Propaganda by Radio
This was the first radio war, said Mr. F. W. Ogilvie. Director-General of the B.B.C., addressing the Manchester Luncheon Club last week ; and he went on to describe bow this new form of mechanised warfare is employed in broad- casting services to all parts of the world in many languages The Nazis have proved masters of the art of poisoning the, minds of peoples by calculated broadcasts of falsehood, and it is the function of the B.B.C. in its foreign services to counter these attacks and hit back by making &ie truth known. It was in respect of the latter that the House of Commons was especially critical in last week's debate. Mr. Noel Baker, while praising the mechanical efficiency of the services, complained that the B.B.C. had too limited a conception of their job ; and commander King-Hall thought that the weakness lay not so much in the B.B.C. itself as in the lack of a policy declaring the New Order which could be set up against Hitler's bogus story. But is it really the case that there is as yet no British New Order to set up against Hitler's? The speeches of the Prime Minister and Lord Halifax plus the actions of this country and its recent history afford far more positive material for a plan of the world than anything contributed by Hitler.
There is surely no lack of material, if it were used. In defending the B.B.C. Mr. Duff Cooper seemed divided between his desire to assume full responsibility for all that it does and his contrary desire that it should not be simply the mouth- piece of the Government.
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