31 DECEMBER 1937, Page 4

damaging criticism from its own supporters as well as its

political opponents.

There is, however, one possibility that has not yet been exploited. The cynical methods of propaganda adopted by Signor Mussolini and Herr Hitler have been successful because no one, as yet, has used the same techni- cal devices to propagate the truth ; it is to be observed that those whom they defeated were strikingly old- fashioned in their technique of propaganda. If truth is not to be defeated, it must fight the lie with at least equal weapons ; it must be repeated as insistently, as simply, as blatantly and crudely, as falsehood has been. It may be that, even then, truth will not preiail ; there is perhaps a necessary contradiction between truth and propaganda. If this is so, there is nothing to be done ; but the attempt is worth making. And for this reason it is to be hoped that, if the British Government decides to enter the field of propaganda, it will do so on a scale comparable with that of Italy and Germany. The bland voice of the average B.B.0 announcer will be of little effect against the megaphone of Signor Mussolini; something more strident may be more successful.