CAUSES OF WAR
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,-:-Sir Norman Angell's article, " Peace and the Public Mind," in last -week's issue, instances one of the ultimate causes of war as the public's false opinions on facts con- cerning its own safety and welfare.
In democratic countries, such as Great Britain, France and the United States, the popular Press is free to give foreign news whatever complexion it likes, and the more popular the newspaper the greater the tendency to exaggerate the " bogeys " to which Sir Norman Angell refers. The constant reiteration of unrestricted and sensational reports on foreign affairs cannot fail, in the long run, to produce serious misconceptions in the public's mind. .
. It has always been a matter of some surprise to me that the Governments in these countries do not appear to realize what a persistent menace to the cause of peace this type of treatment of foreign news is bound to be. Although it is true that the public mind moves slowly, there is very little likelihood of its moving in the right direction so long as it continues to be fed in this manner.
Fortunately the B.B.C. exerts a restraining influence, but even this does not obviate the necessity for a decided move in the direction of restraint on the part of all newspaper proprietors conducting important organs of public opinion.—
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