values.
How- of its product, while larger industries have sought
ever, what has happened in this field? to overcome the difficulty by cooperative advertising,
One or two of the large manufacturers have as- in which associations of industries compete with other
serted advantages for their tooth pastes
which no
associations.
single tooth paste discovered up to the present time
Mass advertising has produced new kinds of com-
can possibly have. The competing manufacturer is
petition. Competition between rival products in the
an al-
put in the position either of overemphasizing same line is, of course, as old as economic life itself.
over-
ready exaggerated emphasis or of letting the In recent years much has been said of the new com-
emphasis of his competitor take away his markets. petition, we have discussed it in a previous chapter,
He turns to the weapon of propaganda which can between one group of products and another. Stone
effectively, through various channels
of approach to
competes against wood for building; linoleum against
the —the
public dental clinics, the schools, the
carpets; oranges against apples; tin against asbestos
women’s clubs, the medical colleges, the dental press for roofing.
—
and even the daily press bring to the public
the
This type of competition has been humorously
truth of what a tooth paste can do.
This will, of
illustrated by Mr. O. H. Cheney, Vice-President of
course, have its effect in making the
honestly adver-
the American Exchange and Irving Trust Company
tised tooth paste get to its real public. New York, in a speech before the Chicago Busi-
of
Propaganda is potent in meeting unethical or un- ness Secretaries Forum.
fair advertising. Effective advertising has become “Do you represent the millinery trades?” said Mr.
more costly than ever before. Y ears ago, when the Cheney. “The man at your side may serve the fur
tremendous
country was smaller and there was no industry, and by promoting the style of big fur col-
8o 81
—

lars on women’s coats he is ruining the hat business
most spectacular of all. It is the one which seems
by forcing women to wear small and inexpensive
most of all to have caught the business imagination
hats. You may be interested in the ankles of the
More and more business men
of the country. are
fair sex — I mean, you may represent the silk hosiery
beginning to appreciate what inter-commodity com-
industry. You have two brave rivals who are ready
petition means to them. More and more they are
to fight to the death — to spend millions in the fight
calling upon their trade associations to help them
— for the glory of those ankles — the leather indus-
because inter-commodity competition cannot be
try, which has suffered from the low-shoe vogue,
fought single-handed.
and the fabrics manufacturers, who yearn for the
“Take the great war on the dining-room table, for
good old days when skirts were skirts.
instance. Three times a day practically every dining-
“If you represent the plumbing and heating busi-
room table in the country is the scene of a fierce
ness, you are the mortal enemy of the textile indus-
battle in the new competition. Shall we have prunes
try, because warmer homes mean lighter clothes. If
for breakfast? No, cry the embattled orange-grow-
you represent the printers, how can you shake hands
ers and the massed legions of pineapple canners.
with the radio equipment man? . . .
Shall we eat sauerkraut? Why not eat green olives?
“These are really only obvious forms of what I
is the answer of the Spaniards. Eat macaroni as a
have called the new competition. The old competi-
tion was that between the members of each trade
change from potatoes, says one advertiser —and will
the potato growers take this challenge lying down?
organization. One phase of the new competition is
“The doctors and dietitians tell us that a normal
that between the trade associations themselves —
be-
hard-working man needs only about two or three
tween you gentlemen who represent those industries.
thousand calories of food a day. A banker, I sup-
Inter-commodity competition is the new competition
pose, needs a little less. But what am I to do? The
between products used alternatively for the same
fruit growers, the wheat raisers, the meat packers,
purpose. Inter-industrial competition is the new the milk producers, the fishermen — all want me to
competition between apparently unrelated industries
which affect each other or between such industries
eat more of their products —and are spending mil-
lions of dollars a year to convince me. Am I to eat
as compete for the consumer’s dollar —and that
to the point of exhaustion, or am I to obey the doctor
means practically all industries. . . .
and let the farmer and the food packer and the
“Inter-commodity competition is, of course, the
retailer go broke! Am I to balance my diet in pro-
82
83
portion to the advertising appropriations of the there was included a four-minute address by the
various producers? Or am I to balance my diet president of Dodge Brothers announcing the new
scientifically and let those who overproduce go car, which gave him access in four minutes to an es-
bankrupt? The new competition is probably keenest timated audience of thirty million Americans, the
in the food industries because there we have a very largest number, unquestionably, ever to concentrate
real limitation on what we can consume — In spite of their attention on a given commercial product at a
higher incomes and higher living standards, we can- given moment. It was a sugar-coated sales message.
not eat more than we can eat.” Modern sales technicians will object: “What you
I believe that competition in the future will not say of this method of appeal is true. But it increases
be only an advertising competition between individual the cost of getting the manufacturer’s message across.
products or between big associations, but that it will The modern tendency has been to reduce this cost
in addition be a competition of propaganda. The (for example, the elimination of premiums) and con-
business man and advertising man is realizing that centrate on getting full efficiency from the advertis-
he must not discard entirely the methods of Barnum ing expenditure. If you hire a Galli-Curci to sing
in reaching the public. An example in the annals of for bacon you increase the cost of the bacon by the
George Harrison Phelps, of the successful utilization amount of her very large fee. Her voice adds noth-
of this type of appeal was the nation-wide hook-up ing to the product but it adds to its cost.”
which announced the launching of the Dodge Victory Undoubtedly. modes of sales appeal
But all re-
Six car. quire the spending of money to make the appeal at-
Millions of people, it is estimated, listened in to tractive. The advertiser in print adds to the cost of
thisprogram broadcast over 47 stations. The ex- his message by the use of pictures or by the cost of
pense was more than $60,000. The arrangements getting distinguished endorsements.
involved an additional telephonic hook-up of 20,000 There is another kind of difficulty, created in the
miles of wire, and included transmission from Los process of big business getting bigger, which calls for
Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, and New new modes of establishing contact with the public.
York. A1 from New Orleans,
Jolson did his bit Quantity production offers a standardized product
Will Rogers from Beverly Hills, Fred and Dorothy the cost of which tends to diminish with the quantity
Stone from Chicago, and Paul Whiteman from New sold. If low price is the only basis of competition
York, at an aggregate artists’ fee of $25,000. And with rival products, similarly produced, there ensues
84 85
—

a cut-throat competition which can end only by taking the artist who might give artistic approval to the
all the profit and incentive out of the industry. styles, and beautiful mannequins. The problem,
The logical way out of this dilemma is for the then, was to bring these groups together before an
manufacturer to develop some sales appeal other audience of hat buyers.
than mere cheapness, to give the product, in the A committee of prominent artists was organized
public mind, some other attraction, some idea that to choose the most beautiful girls in New York to
will modify the product slightly, some element of wear, in a series of tableaux, the most beautiful hats
originality that will distinguish it from products in in the style classifications, at a fashion fete at a lead-
the same line. Thus, a manufacturer of typewriters ing hotel.

paints his machines in cheerful hues. These special A committee was formed of distinguished Ameri-
types of appeal can be popularized by the manipula- can women who, on the basis of their interest in the
tion of the principles familiar to the propagandist development of an American industry, were willing
the principles of gregariousness, obedience to author- to add the authority of their names to the idea. A
ity, emulation, and the like. A minor element can style committee was formed of editors of fashion
be made to assume economic importance by being magazines and other prominent fashion authorities
established in the public mind as a matter of style. who were willing to support the idea. The girls in
Mass production can be split up. Big business will their lovely hats and costumes paraded on the run-
still leave room for small business. Next to a huge ning-board before an audience of the entire trade.
department store there may be located a tiny spe- The news of the event affected the buying habits
cialty shop which makes a very good living. not only of the onlookers, but also of the women
The problem of bringing large hats back into throughout the country. The story of the event was
fashion was undertaken by a propagandist. The mil- flashed to the consumer by her newspaper as well as
linery industry two years ago was menaced by the by the advertisements of her favorite store. Broad-
prevalence of the simple felt hat which was crowd- sides went to the millinery buyer from the manu-
ing out the manufacture of all other kinds of hats and facturer. One manufacturer stated that whereas be-
hat ornaments. It was found that hats could roughly fore the show he had not sold any large trimmed hats,
be classified in six types. It was found too that four after it he had sold thousands.
groups might help to change hat fashions: the society Often the public relations counsel is called in to
leader, the style expert, the fashion editor and writer, handle an emergency situation. A false rumor, for
86 87
instance, may occasion an enormous loss in prestige A clipping from the Journal of Commerce of April
and money if not handled promptly and effectively. 4, 1925, is reproduced here as an interesting ex-
An incident such as the one described in the New ample of a method to counteract a false rumor:
York American of Friday, May 21, 19 26, shows
what the lack of proper technical handling of public BEECH-NUT HEAD HOME TOWN GUEST
relations might result in. Bartlett Arkell Signally Honored by Com-
munities of Mohawk Valley
$1,000,000 LOST BY FALSE RUMOR ON {Special to The Journal of Commerce')
HUDSON STOCK Canajoharie, N. Y., April 3. —To-day was
Hudson Motor Company stock fluctuated ‘Beech-Nut Day’ in this town; in fact, for the
widely around noon yesterday and losses esti- whole Mohawk Valley. Business men and prac-
mated at $500,000 to $1,000,000 were suf- tically the whole community of this region
fered as a result of the widespread flotation of joined in a personal testimonial to Bartlett
false news regarding dividend action. Arkell of New York City, president of the
The directors met in Detroit at 12:30, New Beech-Nut Packing Company of this city, in
York time, to act on a dividend. Almost im- honor of his firm refusal to consider selling his
mediately a false report that only the regular company to other financial interests to move
dividend had been declared was circulated. elsewhere.
At 12:46 the Dow, Jones & Co. ticker service When Mr. Arkell publicly denied recent
received the report from the Stock Exchange rumors that he was to sell his company to the
firm and its publication resulted in further drop Postum Cereal Company for $17,000,000,
in the stock. which would have resulted in taking the indus-
Shortly after 1 o’clock the ticker services re- try from its birthplace, he did so in terms con-
ceived official news that the dividend had been spicuously loyal to his boyhood home, which he
increased and a 20 per cent stock distribution has built up into a prosperous industrial com-
authorized. They rushed the correct news out munity through thirty years’ management of his
on their tickers and Hudson stock immediately Beech -Nut Company.
jumped more than 6 points. He absolutely controls the business and flatly
88 89
—
stated that he would never sell it during his life- The modern publicity director of a theater syndi-
time ‘to any one at any price/ since it would be cate or a motion picture trust is a business man, re-
disloyal to his friends and fellow workers. And sponsible for the security of tens or hundreds of mil-
the whole Mohawk Valley spontaneously de- lions of dollars of invested capital. He cannot afford
cided that such spirit deserved public recogni- to be a stunt artist or a free-lance adventurer in pub-
tion. Hence, to-day’s festivities. licity. He must know his public accurately and
More than 3,000 people participated, headed modify its thoughts and actions by means of the
by a committee comprising W. J. Roser, chair- methods which the amusement world has learned
man; B. F. Spraker, H. V. Bush, B. F. Diefen- from its old pupil, big business. As public knowledge
dorf and J. H. Cook. They were backed by the increases and public taste improves, business must be
Canajoharie and the Mohawk Valley Chambers ready to meet them halfway.
of Business Men’s Associations. Modern business must have its finger continuously
on the public pulse. It must understand the changes
Of course, every one realized after this that there in the public mind and be prepared to interpret itself
was no truth in the rumor that the Beech-Nut Com- fairly and eloquently to changing opinion.
pany was in the market. A denial would not have
carried as much conviction.
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 indus-
try and commerce. The latter adopted the ballyhoo
of the show business. But under the stress of prac-
tical adapted and refined these crude

experience it
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.
90 91
Propaganda and Political Leadership
Unfortunately, the methods of our contemporary

politicians, in dealing with the public, are as archaic
and ineffective as the advertising methods of busi-
CHAPTER VI ness in 1900 would be to-day. While politics was
the first important department of American life to
PROPAGANDA AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP
use propaganda on a large scale, it has been the
The great political problem in our modern democ- slowest in modifying its propaganda methods to meet
induce our leaders to lead. The the changed conditions of the public mind. American
racy is how to
the voice of
that the voice of the people
is
dogma business first learned from politics the methods of
God tends to make elected persons the will-less serv- appealing to the broad public. But it continually im-
ants of their constituents.

This is undoubtedly part proved those methods in the course of its competi-
which certain Amer-
cause of the political sterility of tive struggle, while politics clung to the old formulas.
ican critics constantly complain. The political apathy of the average voter, of
that the
No serious sociologist any longer believes which we hear so much, is undoubtedly due to the
voice of the people expresses

any divine or specially fact that the politician does not know how to meet
voice of the people ex- He
wise and lofty idea. The the conditions of the public mind. cannot drama-
people, and that mind is himself and his platform terms which have
presses the mind of the tize in
in whom it be-
made up for it by the group leaders real meaning to the public. Acting on the fallacy
understand the
lieves and by those persons who that the leader must slavishly follow, he deprives his
It composed of campaign of An
manipulation of public opinion.
is all dramatic interest. automaton
inherited prejudices and symbols and cliches and cannot arouse the public interest. A leader, a fighter,
them by the leaders. But, given our present political con-
verbal formulas supplied to a dictator, can.
gifted politician is
Fortunately, the sincere and ditions under which every office seeker must cater to
propaganda, to mold and
able, by the instrument of the vote of the masses, the only means by which the
form the will of the people. born leader can lead is the expert use of propa-
dilemma, when
Disraeli cynically expressed the ganda.
he said: follow the people.

“I must Am
I not their Whether in the problem of getting elected to
the
leader?” He might have added: “I must lead office or in the problem of interpreting and popular-
people. Am I not their servant?” izing new issues, or in the problem of making the day-
92 93
Propaganda and Political Leadership
Propaganda
ance, and selling the public these ideas and products.
affairs a vital part of
to-day administration of public Politics was the first big business in America.
propaganda, carefully
the community life, the use of
Therefore there is a good deal of irony in the fact
mentality of the masses, is an essen-
adjusted to the
that business has learned everything that politics has
tial adjunct of political life.
had to teach, but that politics has failed to learn very
The successful business man to-day apes the poli-
ballyhoo much from business methods of mass distribution of
tician. He has adopted the glitter and the
shows.
ideas and products.
of the campaign. He has set up all the side
compendium of Emily Newell Blair has recounted in the Inde-
He has annual dinners that are a
pendent a typical instance of the waste of effort and
pseudo-democ-
speeches, flags, bombast, stateliness,
On occasion money in a political campaign, a week’s speaking tour
paternalism.
racy slightly tinged with
in which she herself took part. She estimates that on
employees, much as the re-
he doles out honors to
a five-day trip covering nearly a thousand miles she
worthy citizens.
public of classic times rewarded its
the drums,
and the United States Senator with whom she was
But these are merely the side shows,
making political speeches addressed no more than
builds up an image of
of big business, by which it
This is but 1,105 persons whose votes might conceivably have
service.
public service, and of honorary
been changed as a result of their efforts. The cost
business stimulates
one of the methods by which
of this appeal to these voters she estimates (calculat-
directors, the work-
loyal enthusiasms on the part of
ing the value of the time spent on a very moderate
ers, the stockholders and
the consumer public. It is
business performs $15.27 for each vote which might have been
basis) as
one of the methods by which big
to the
changed as a result of the campaign.
its of making and selling products
function
This, she says, was a “drive for votes, just as an
work and campaign of business con-
public. The real
Ivory Soap advertising campaign is a drive for
the manufac-
sists of intensive study of the public,
sales.” But, she asks, “what would a company execu-
study, and exhaustive
ture of products based on this
tive say to a sales manager who sent a high-priced
the public.
use of every means of reaching
speaker to describe his product to less than 1,200
side shows, all
Political campaigns to-day are all
These are people at a cost of $15.27 for each possible buyer?”
honors, all bombast, glitter, and speeches.
She finds it “amazing that the very men who make
for the most part unrelated to
the main business of
their millions out of cleverly devised drives for soap
studying the public scientifically, of supplying the
and bonds and cars will turn around and give large
and perform-
public with party, candidate, platform,
95
94
Propaganda Propaganda and Political Leadership
in an tioned and used as they are when big business de-

contributions to be expended for vote-getting
sires to get what it wants from the public.
utterly inefficient and antiquated fashion.”
do The first step in a political campaign is to deter-
It indeed, incomprehensible that politicians
is,
methods that mine on the objectives, and to express them exceed-
not make use of the elaborate business
industry has built up. Because a politician
knows ingly well in the current form — that is, as a platform.
issues, can In devising the platform the leader should be sure

political strategy, can develop campaign
envisage that it is an honest platform. Campaign pledges and
devise strong planks for platforms and
can be promises should not be lightly considered by the pub-
broad policies, it does not follow that he
to a public as lic, and they ought to carry something of the guaran-
given the responsibility of selling ideas
tee principle and money-back policy that an honor-
large as that of the United States.
He knows able business institution carries with the sale of its
The politician understands the public.
will accept. goods. The public has lost faith in campaign pro-
what the public wants and what the public
general sales motion work. It does not say that politicians are
But the politician is not necessarily a
man who dishonorable, but it does say that campaign pledges
manager, a public relations counsel, or a
are written on the sand. Here then is one fact of
knows how to secure mass distribution of ideas.
may be public opinion of which the party that wishes to be
Obviously, an occasional political leader
leadership, just successful might well take cognizance.
capable of combining every feature of
brilliant industrial
To aid in the preparation of the platform there
as in business there are certain
engineers, should be made as nearly scientific an analysis as pos-
leaders who are financiers, factory directors,
all rolled
sible of the public and of the needs of the public. A
sales managers and public relations counsel
survey of public desires and demands would come to
into one.
thfe aid of the political strategist whose business it is to
Big business is conducted on the principle that it
and that in sell- make a proposed plan of the activities of the parties
must prepare its policies carefully,
of America, it and its elected officials during the coming terms of
ing an idea to the large buying public
must proceed according to broad plans.
The politi- office.
The entire campaign A big business that wants to sell a product to the
cal strategist must do likewise.
public surveys and analyzes its market before it takes
be worked out according to broad
basic
should
a single step either to make or to sell the product.
plans. Platforms, planks, pledges, budgets, activities,
appor- If one section of the community is absolutely sold to

personalities, must be as carefully studied,
96 97
the idea of this product, no money is wasted in re- eted. The first question which should be decided
selling it to it. If, on the other hand, another sec- is the amount of money that should be raised for the
tion of the public is irrevocably committed to another campaign. This decision can be reached by a care-
product, no money is wasted on a lost cause. Very ful analysis of campaign costs. There is enough
often the analysis is the cause of basic changes and precedent in business procedure to enable experts to
improvements in the product itself, as well as an index work this out accurately. Then the second question
of how it is to be presented. So carefully is this of importance is the manner in which money should
analysis of markets and sales made that when a com- be raised.
pany makes out its sales budget for the year, it sub- It is obvious that politics would gain much in pres-
divides the circulations of the various magazines and tige if the money-raising campaign were conducted
newspapers it uses in advertising and calculates with candidly and publicly, like the campaigns for the war
a fair degree of accuracy how many times a section funds. Charity drives might be made excellent
of that population is subjected to the appeal of the models for political funds drives. The elimina-
company. knows approximately to what extent a

It tion of the little black bag element in politics would
national campaign duplicates and repeats the em- raise the entire prestige of politics in America, and
phasis of a local campaign of selling. the public interest would be infinitely greater if the
As in the business field, the expenses of the politi- actual participation occurred earlier and more con-
cal campaign should be budgeted. A large business structively in the campaign.
to-day knows exactly how much money it is going Again, as in the business field, there should be a
to spend on propaganda during the next year or years. clear decision as to how the money is to be spent.
It knows that a certain percentage of its gross re- This should be done according to the most careful
ceipts will be given over to advertising —newspaper, and exact budgeting, wherein every step in the cam-
magazine, outdoor and poster ; a certain percentage paign is given its proportionate importance, and the
to circularization and sales promotion —such house as funds allotted accordingly. Advertising in news-
organs and dealer aids; and a certain percentage papers and periodicals, posters and street banners, the
must go to the supervising salesmen who travel exploitation of personalities in motion pictures, in
around the country to infuse extra stimulus in the speeches and lectures and meetings, spectacular events
local sales campaign. and all forms of propaganda should be considered

A political campaign should be similarly budg- proportionately according to the budget, and should
98 99
—

always be coordinated with the whole plan. Certain didate who takes babies on his lap, and has his photo-
expenditures may be warranted if they represent a graph taken, is doing a wise thing emotionally, if this
small proportion of the budget and may be totally act epitomizes a definite plank in his platform. Kiss-
unwarranted if they make up a large proportion of ing babies, if worth anything, must be used as a
it is
the budget. symbol for a baby policy and it must be synchronized
In the same way the emotions by which the public with a plank in the platform. But the haphazard
is appealed to may be made part of the broad plan staging of emotional events without regard to their
of the campaign. Unrelated emotions become maud- value as part of the whole campaign, is a waste of
lin and sentimental too easily, are often costly, and effort, just as it would be a waste of effort for the
too often waste effort because the idea is not part manufacturer of hockey skates to advertise a picture
of the conscious and coherent whole. of a church surrounded by spring foliage. It is true
Big business has realized that it must use as many that the church appeals to our religious impulses and
of the basic emotions as possible. The politician, that everybody loves the spring, but these impulses
however, has used the emotions aroused by words do not help to*1sell the idea that hockey skates are
almost exclusively. amusing, helpful, or increase the general enjoyment
To appeal to the emotions of the public in a politi- of life for the buyer.
cal campaign is sound — in fact it is an indispensable Present-day politics places emphasis on personality.
part of the campaign. But the emotional content An entire party, a platform, an international policy
must is sold to the public, or is not sold, on the basis of the
(a) coincide in every way with the broad basic intangible element of personality. A charming can-
plans of the campaign and all its minor details ; didate is the alchemist’s secret that can transmute a
(b) be adapted to the many groups of the public prosaic platform into the gold of votes. Helpful as
at which it is to be aimed; and is a candidate who for some reason has caught the
(c) conform to the media of the distribution of imagination of the country, the party and its aims
ideas. are certainly more important than the personality of
The emotions of oratory have been worn down the candidate. Not personality, but the ability of the
through long years of overuse. Parades, mass meet- candidate to carry out the party’s program ade-
ings, and the like are successful when the public has a quately, and the program itself should be empha-
frenzied emotional interest in the event The can- sized in a sound campaign plan. Even Henry Ford,
IOO IOI
—
the most picturesque personality in business in objects and its basic plans, having defined the group
America to-day, has become known through his appeal which it must use, must carefully allocate to
product, and not his product through him. each of the media at hand the work which it can
It is essential for the campaign manager to educate do with maximum efficiency.
the emotions in terms of groups. The public is not The media through which a political campaign may
made up merely of Democrats and Republicans. be brought home to the public are numerous and
People to-day are largely uninterested in politics and fairly well defined. Events and activities must be
their interest in the issues of the campaign must be created in order to put ideas into circulation, in these
secured by coordinating it with their personal in- channels, which are as varied as the means of human
terests. The public is made up of interlocking groups communication. Every object which presents pic-
—economic, social, religious, educational, cultural, tures or words that the public can see, everything that
racial, collegiate, local, sports, and hundreds of presents intelligible sounds, can be utilized in one
others. way or another.
When President Coolidge invited actors for break- At present, the political campaigner uses for the
fast, he did so because he realized not only that actors greatest part the radio, the press, the banquet hall,
were a group, but that audiences, the large group of the mass meeting, the lecture platform, and the
people who like amusements, who like people who stump generally as a means for furthering his ideas.
amuse them, and who like people who can be amused, But this is only a small part of what may be done.
ought to be aligned with him. Actually there are infinitely more varied events that
The Shepard-Towner Maternity Bill was passed can be created to dramatize the campaign, and to make
because the people who fought to secure its passage people talk of it. Exhibitions, contests, institutes of
realized that mothers made up a group, that educa- politics, the cooperation of educational institutions,
tors made up a group, that physicians made up a the dramatic cooperation of groups which hith-
group, that all these groups in turn influence other erto have not been drawn into active politics, and
groups, and that taken all together these groups were many others may be made the vehicle for the presen-
sufficiently strong and numerous to impress Congress tation of ideas to the public.
with the fact that the people at large wanted this bill But whatever is done must be synchronized accu-
to be made part of the national law. rately with all other forms of appeal to the public.
The political campaign having defined its broad News reaches the public through the printed word
102 103
books, magazines, letters, posters, circulars and ban- sonalities, by establishing contact with the group
ners, newspapers^ through pictures — photographs and leaders who control the opinions of their publics.
motion pictures} through the ear — lectures, speeches, But campaigning is only an incident in political
band music, radio, campaign songs. All these must life. The process of government is continuous. And
be employed by the political party if it is to succeed. the expert use of propaganda is more useful and fun-
One method of appeal is merely one method of ap- damental, although less striking, as an aid to demo-
peal and in this age wherein a thousand movements cratic administration, than as an aid to vote getting.
and ideas are competing for public attention, one dare Good government can be sold to a community just
not put all one’s eggs into one basket. as any other commodity can be sold. I often wonder
It is understood that the methods of propaganda whether the politicians of the future, who are re-
can be effective only with the voter who makes up sponsible for maintaining the prestige and effective-
his own mind on the basis of his group prejudices and ness of their party, will not endeavor to train poli-
desires. Where specific allegiances and loyalties exist, ticians who are at the same time propagandists. I
as in the case of boss leadership, these loyalties will talked recently with George Olvany. He said that a
operate to nullify the free will of the voter. In this certain number of Princeton men were joining Tam-
close relation between the boss and his constituents many Hall. If I were in his place I should have
lies, of course, the strength of his position in politics. taken some of my brightest young men and set them
It is not necessary for the politician to be the slave to work for Broadway theatrical productions or ap-
of the public’s group prejudices, if he can learn how prenticed them as assistants to professional propa-
tomold the mind of the voters in conformity with his gandists before recruiting them to the service of the
own ideas of public welfare and public service. The party.
important thing for the statesman of our age is not One reason, perhaps, why the politician to-day Is
somuch to know how to please the public, but to slow to take up methods which are a commonplace
know how to sway the public. In theory, this educa- in business life is that he has such ready entry to the
tion might be done by means of learned pamphlets media of communication on which his power depends.
explaining the intricacies of public questions. In The newspaper man looks to him for news. And
actual fact, it can be done only by meeting the con- by his power of giving or withholding information
ditions of the public mind, by creating circumstances the politician can often effectively censor political
which set up trains of thought, by dramatizing per- news. But being dependent, every day of the year
104 105
and for year after year, upon certain politicians for due to the tariff in force. He would see that these
news, the newspaper reporters are obliged to work in exhibitions were ceremoniously inaugurated by prom-
harmony with theirnews sources. inent men and women who were interested in a low
The political leader must be a creator of circum- tariff apart from any interest in his personal political
stances, not only a creature of mechanical processes of fortunes. He would have groups, whose interests
stereotyping and rubber stamping. were especially affected by the high cost of living,
Let us suppose that he is campaigning on a low- institute an agitation for lower schedules. He would
tariff platform. He may use the modern mechanism dramatize the issue, perhaps by having prominent
of the radio to spread his views, but he will almost men boycott woolen clothes, and go to important
certainly use the psychological method of approach functions in cotton suits, until the wool schedule was
which was old in Andrew Jackson’s day, and which reduced. He might get the opinion of social workers
business has largely discarded. He will say over the as to whether the high cost of wool endangers the
radio: “Vote for me and low tariff, because the high health of the poor in winter.
tariff increases the cost of the things you buy.” He In whatever ways he dramatized the issue, the at-
may, it is true, have the great advantage of being able tention of the public would be attracted to the ques-
to speak by radio directly to fifty million listeners. tion before he addressed them personally. Then,
But he is making an old-fashioned approach. He is when he spoke to his millions of listeners on the
arguing with them. He is assaulting, single-handed, radio, he would not be seeking to force an argument
the resistance of inertia. down the throats of a public thinking of other things
If he were a propagandist, on the other hand, al- and annoyed by another demand on its attention ; on
though he would still use the radio, he would use the contrary, he would be answering the spontaneous
it asone instrument of a well-planned strategy. questions and expressing the emotional demands of
Since he is campaigning on the issue of a low tariff, he a public already keyed to a certain pitch of interest
not merely would tell people that the high tariff in- in the subject.
creases the cost of the things they buy, but would The importance of taking the entire world public
create circumstances which would make his conten- into consideration before planning an important event
tion dramatic and self-evident. He would perhaps is shown by the wise action of Thomas Masaryk, then
stage a low-tariff exhibition simultaneously in twenty Provisional President, now President of the Republic
cost
cities, with exhibits illustrating the additional of Czecho-Slovakia.
106 107
Czecho-Slovakia officially became a free state on query as to whether the newspaper makes public
Monday, October 28, 1918, instead of Sunday, opinion or whether public opinion makes the news-
October 27, 1918, because Professor Masaryk real- paper. There has to be fertile ground for the leader
ized that the people of the world would receive more and the idea to fall on. But the leader also has to
information and would be more receptive tQ the an- have some vital seed to sow. To use another figure, a
nouncement of the republic’s freedom on a Monday mutual need has to exist before either can become
morning than on a Sunday, because the press would positively effective. Propaganda is of no use to the
have more space to devote to it on Monday morning. politician unless he has something to say which the
Discussing the matter with me before he made the public, consciously or unconsciously, wants to hear.
announcement, Professor Masaryk said, “I would But even supposing that a certain propaganda is
be making history for the cables if I changed the untrue or dishonest, we cannot on that account re-
date of Czecho-Slovakia’s birth as a free nation.” ject the methods of propaganda as such. For propa-
Cables make history and so the date was changed. ganda in some form will always be used where lead-
This incident illustrates the importance of tech- ers need to appeal to their constituencies.
nique in the new propaganda. The criticism is often made that propaganda tends
It will be objected, of course, that propaganda will to make the President of the United States so im-
mechanism becomes obvi- portant that he becomes not the President but the
tend to defeat itself as its
ous to the public. My opinion is that it will not. embodiment of the idea of hero worship, not to say
The only propaganda which will ever tend to weaken deity worship. I quite agree that this is so, but how
itself as the world becomes more sophisticated and are you going to stop a condition which very accu-
intelligent, is propaganda that is untrue or unsocial. rately reflects the desires of a certain part of the
Again, the objection is raised that propaganda is public? The American people rightly senses the
utilized to manufacture our leading political person- enormous importance of the executive’s office. If the
alities. It is asked whether, in fact, the leader makes public tends to make of the President a heroic symbol
propaganda, or whether propaganda makes the of that power, that is not the fault of propaganda but
leader. There is a widespread impression that a lies in the very nature of the office and its relation to
good press agent can puff up a nobody into a great the people.
man. This condition, despite its somewhat irrational puff-
The answer is the same as that made to the old ing up of the man to fit the office, is perhaps still
v
108 109
a

more sound than a condition in which the man utilizes But they are chosen to represent and dramatize the
no propaganda, or a propaganda not adapted to its man in his function as representative of the people.
proper end. Note the example of the Prince of A political practice
which has its roots in the tendency
Wales. This young man reaped bales of clippings of the popular leader to follow oftener than he
and little additional glory from his American visit, leads is the technique of the trial balloon which he
merely because he was poorly advised. To the Ameri- uses in order to maintain, as he believes, his contact
can public he became a well dressed, charming, sport- with the public. The politician, of course, has his
loving, dancing, perhaps frivolous youth. Nothing ear to the ground. It might be called the clinical ear.
was done to add dignity and prestige to this impres- It touches the ground and hears the disturbances of
sion until towards the end of his stay he made a trip the political universe.
in thesubway of New York. This sole venture into But he often does not know what the disturbances
democracy and the serious business of living as evi- mean, whether they are superficial, or fundamental.
denced in the daily habits of workers, aroused new So he sends up his balloon. He may send out an
interest in the Prince. Had he been properly advised anonymous interview through the press. He then
he would have augmented this somewhat by such waits for reverberations to come from the public —
serious studies of American life as were made by an- public which expresses itself in mass meetings, or
other prince, Gustave of Sweden. As a result of the resolutions, or telegrams, or even such obvious mani-
lack of well directed propaganda, the Prince of Wales festations as editorials in the partisan or nonpartisan
became in the eyes of the American people, not the press. On the basis of these repercussions he then
thing which he constitutionally is, a symbol of the publicly adopts his original tentative policy, or rejects
unity of the British Empire, but part and parcel of it, or modifies it to conform to the
sum of public
sporting Long Island and dancing beauties of the opinion which has reached him. This method is
ballroom. Great Britain lost an invaluable oppor- modeled on the peace feelers which were used during
tunity to increase the good will and understanding the war to sound out the disposition of the enemy to
between the two countries when it failed to under- make peace or to test any one of a dozen other popu-
stand the importance of correct public relations coun- lar tendencies. It is the method commonly used by
sel for His Royal Highness. a politician before committing himself to legislation
The public actions of America’s chief executive are, of any kind, and by a government before committing
if one chooses to put it that way, stage-managed. itself on foreign or domestic policies.
no hi
It is a method which has little justification. If a Propaganda bridges this interval in our modern
politician is a real leader he will be able, by the skill- complex civilization.
ful use of propaganda, to lead the people, instead of Only through the wise use of propaganda will our
following the people by means of the clumsy instru- government, considered as the continuous administra-
ment of trial and error. tive organ of the people, be able to maintain that inti-
The propagandist’s approach is the exact opposite mate relationship with the public which is necessary
of that of the politician just described. The whole in a democracy.
basis of successful propaganda is to have an objective As David Lawrence pointed out in a recent speech,
and then to endeavor to arrive at it through an exact there is need for an intelligent interpretative bureau
knowledge of the public and modifying circum- for our government in Washington. There is, it is
stances to manipulate and sway that public. true, a Division of Current Information in the De-
“The function of a statesman,” says George Ber- partment of State, which at first was headed by a
nard Shaw, “is to express the will of the people in the trained newspaper man. But later this position began
way of a scientist.” to be filled by men from the diplomatic service, men

The political leader of to-day should be a leader who had very little knowledge of the public. While
as finely versed in the technique of propaganda as
some of these diplomats have done very well, Mr.
in political economy and civics. If he remains merely

Lawrence asserted that in the long run the country
would be benefited if the functions of this office were
the reflection of the average intelligence of his com-
in the hands of a different type of person.
munity, he might as well go out of politics. If one
There should, I believe, be an Assistant Secretary
is dealing with a democracy in which the herd and the
of State who is familiar with the problem of dis-
group follow those whom they recognize as leaders,
why should not the young men training for leader-
pensing information to the press —some one upon
whom the Secretary of State can call for consulta-
ship be trained in its technique as well as in its
tion and who has sufficient authority to persuade the
idealism?
Secretary of State to make public that which, for in-
“When the interval between the intellectual classes
sufficient reason, is suppressed.
and the practical classes is too great,” says the his-
The function of the propagandist is much broader
torian Buckle, “the former will possess no influence,
in scope than that of a mere dispenser of informa-
the latter will reap no benefits.”
tion to the press. The United States Government
1 12
113
Propaganda
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 CHAPTER VII
the citizens of this country in touch with govern- women’s activities and propaganda
mental activities and the reasons which prompt them.
He would, in short, interpret the people to the gov- Women contemporary America have achieved a
in
ernment and the government legal equality with men. This does not mean that
to the people.
their activities are identical with
Such an official would be neither a propagandist nor those of men.
a press agent, in the ordinary understanding of those W omen in the mass still have special interests and
terms. He would be, rather, a trained technician
activities in addition to their economic pursuits and
who would be helpful in analyzing public thought vocational interests.
and public trends, in order to keep the government Women’s most obvious influence
is exerted when
informed about the public, and the people informed they are organized and armed with the weapon
of
about the government. America’s relations with propaganda. So organized and armed they have
South America and with Europe would be greatly made their influence felt on city councils, state legisla-
improved under such circumstances. Ours must be tures, and national congresses, upon executives, upon
a leadership democracy administered by the intelli- political campaigns and upon public opinion gener-
gent minority who know how to regiment and guide ally, both local and national.
the masses. In politics, the American women to-day occupy a

Is this government by propaganda? Call it, if you much more important position, from the standpoint
prefer, government by education. But education, in of their influence, in their organized groups
than
the academic sense of the word, is not sufficient. It from the standpoint of the leadership they have ac-
must be enlightened expert propaganda through the quired in actual political positions or in actual
office
creation of circumstances, through the high-spotting holding. The professional woman politician
has had,
of significant events, and the dramatization of im- up to the present, not much influence, nor do women
portant issues. The statesman of the future will thus generally regard her as being the most important
ele-
be enabled to focus the public mind on crucial points ment in question. Ma Ferguson, after all, was
of policy, and regiment a vast, heterogeneous mass simply a woman
in the home, a catspaw for a deposed
of voters to clear understanding and intelligent action. husband j Nellie Ross, the former Governor of Wyo-
114 11 5
4
Propaganda Women s Activities and Propaganda
ming, is from all accounts hardly a leader of states- tions. These covered such broad interests as child
manship or public opinion. welfare, education, the home and high prices, women
If the suffrage campaign did nothing more, it
in gainful occupations, public health and morals, in-
showed the possibilities of propaganda to achieve cer- dependent citizenship for married women, and others.
tain ends. This propaganda to-day is being utilized To propagandize these principles, the National
by women to achieve their programs in Washington League of Women Voters has published all types
and In Washington they are organized
in the states. of literature, such as bulletins, calendars, election in-
as the Legislative Committee of Fourteen Women’s formation, has held a correspondence course on gov-
Organizations, including the League of Women ernment and conducted demonstration classes and citi-
Voters, the Young Women’s Christian Association, zenship schools.

the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, the Fed- Possibly the effectiveness of women’s organizations
eration of Women’s Clubs, etc. These organizations in American politics to-day is due to two things:
map out a legislative program and then use the mod- first, the training of a professional class of executive
ern technique of propaganda to make this legislative secretaries or legislative secretaries during the suf-
program actually pass into the law of the land. Their frage campaigns, where every device known to the
accomplishments in the field are various. They can propagandist had to be used to regiment a recalcitrant
justifiably take the credit for much welfare legisla- majority secondly, the routing over into peace-
j
tion. The eight-hour day for women is theirs.

time activities of the many prominent women who
Undoubtedly prohibition and its enforcement are were in the suffrage campaigns and who also de-
theirs, if they can be considered an accomplishment. voted themselves to the important drives and mass
So is the Shepard-Towner Bill which stipulates sup- influence movements during the war. Such women
port by the central government of maternity welfare as Mrs. Frank Vanderlip, Alice Ames Winter, Mrs.
in the state governments. This bill would not have Henry Moskowitz, Mrs. Florence Kelley, Mrs. John
passed had it not been for the political prescience Blair, Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont, Doris Stevens, Alice
and sagacity of women like Mrs. Vanderlip and Mrs. Paul come to mind.
Mitchell. If I have seemed to concentrate on the accomplish-
The Federal measures endorsed at the first con- ments of women in politics, it is because they afford
vention of the National League of Women Voters a particularly striking example of intelligent use of
typify social welfare activities of women’s organiza- the new propaganda to secure attention and acceptance
116 Ii7
J
Propaganda W omen s Activities and Propaganda

welfare of women and children; in playground de-
of minority ideas. It is perhaps curiously appropriate
velopment and park improvement; in raising stand-
that the latest recruits to the political arena should
ards of social or political morality; in
homemaking
recognize and make use of the newest weapons of
In
and home economics, education and the like.
persuasion to offset any lack of experience with what
woman’s club concerns itself with
these fields, the
is somewhat euphemistically termed practical poli-
efforts that are not ordinarily covered by existing
tics. As an example of this new technique: Some
agencies, and often both initiates and helps to fur-
years ago, the Consumers’ Committee of Women,
ther movements for the good of the community.
fighting the “American valuation” tariff, rented an
A club interested principally in homemaking and
empty store on Fifty-seventh Street in New York and school for
the practical arts can sponsor a cooking
set up an exhibit of merchandise tagging each item
young brides and others. An example of the keen
with the current price and the price it would cost if
the
interest of women in this field of education is
the tariff went through. Hundreds of visitors to
cooking school recently conducted by the New
York
this shop rallied to the cause of the committee.
Herald Tribune, which held its classes in Carnegie
But there are also non-political fields in which
Hall, seating almost 3,000 persons. For the several
women can make and have made their influence felt
days of the cooking school, the hall was
filled to
for social ends, and in which they have utilized the
capacity, rivaling the drawing power of a McCor-
principle of group leadership in attaining the desired
mack or a Paderewski, and refuting most dramat-
objectives.
the idea that women in large cities are not
ically
In the General Federation of Women’s Clubs,
interested in housewifery.
there are 13,000 clubs. Broadly classified, they in-
A movementfor the serving of milk in public
clude civic and city clubs, mothers’ and homemakers’ health sta-
schools, or the establishment of a baby
clubs, cultural clubs devoted to art, music or litera-
will be an effort
tion at the department of health
ture, businessand professional women’s clubs, and
close to the heart of a club devoted to the interest of
general women’s clubs, which may embrace either
mothers and child welfare.
civic or community phases, or combine some of the
A music club can broaden its sphere and be of
other activities listed.
service to the community by cooperating with the
The woman’s club is generally effective on behalf
musical pro-
local radio station in arranging better
of health education ; in furthering appreciation of the
grams. Fighting bad music can be as militant a cam-
fine artsj in sponsoring legislation that affects the
119
118
1
Propaganda
I
I
paign and marshal as varied resources as any politi-
cal battle.
An art club can be active in securing loan exhibi-
tions for its city. It can also arrange travelling ex- CHAPTER VIII
hibits of the art work of its members or show the art
PROPAGANDA FOR EDUCATION
work of schools or universities.
A literary club may step out of its charmed circle Education is not securing its proper share of pub-
of lectures and literary lions and take a definite part lic interest. The public school system, materially and
in the educational life of the community. It can financially, is being adequately supported. There is
sponsor, for instance, a competition in the public marked eagerness for a college education, and a
schools for the best essay on the history of the city, vague aspiration for culture, expressed in innumer-
or on the life of its most famous son. able courses and lectures. The public is not cognizant
Over and above the particular object for which the of the real value of education, and does not realize
woman’s club may have been commonly
constituted, it that education as a social force is not receiving the
stands ready to initiate or help any movement which kind of attention it has the right to expect in a democ-
has for its object a distinct public good in the com- racy.
munity. More important, it constitutes an organized It is felt, for example, that education is entitled
channel through which women can make themselves to more space in the newspapers j that well informed
felt as a definite part of public opinion. discussion of education hardly exists j that unless such
Just as women supplement men in private life, so an issue as the Gary School system is created, or out-
they will supplement men in public life by concen- side of an occasional discussion, such as that aroused
trating their organized efforts on those objects which over Harvard’s decision to establish a school of busi-
men are likely to ignore. There is a tremendous field ness, education does not attract the active interest of
for women as active protagonists of new ideas and the public.
new methods of political and social housekeeping. There are a number of reasons for this condition.
When organized and conscious of their power to in- First of all, there is the fact that the educator has
fluence their surroundings, women can use their newly been trained to stimulate to thought the individual
acquired freedom in a great many ways to mold the students in his classroom, but has not been trained as
world into a better place to live in. an educator at large of the public.
120 1 2
Propaganda
Propaganda for Education
In a democracy an educator should, in addition to
difficult psychological problem. The teacher finds
his academic duties, bear a definite and wholesome
himself in a world in which the emphasis is put on
relation to the general public. This public does not
those objective goals and those objective attainments
come within the immediate scope of his academic du-
which are prized by our American society. He him-
ties. But in a sense he depends upon it for his liv-
self is but moderately or poorly paid. Judging him-
ing, for the moral support, and the general cultural
self by the standards in common acceptance, he can-
tone upon which his work must be based. In the
not but feel a sense of inferiority because he finds
field of education, we find what we have found in
himself continually being compared, minds of
politics and other fields — that the evolution of the
his own pupils, with the successful business
in the
man and
practitioner of the profession has not kept pace with
the successful leader in the outside world. Thus the
the social evolution around -him, and is out of gear
educator becomes repressed and suppressed in our
with the instruments for the dissemination of ideas
civilization.As things stand, this condition cannot
which modern society has developed. If this be
be changed from the outside unless the general public
true, then the training of the educators in this re-
alters its standards of achievement, which it is not
spect should begin in the normal schools, with the
likely to do soon.
addition to their curricula of whatever is necessary
Yet it can be changed by the teaching profession
to broaden their viewpoint. The public cannot un-
itself, if it becomes conscious not only of its indi-
derstand unless the teacher understands the relation-
vidualistic relation to the pupil, but also of its social
ship between the general public and the academic
relation to the general public. The teaching profes-
idea.
sion, as such, has the right to carry on a very definite
The normal school should provide for the training
propaganda with a view to enlightening the public
of the educator to make him realize that his is a two-
and asserting its intimate relation to the society which
fold job: education as a teacher and education as a
it serves. In addition to conducting a propaganda
propagandist.
on behalf of its individual members, education must
A second reason for the present remoteness of edu-
also raise the general appreciation of the teaching
cation from the thoughts and interests of the public
profession. Unless the profession can raise itself by
is to be found in the mental attitude of the pedagogue
own
—whether primary school teacher or college profes-
its bootstraps, it
cruiting outstanding talent for itself.

will fast lose the power of re-
—toward the world

sor outside the school. This is a
Propaganda cannot change all that is at present un-
122
123
Propaganda Propaganda for Education
satisfactory in the educational situation. There are

of educational issues. Yet if this is the case — if the
university shapes its whole policy toward gaining
factors, such as low pay and the lack of adequate
provision for superannuated teachers, which defi-
the support of the state legislature —its educational
nitely affect the status of the profession.

function may suffer. It may be tempted to base its
It is pos-
whole appeal to the public on its public service, real
sible, by means of an intelligent appeal predicated
or supposed, and permit the education of its indi-
upon the actual present composition of the public
vidual students to take care of itself. It may attempt
mind, to modify the general attitude toward the
to educate the people of the state at the expense of its
teaching profession. Such a changed attitude will
own pupils. This may generate a number of evils, to
begin by expressing itself in an insistence on the idea
the extent of making the university a political instru-
of more adequate salaries for the profession.
ment, a mere tool of the political group in power.
There are various ways in which academic organi-
If the president dominates both the public and the
zations in America handle their financial problems.
professional politician, this may lead to a situation
One type of college or university depends, for its
in which the personality of the president outweighs
monetary support, upon grants from the state legis-
the true function of the institution.
latures. Another depends upon private endow-
The endowed college or university has a problem
ment. There are other types of educational institu-
quite as perplexing. The endowed college is de-
tions, such as the sectarian, but the two chief types
pendent upon the support, usually, of key men in in-
include by far the greater number of our institutions
dustry whose social and economic objectives are
of higher learning.
concrete and limited, and therefore often at variance
The state university is supported by grants from
with the pursuit of abstract knowledge. The success-
the people of the state, voted by the state legislature.
ful business man criticizes the great universities for
In theory, the degree of support which the university
being too academic, but seldom for being too prac-
receives is dependent upon the degree of acceptance
tical. One might imagine that the key men who
accorded it by the voters. The state university pros-
support our universities would like them to special-
pers according to the extent to which it can sell itself
ize in schools of applied science, of practical sales-
to the people of the state.
manship or of industrial efficiency. And it may well
The state university is therefore in an unfortunate
be, in many demands which the
instances, that the
position unless its president happens to be a man of
potential endowers of our universities make upon
outstanding merit as a propagandist and a dramatizer
125
124
these institutions are flatly in contradiction to the in-
aganda aiming to develop greater social consciousness
terests of scholarship and general culture.
on the part of the people of the country, there may
We have, therefore, the anomalous situation of the
be awakened in the minds of men of affairs, as a class,
college seeking to carry on a propaganda in favor of
social consciousness which will produce more minds
scholarship among people who are quite out of sym-
of the type of Julius Rosenwald, V. Everitt Macy,
pathy with the aims to which they are asked to sub-
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the late Willard Straight.
scribe their money. Men who, by the commonly Many colleges have already developed intelligent
accepted standards, are failures or very moderate suc-
propaganda in order to bring them into active and
cesses in our American world (the pedagogues) seek
continuous relation with the general public. A defi-
to convince the outstanding successes (the business nite technique has been developed in their relation to
men) that they should give their money to ideals the community in the form of college news bureaus.
which they do not pursue. Men who, through a These bureaus have formed an intercollegiate as-
sense of inferiority, despisemoney, seek to win the sociation whose members meet once a year to dis-
good will of men who love money.
cuss their problems. These problems include the
It seems possible that the future status of the en-
education of the alumnus and his effect upon the
dowed college will depend upon a balancing of these
general public and upon specific groups, the education
forces, both the academic and the endowed elements
of the future student to the choice of the particular
obtaining in effect due consideration.
college, the maintenance of an esprit de corps so that
The college must win public support. If the po- the athletic prowess of the college will not be placed
tential donor is apathetic, enthusiastic public approval
first, the development of some familiarity with
must be obtained to convince him. If he seeks the research work done in the college in order to at-
unduly to influence the educational policy of the in-
tract the attention of those who may be able to lend
stitution, public opinion must support the college in
aid, the development of an understanding of the
the continuance of its proper functions. If either aims and the work of the institution in order to
factor dominates unduly, we are likely to find a attract special endowments for specified purposes.
demagoguery or a snobbishness aiming to please one
Some seventy-five of these bureaus are now affili-
group or the other.
ated with the American Association of College News
There is still another potential solution of the prob-
Bureaus, including those of Yale, Wellesley, Illinois,
lem. It is possible that through an educational prop-
Indiana, Wisconsin, Western Reserve, Tufts and
126
127
!

California. A bi-monthly news letter is published,
feels that the ancient and honorable art of com-
bringing to members the news of their profession. pounding specifics is being degraded.
The Association endeavors to uphold the ethical
Cornell University discovers that endowments are
standards of the profession and aims to work in har- rare. Why? Because the people think that the
mony with the press. University is a state institution and therefore pub-
The National Education Association and other licly supported.
societies are carrying on a definite propaganda to pro- Many of our leading universities rightly feel that
mote the larger purposes of educational endeavor. the results of their scholarly researches should not
One of the aims of such propaganda is of course im- only be presented to libraries and learned publica-
provement in the prestige and material position of
tions, but should also, where practicable and useful,
the teachers themselves. An occasional McAndrew be given to the public in the dramatic form which the
case calls the attention of the public to the fact that Harvard is but one ex-
public can understand.
in some schools the teacher is far from enjoying full
ample.
academic freedom, while in certain communities the “Not long ago,” says Charles A. Merrill in Per-
choice of teachers is based upon political or sectarian sonality,“a certain Harvard professor vaulted into
considerations rather than upon real ability. If such
the newspaper headlines. There were several days
issues were made, by means of propaganda, to become when one could hardly pick up a paper in any of the
a matter of public concern on a truly national scale,
larger cities without finding his name bracketed with
there would doubtless be a general tendency to
his achievement.
improvement. “The professor, who was back from a trip to
The concrete problems of colleges are more varied Yucatan in the interests of science, had solved the
and puzzling than one might suppose. The pharma- mystery of the Venus calendar of the ancient Mayas.
ceutical college of a university is concerned because He had discovered the key to the puzzle of how the
the drug store is no longer merely a drug store, but Mayas kept tab on the flight of time. Checking the
primarily a soda fountain, a lunch counter, a book- Mayan record of celestial events against the known
shop, a retailer of all sorts of general merchandise astronomical facts, he had found a perfect correla-
from society stationery to spare radio parts. The col- tion between the time count of these Central Ameri-
lege realizes the economic utility of the lunch can Indians and the true positions of the planet Venus
counter feature to the practicing druggist, yet it
in the sixth century B.c. A civilization which flour-
128 129
1

ished in the Western Hemisphere twenty-five centu- It violates the fundamental article in the creed of
ries ago was demonstrated to have attained heights the old academic societies. Cloistered seclusion used
hitherto unappreciated by the modern world. to be considered the first essential of scholarship.
“How the professor’s discovery happened to be The college was anxious to preserve its aloofness
chronicled in the popular press is, also, in retrospect, from the world. ...
a matter of interest. ... If left to his own de- “The colleges used to resent outside interest in
vices, he might never have appeared in print, ex- their affairs. They might, somewhat reluctantly and
cept perhaps insome technical publication, and his contemptuously, admit reporters to their Commence-
remarks there would have been no more intelli- ment Day exercises, but no further would they
gible to the average man or woman than if they had go. . . .
been inscribed in Mayan hieroglyphics. “To-day, if a newspaper reporter wants to inter-
“Popularization of this message from antiquity view a Harvard professor, he has merely to tele-
was due to the initiative of a young man named phone the Secretary for Information to the
James W. D. Seymour. . . .
University. Officially, Harvard still shies away
“It may surprise and shock some people,” Mr. from the title ‘Director of Publicity.’ Informally,
Merrill adds, “to be told that the oldest and most however, the secretary with the long title is the pub-
dignified seats of learning in America now hire press licity man. He is an important official to-day at
agents, just as railroad companies, fraternal organ- Harvard.”

izations, moving picture producers and political It may be a new idea that the president of a
parties retain- them. It is nevertheless a fact. . . .

university will concern himself with the kind of
. . there is hardly a college or university in mental picture his institution produces on the public
the country which does not, with the approval of the mind. Yet it is part of the president’s work to see
governing body and the faculty, maintain a pub- that his university takes its proper place in the com-
licity office, with a director and a staff of assistants, munity and therefore also in the community mind,
for the purpose of establishing friendly relations and produces the results desired, both in a cultural
with the newspapers, and through the newspapers, and in a financial sense.
with the public. . . .

If his institution does not produce the mental pic-
“This enterprise breaks sharply with tradition. In ture which it should, one of two things may be
the older seats of learning it is a recent innovation. wrong: Either the media of communication with
130 131
Propaganda for Education
Propaganda
Again, it may be the general opinion that the
the public may be wrong or unbalanced} or his in-
work of 80 per cent post-
a certain institution is
stitution may be at fault. The public is getting an
graduate research, an opinion which may tend to
oblique impression of the university, in which case
alienate public interest. This opinion may be true
the impression should be modified; or it may be that
or it may be false. If it is false, it should be cor-
the public is getting a correct impression, in which
rected by high-spotting undergraduate activities.
case,very possibly, the work of the university itself
If, on the other hand, it is true that 80 per cent
should be modified. For both possibilities lie within
of the work is postgraduate research, the most should
the province of the public relations counsel.
be made of that fact. It should be the concern of
Columbia University recently instituted a Casa
the president to make known the discoveries which
Italiana, which was solemnly inaugurated
in the
are of possible public interest. A university expe-
presence of representatives of the Italian govern-
dition into Biblical lands may be uninteresting as a
ment, to emphasize its high standing in Latin studies purely scholastic undertaking, but if it contributes
and the Romance languages. Years ago Harvard light on some Biblical assertion it will immediately
founded the Germanic Museum, which was cere- arouse the interest of large masses of the popula-
moniously opened by Prince Henry of Prussia. The zoological department may
tion. be hunting
Many colleges maintain extension courses which for some strange bacillus which has no known re-
bring their work to the knowledge of a broad public.
lation to any human disease, but the fact that it is
It is of course proper that such courses
should be
chasing bacilli is in itself capable of dramatic pres-
made known to the general public. But, to take an-
entation to the public.
other example, they have been badly planned,
if
Many universities now gladly lend members of
from the point of view of public relations, if they their faculties to assist in investigations of public in-
are unduly scholastic and detached, their effect may
terest. Thus Cornell lent Professor Wilcox to aid
be the opposite of favorable. In such a case, it is
the government in the preparation of the national
not the work of the public relations counsel to urge
census. Professor Irving Fisher of Yale has been
that the courses be made better known, but to urge
called in to advise on currency matters.
that they first be modified to conform to the impres- In the ethical sense, propaganda bears the same
sion which the college wishes to create, where that is
relation to education as to business or politics. It
compatible with the university’s scholastic ideals.
133
132
1
1
Propaganda
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 CHAPTER IX

its misuse.
PROPAGANDA IN SOCIAL SERVICE
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 con-
tinually. The leaders in social service were among
the first consciously to utilize propaganda in its
modern sense.
The great enemy of any attempt to change men’s
habits is inertia. Civilization is limited by inertia.
Our attitude toward social relations, toward eco-
nomics, 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; Car-
negie his on Schwab, and so ad infinitum. 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 attempt-
ing to sway public opinion is every one’s. It is one
of the manifestations of democracy that any one may
135
134
Propaganda Propaganda in Social Service
try to convince others and to assume leadership on center, would have greater authority than the same
behalf of hisown thesis. point of view issuing from any
other locality, par-
New ideas, new precedents, are continually striv- ticularly when that point of view
was at odds with
ing for a place in the scheme of things. the traditional southern point of view. Atlanta
The social settlement, the organized campaigns was chosen.
against tuberculosis and cancer, the various research The third step was to surround the conference
activities aiming directly at the elimination of social with people who were stereotypes for ideas that car-
diseases and maladjustments —a multitude of altru-
ried weight all over the country.
The support of
istic activities which could be catalogued only in a
leaders of diversified groups was sought.
book of many pages —have need of knowledge of the
grams and letters were dispatched to leaders
Tele-
of re-
public mind and mass psychology if they are to
ligious, political, social
and educational groups, ask-
achieve their aims. The literature on social service
ing for their point of view on
the purpose of the
publicity is so extensive, and the underlying prin-
conference. But in addition to these group leaders
ciples so fundamental, that only one example is nec-
of national standing it was particularly
essary here to illustrate the technique of social service important
from the technical standpoint to secure
the opinions
propaganda.
of group leaders of the South, even
A social service organization undertook to fight from Atlanta it-
self, toemphasize the purposes of the conference
lynching, Jim Crowism and the civil discriminations to
the entire public. There was one group in Atlanta
against the Negro below the Mason and Dixon line.
which could be approached. A group
The National Association for the Advancement of of ministers
As a had been bold enough come out for a greater inter-
the Colored People had the fight in hand. to
racial amity. This group was approached and agreed
matter of technique they decided to dramatize the
to cooperate in the conference.
year’s campaign in an annual convention which would
concentrate attention on the problem. The event ran off as scheduled. The program
Should it be held in the North, South, West or itself followed the general scheme. Negroes and
East? Since the purpose was to alfect the entire coun- white men from
the South, on the same platform,
ex-
try, the association was advised to hold it in the pressed the same point of view.
South. For, said the propagandist, a point of view A dramatic element was spot-lighted
here and
on a southern question, emanating from a southern there. A national leader from Massachusetts agreed
137
Propaganda Propaganda in Social Service
in principle and in practice with a Baptist preacher
ably a result of this and other efforts of the Associa-
from the South. tion.
If the radio had been in effect, the whole country Many churches have
made paid advertising and
might have heard and been moved by the speeches organized propaganda part of their regular activities.
and the principles expressed. They have developed church advertising committees,
But the public read the words and the ideas in which make use of the newspaper and the billboard,
the press of the country. For the event had been as well as of the pamphlet. Many denominations
created of such important component parts as to maintain their own
periodicals. The Methodist
awaken interest throughout the country and to gain Board of Publication and Information systematically
support for its ideas even in the South. gives announcements and releases to
the press and
The editorials in the southern press, reflecting the the magazines.
public opinion of their communities, showed that the But in a broader sense the very activities of social
subject had become one of interest to the editors service are propaganda A
campaign for
activities.
because of the participation by southern leaders. the preservation of the teeth seeks to
alter people’s
The event naturally gave the Association habits in the direction of more frequent
itself brushing of
substantial weapons with which to appeal to an in- teeth. A campaign for better parks seeks to alter
people’s opinion in regard to the desirability
creasingly wider circle. Further publicity was at- of tax-
ing themselves for the purchase of
tained by mailing reports, letters, and other propa- park facilities. A
campaign against tuberculosis is an attempt
ganda to selected groups of the public. to con-
vince everybody that tuberculosis
As for the practical results, the immediate one can be cured, that
persons with certain symptoms should
was a change in the minds of many southern editors immediately
go to the doctor, and the like. A campaign
who realized that the question at issue was not only to lower
the infant mortality rate is an effort to alter the
an emotional one, but also a discussable one; and
habits of mothers in regard to feeding, bathing and
this point of view was immediately reflected to their
caring for their babies. Social service, in fact, is
readers. Further results are hard to measure with a
identical with propaganda in many cases.
slide-rule. The conference had its definite effect in
Even those aspects of social
service which are
building up the racial consciousness and solidarity of
governmental and administrative, rather than
chari-
the Negroes. The decline in lynching is very prob- table and spontaneous, depend on wise propaganda
138
139
Propaganda
for their effectiveness. Professor Harry Elmer
Barnes, in his book, “The Evolution of Modern Pe-
nology in Pennsylvania,” states that improvements
in penological administration in that state are

ham-
pered by political influences. The legislature must CHAPTER X
be persuaded to permit the utilization of the best ART AND SCIENCE
methods of scientific penology, and for this there is
necessary the development of an enlightened public In the education of the American public toward
opinion. “Until such a situation has been brought greater art appreciation, propaganda plays an im-
about,” Mr. Barnes states, “progress in penology is portant part. When art galleries seek to launch the
doomed to be sporadic, local, and generally ineffec- canvases of an artist they should create public accept-
tive. The solution of prison problems, then, seems ance for his works. To increase public appreciation
fundamentally a problem of conscientious and a deliberate propagandizing effort must be made.

to be
scientific publicity.”
In art as in politics the minority rules, but it can
Social progress simply the progressive education

is
rule only by going out to meet the public on its own
and enlightenment of the public mind in regard to its ground, by understanding the anatomy of public
immediate and distant social problems. opinion and utilizing it.
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 es-
thetic 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 beauti-
I ful instead of ugly motifs into the articles of com-

140
I
141
i
\
t
i
Propaganda Art and Science
mon use, and, furthermore, securing recognition and in the Decorative Arts Section of the Louvre
money for himself.
Museum.
Propaganda can play a part in pointing out what is
“The exposition opening on May 26th with
and what is not beautiful, and business can definitely the Minister of Fine Arts, Paul Leon, acting as
help in this way to raise the level of American cul- patron, will include silks from Cheney Brothers,
ture. In this process propaganda will naturally South Manchester and New York, the designs
make use of the authority of group leaders whose of which were based on the inspiration of Edgar
taste and opinion are recognized. Brandt, famous French iron worker, the mod-
The public must be interested by means of asso- ern Bellini, who makes wonderful art works
ciational values and dramatic incidents. New in- from iron.
spiration, which to the artist may be a very technical “M. Brandt designed and made the monu-
and abstract kind of beauty, must be made vital to mental iron doors of the Verdun war memorial.
the public by association with values which it recog- He has been asked to assist and participate in
nizes and responds to. this exposition, which will show France the ac-
For instance, in the manufacture of American complishments of American industrial art.
silk, markets are developed by going to Paris for “Thirty designs inspired by Edgar Brandt’s
inspiration. Paris can give American silk a stamp work are embodied in 2,500 yards of printed
of authority which will aid it to achieve definite silks, tinsels and cut velvets in a hundred
position in the United States. colors. . . .
The following clipping from the New York Times “These ‘prints ferronnieres’ are the first tex-
of February 1
6, 1925, tells the story from an actual tiles to show the influence of the modern
incident of this sort: M.
master, Brandt. The silken fabrics pos-
sess a striking composition, showing character-
“Copyright, i925,byTHENEW York Times
Brandt motifs which were embodied in the
Company — Special Cable to The New York
istic
tracery of large designs by the Cheney artists

Times.
who succeeded
“Paris, Feb. 15. —For the first time in his-
in translating the iron into silk,
a task which might appear almost impossible.

tory, American art materials are to be exhibited
The strength and brilliancy of the original de-
142
143
tea parties will not talk about pianos but they
sign is enhanced by the beauty and warmth of ;
may
color.” talk about the new modernist piano.
When Secretary Hoover, three years ago, was
The result of this ceremony was that prominent asked to appoint a commission to the Paris Expo-
department stores in New York, Chicago and other sition of Decorative Arts, he did so. As Associate
cities asked to have this exhibition. They tried to Commissioner I assisted in the organizing of the
mold the public taste in conformity with the idea group of important business leaders in the industrial
which had the approval of Paris. The silks of art field who went to Paris as delegates to visit and
Cheney Brothers — a commercial product produced in report on the Exposition. The propaganda carried
quantity — gained a place in public esteem by being on for the aims and purposes of the Commission
undoubtedly had a widespread effect on the attitude
associated with the work of a recognized artist and
with a great art museum. of Americans towards art in industry; it was only a
The same can be said of almost any commercial few years later that the modern art movement pene-
product susceptible of beautiful design. There are trated all fields of industry.
few products in daily use, whether furniture, clothes, Department stores took it up. R. H. Macy &
lamps, posters, commercial labels, book jackets, Company held an Art-in-Trades Exposition, in which
pocketbooks or bathtubs which are not subject to the the Metropolitan Museum of Art collaborated as
laws of good taste. adviser. Lord & Taylor sponsored a Modern Arts
In America, whole departments of production are Exposition, with foreign exhibitors. These stores,
being changed through propaganda to fill an eco- coming closely in touch with the life of the people,
nomic as well as an esthetic need. Manufacture is performed a propagandizing function in bringing to
being modified to conform to the economic need to the people the best in art as it related to these in-
satisfy the public more beauty. A piano
demand for dustries. The Museumat the same time was alive
manufacturer recently engaged artists to design mod- to the importance of making contact with the public
ernist pianos. This was not done because there ex- mind, by utilizing the department store to increase
isted a widespread demand for modernist pianos. art appreciation.
Indeed, the manufacturer probably expected to sell Of all art institutions the museum suffers most
few. But in order to draw attention to pianos one from the lack of effective propaganda. Most pres-
must have something more than a piano. People at ent-day museums have the reputation of being
144 145
morgues or sanctuaries, whereas they should be come to the museum. It is also a question of mak-
leaders and teachers in the esthetic life of the coming the museum, and the beauty which it houses, go
munity. They have little vital relation to life. to the people.
The treasures of beauty in a museum need to be The museum’s accomplishments should not be
interpreted to the public, and this requires a propa- evaluated merely in terms of the number of visitors.
gandist. The housewife in a Bronx apartment doubt- Its function is not merely to receive visitors, but to
less feels little interest in an ancient Greek vase in the project iself and what it stands for in the community
Metropolitan Museum. Yet an artist working with which it serves.
a pottery firm may adapt the design of this vase The museum community for a defi-
can stand in its
to a set of china and this china, priced low through nite esthetic standard which can, by the help of in-
quantity production, may find its way to that Bronx telligent propaganda, permeate the daily lives of all
apartment, developing unconsciously, through its fine its neighbors. Why should not a museum establish
line and color, an appreciation of beauty. a museum council of art, to establish standards in
Some American museums feel this responsibility. home decoration, in architecture, and in commercial
The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York production? or a research board for applied arts?
rightly prides itself on its million and a quarter of i Why should not the museum, instead of merely pre-
visitors in the year 1926; on its efforts to dramatize serving the art treasures which it possesses, quicken
and make visual the civilizations which its various de- their meaning in terms which the general public
partments reveal 3 on its special lectures, its story understands?
hours, its loan collections of prints and photographs A recent annual report of an art museum in one
and lantern slides, its facilities offered to commercial of the large cities of the United States, says:
firms in the field of applied art, on the outside lec- “An underlying
j characteristic of an Art Museum
turers who are invited to lecture in its auditorium j
like ours must be its attitude of conservatism, for
and on the lectures given by its staff to outside or- after all its first duty is to treasure the great achieve-
ganizations j and on the free chamber concerts given ments of men in the arts and sciences.”
in the museum under the direction of David Mannes, j Is that true? Is not another
important duty to
which tend to dramatize the museum as a home of 1
i
interpret the models of beauty which it possesses?
beauty. Yet that is not the whole of the problem. f If the duty of the museum is to be active it must
It is not merely a question of making people |
study how best to make its message intelligible to
H6 I
147
Propaganda
Art and Science
the community which it serves. It must boldly as-
and Telegraph Company, the Western Electric Com-
sume esthetic leadership.
pany, the General Electric Company, the Westing-
As in art, so in science, both pure and applied.
house Electric Company and others have realized the
Pure science was once guarded and fostered by
Now importance of scientific research. They have also
learned societies and scientific associations.
understood that their ideas must be made intelligible
pure science finds support and encouragement also
to the public to be fully successful. Television,
in industry. Many of the laboratories in which ab-
broadcasting, loud speakers are utilized a9 propa-
stract research is being pursued are now connected
ganda aids.
with some large corporation, which is quite willing
Propaganda assists in marketing new inventions.
to devote hundreds of thousands of dollars to scien-
Propaganda, by repeatedly interpreting new scien-
tific study, for the sake of one golden invention or
tific and inventions to the public,
ideas has made the
discovery which may emerge from it.
public more receptive. Propaganda is accustoming
Big business of course gains heavily when the in-
the public to change and progress.
vention emerges. But at that very moment it
assumes the responsibility of placing the new inven-
tion at the service of the public. It assumes also the
responsibility of interpreting its meaning to the
public.
The industrial interests can furnish to the schools,
courses
the colleges and the postgraduate university
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 out-

standing that the whole field of science has received
a tremendous impetus. The American Telephone
148
149
The Mechanics of Propaganda
Instead there are numerous other media of com-
munication, some new, others old but so transformed
that they have become virtually new. The news-
CHAPTER XI
paper, of course, remains always a primary medium
THE MECHANICS OF PROPAGANDA for the transmission of opinions and ideas — in other
words, for propaganda.
The media, by which special pleaders transmit
It was not many years ago that newspaper editors
their messages to the public through propaganda in-
resented what they called “the use of the news col-
transmit
clude all the means by which people to-day umns for propaganda purposes.” Some editors
their ideas toone another. There is no means of hu- would even kill a good story if they imagined its
man communication which may not also be a means

publication might benefit any one. This point of
of propaganda, because propaganda is
deliberate view is now largely abandoned. To-day the leading
simply the establishing of reciprocal understanding editorial offices take the view that the real criterion
between an individual and a group. governing the publication or non-publication of mat-
important point to the propagandist is that
The ter which comes to the desk is its news value. The
instruments of
the relative value of the various newspaper cannot assume, nor is it its function to
are
propaganda, and their relation to the masses, assume, the responsibility of guaranteeing that what
reach for
constantly changing. If he is to get full it publishes will not work out to somebody’s interest.
shifts
his message he must take advantage of these There is hardly a single item in any daily paper, the
of value the instant they occur. Fifty years ago,
publication of which does not, or might not, profit or
the public meeting was a propaganda
instrument par
injure somebody. That is the nature of news. What
excellence. To-day it is difficult to get more
than a
the newspaper does strive for is that the news which
handful of people meeting unless
to attend a public
it publishes shall be accurate, and (since it must select
extraordinary attractions are part of the program. from the mass of news material available) that it
The automobile takes them away from home, the shall be of interest and importance to large groups
daily
radio keeps them in the home, the successive of its readers.
editions of the newspaper bring information to them
In its editorial columns the newspaper is a per-
in office or subway, and also they are sick of the
sonality, commenting upon things and events from its
ballyhoo of the rally. individual point of view. But in its news columns
150 I5i
Propaganda The Mechanics of Propaganda
the typicalmodern American newspaper attempts to that will be commercially advantageous to the men
reproduce, with due regard to news interest, the out- who market them; if they consist of Henry Fords
standing events and opinions of the day. with epoch-making cars —then all this is news. The
It does not ask whether a given item is propaganda so-called flow of propaganda into the newspaper
or not. What is important is that it be news. And in offices of the country may, simply at the editor’s dis-
the selection of news the editor is usually entirely cretion, find its way to the waste basket.
independent. In the New York Times — to take an The source of the news offered to the editor
outstanding example —news is printed because of its should always be clearly stated and the facts accu-
news value and for no other reason. The Times edi- rately presented.
tors determine with complete independence what is The situation of the magazines at the present
and what is not news. They brook no censorship. moment, from the propagandist’s point of view, is
They are not influenced by any external pressure nor different from that of the daily newspapers. The
swayed by any values of expediency or opportunism. average magazine assumes no obligation, as the
The conscientious editor on every newspaper realizes newspaper does, to reflect the current news. It
that his obligation to the public is news. The fact of selects its material deliberately, in accordance with
its accomplishment makes it news. a continuous policy. It is not, like the newspaper,
If the public relations counsel can breathe the an organ of public opinion, but tends rather to be-
breath of life into an idea and make it take its place come a propagandist organ, propagandizing for a
among other ideas and events, it will receive the particular idea, whether it be good housekeeping, or
public attention it merits. There can be no question smart apparel, or beauty in home decoration, or de-
of his “contaminating news at its source.” He creates bunking public opinion, or general enlightenment or
some of the day’s events, which must compete in liberalism or amusement. One magazine may aim
the editorial office with other events. Often the to sell health; another, English gardens; another,
events which he creates may be specially acceptable fashionable men’s wear; another, Nietzschean phi-
to a newspaper’s public and he may create them with losophy.
that public in mind. In all departments in which the various magazines
If important things of life to-day consist of trans- specialize, the public relations counsel may play an
atlantic radiophone talks arranged by commercial important part. For he may, because of his client’s
telephone companies; if they consist of inventions interest, assist them to create the events which
152 153
further their propaganda. A bank, in order to em- radio will tend to be withdrawn from the news-
phasize the importance of its women’s department, paper.
may arrange to supply a leading women’s magazine To what extent is the publisher alive to this new
with a series of articles and advice on investments phenomenon ? It is come close to American
bound to
written by the woman expert in charge of this de- journalism and publishing. Newspapers have recog-
partment. The women’s magazine in turn will nized the advertising potentialities of the companies
utilize this new feature as a means of building addi- that manufacture radio apparatus, and of radio
tional prestige and circulation. stores, large and small} and newspapers have ac-
The lecture, once a powerful means of influencing corded to the radio in their news and feature col-
public opinion, has changed its value. The lecture umns an importance relative to the increasing atten-
tion given by the public to radio. At the same time,

itself may be only a symbol, a ceremony ; its impor-
certain newspapers have bought radio stations and
tance, for propaganda purposes, lies in the fact that
linked them up with their news and entertainment
it was delivered. Professor So-and-So, expounding
distribution facilities, supplying these two features
an epoch-making invention, may speak to five hun-
over the air to the public.
dred persons, or only fifty. His lecture, if it is
It is possible that newspaper chains will sell sched-
important, will be broadcast} reports of it will ap-
ules of advertising space on the air and on paper.
pear in the newspapers} discussion will be stimu-
Newspaper chains will possibly contract with adver-
lated. The real value of the lecture, from the
tisers for circulation on paper and over the air.
propaganda point of view, is in its repercussion to
There are, at present, publishers who sell space in
the general public.
the air and in their columns, but they regard the two
The radio is at present one of the most important
as separate ventures.
tools of the propagandist. Its future development economic
Large groups, political, racial, sectarian,
is uncertain.
or professional, are tending to control stations to
It may compete with the newspaper as an adver-
propagandize their points of view. Or is it con-
tising medium. Its ability to reach millions of per-
ceivable that America may adopt the English licens-
sons simultaneously naturally appeals to the adver- ing system under which the listener, instead of the
tiser. And since the average advertiser has a limited advertiser, pays?
appropriation for advertising, money spent on the Whether the present system is changed, the ad-
154 155
vertiser —and propagandist —must necessarily adapt

a personality to typify a conspicuous corporation or
enterprise.
himself to it. Whether, in the future, air space will
There is a story that a great financier discharged
be sold openly as such, or whether the message will
a partner because he had divorced his wife.
reach the public in the form of straight entertain-
ment and news, or as special programs for particular
“But what,” asked the partner, “have my private
affairs to do with the banking business?”
groups, the propagandist must be prepared to meet
“If you are not capable of managing your own
the conditions and utilize them.
wife,” was the reply, “the people will certainly be-
The American motion picture is the greatest un-
lieve that you are not capable of managing their
conscious carrier of propaganda in the world to-day.
money.”
It is a great distributor for ideas and opinions.
The propagandist must treat personality as he
The motion picture can standardize the ideas and
would treat any other objective fact within his
habits of a nation. Because pictures are made to
province.
meet market demands, they reflect, emphasize and
even exaggerate broad popular tendencies, rather
A personality may create circumstances, as Lind-
bergh created good will between the United States
than stimulate new ideas and opinions. The motion
and Mexico. Events may create a personality, as
picture avails itself only of ideas and facts which
As the newspaper seeks to purvey
the Cuban War created the political figure of Roose-
are in vogue.
velt. It is often difficult to say which creates the
news, it seeks to purvey entertainment.
other. Once a public figure has decided what ends
Another instrument of propaganda is the person-
he wishes to achieve, he must regard himself objec-
ality. Has the device of the exploited personality
tively and present an outward picture of himself
been pushed too far? President Coolidge photo-
which is consistent with his real character and his
graphed on his vacation in full Indian regalia in
aims.
company with full-blooded chiefs, was the climax of
There are a multitude of other avenues of ap-
a greatly over-reported vacation. Obviously a pub-
proach to the public mind, some old, some new as
lic personality can be made absurd by misuse of the
very mechanism which helped create
television. No attempt will be made to discuss each
it.
one separately. The school may disseminate infor-
Yet the vivid dramatization of personality will
mation concerning scientific facts. The fact that a
always remain one of the functions of the public
commercial concern may eventually profit from a
relations counsel. The public instinctively demands
157
156
widespread understanding of its activities because of new standards. If it becomes weary of the old
this does not condemn the dissemination of such in- methods used to persuade it to accept a given idea
formation, provided that the subject merits study or commodity, its leaders will present their appeals
on the part of the students. If a baking corporation more intelligently.
contributes pictures and charts to a school to show Propaganda will never die out. Intelligent men
how bread is made, these propaganda activities, if must realize that propaganda is the modern instru-
they are accurate and candid, are in no way repre- ment by which they can fight for productive ends
hensible, provided the school authorities accept or re- and help to bring order out of chaos.
ject such offers carefully on their educational merits.
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 person- THE END
ally appear and speak in homes through
a million
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.
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 in-
terests. 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, re-
spond to leadership.
If the public becomes more intelligent in its com-
mercial demands, commercial firms will meet the
158 159

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)' t

BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR

First printing, November, 1928

IV. The Psychology of Public Relations 47

grateful acknowledgment. IX. Propaganda in Social Service .

XI. The Mechanics of Propaganda 150

The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the

tude one chooses to take toward this condition, it

remains a fact that in almost every act of our daily

in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are

million —who understand the mental processes and

This invisible, intertwining structure of groupings

racy has organized its group mind and simplified its

the executive arm of the invisible

on a “whose meaning has been so sadly distorted

be course of action in some debatable question, believing

and with an THEY GIVE RELIEF,” “PRITCHETT REPORTS ZIONISM

Pritchett’s survey convinced him that in

point of view was broadcast with all

Hoover’s report, are similar attempts to

the public toward an opinion.

these events influence public

Propaganda The New Propaganda

public to produce mass reactions against

atrocities, the terror and the tyranny

It was only natural, after the war

lems of peace. tablish contact with the Lyons manufactories and

late, and until it has exerted sufficient pressure upon

expressed demand can be organized, made vocal,

CHAPTER HI the national professional and fraternal organizations,

must wear, what sports

“drafted” response to “overwhelming popular de-

lions of men on a platform of intolerance

lence. ment which he prefers. In reality, he may be obey-

in the dictation of next season’s dances. If there tions counsel.”

futile to attempt to sell an idea or to prepare the

falling off in contributions and a puzzling attitude

groups, by getting the public to buy its policies. It reached

Even the building in which the

hunting for the cause of diminish-

will be cooperate by enunciating clearly. It aims to bring

making laws or a manufacturer making

usefulness in his profession would be at

and is motivated by impulses and emotions which

The recent practice of propaganda has proved that

least theory and practice have combined with suffi-

cient success to permit us to know that in certain

rising or diminishing prestige of a

success. possible task. Instead, a new cliche automatically

rather walk for the sake of his health.

actuated bv motives which they conceal

as true of mass as of individual

evident that the successful propagandist

he cannot make his engine run.

If the carefully selected pieces were so numerous, viduals or groups.

themselves. For example, a railway wishes to de-

secure new plants and industries for the town. It

these activities of the railroad, besides creating good

formation service suggesting recipes for bread to

similar to that of twenty years ago would

to the whole industry. Or when the metal furniture goods it offers. A

mutually beneficial. It must explain itself, its aims,

only after their money is invested, and use their influence to