Propaganda Specialists
An ingenious argument concerning propaganda is advanced by Mr. Peter Cromwell in Horizon. He states that Gcebbels conscripted most of the leading commercial advertising men in Germany for his propaganda ministry, realising that the principles of political and commercial propaganda are one and the same. The author suggests that people in this country fail to see that " what sells National Socialism, the British Empire and American democracy is also wha• sells chocolate, toothpaste, and patent medicines." The successful advert: ser makes a scientific study of the complexes of various classes of the public, and appeals to their fear, desire, ambition, cupidity or other impulses in tempting them with his wares. Mr. Cromwell would place in positions of real authority men with a lifetime of experience in prosecuting propaganda cam- paigns for commercial purposes. There is something in his proposition. He is effective in some of his destructive criticism in showing how many of the methods employed by this country are bound to miss their mark. But he has not quite convincingly shown that the man who is practised in estimating the response of the masses to a patent medicine advertisement is also the man who can estimate the response io a peace aims campaign or rightly estimate delicate political considerations. None the less the suggestion deserves attention.
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