PROPAGANDA THROUGH BROADCASTING
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The instance of the hoodwinking of the people in totalitarian countries given in "A Spectator's Notebook " of January 8th is confirmed by correspondence I have been receiving from Italy. The general belief there is that we have now recognised the error of our ways and the superior wisdom and foresight of the Duce. It is unnecessary to point out the peril of a state of affairs where whole peoples can be so grossly deceived ; and did there exist no remedy I should not have troubled you with this letter.
But there is a remedy, and one which could very well be put into effect within a short time. It has already been referred to in your columns. The vast majority of the people in every country could be reached directly by wireless, and if an international broadcasting authority were set up to issue full and detailed reports in every language from stations of its own, containing as far as is humanly possible the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, it would soon come to be relied upon► by large masses of the people everywhere ; and meanwhile, the freedom at present enjoyed by national propaganda would be curbed. A discussion of the ways in which this end might be secured would be infinitely useful.
The primary cause of the present critical state of inter- national affairs is the fact that every country has presented to it a totally different picture of the facts. In the light of the knowledge they have, each people is fully justified in thinking of other nations as foolish and wicked. And no material improvement can be hoped for until the peoples of the earth are supplied with a common view of the facts upon which reasonable compromises and agreements might be based.—r Yours, &c., S. G. RENDEL. 16 Avenue Emile De Mot, Brussels.
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