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V. Public Information and Opinion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2013

Harwood L. Childs
Harwood L. Childs
Affiliation:
Princeton University
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Extract

Even before the outbreak of war between the United States and the Axis powers on December 7, 1941, public officials in Washington had taken steps to deal with public opinion problems arising out of the belligerent trends in international affairs. One of the first moves of the federal government was an effort to identify and disclose the extent and nature of propaganda activities on behalf of foreign governments in the United States. On June 8, 1938, Congress passed the McCormack Act vesting authority in the Department of State to issue and administer rules and regulations governing the registration of agents of foreign principals engaged in propaganda and related activities in this country. This action, designed to protect the American public mind by revealing the extent to which foreign countries were using American channels of communication to further their own ends, was soon followed by official actions to strengthen the public opinion and cultural bonds linking together the various peoples of the Western Hemisphere. On July 27, 1938, the Department of State established its Division of Cultural Relations.

Type
American Government in War-Time: The First Year
Information
American Political Science Review , Volume 37 , Issue 1 , February 1943 , pp. 56 - 68
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1943

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References

1 For a discussion of the political and social implications of this act, see Smith, Bruce Lannes, “Democratic Control of Propaganda through Registration and Disclosure,” Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 6, pp. 27–40 (Spring, 1942).CrossRefGoogle Scholar In 1942, the administration of this act was transferred to the Department of Justice.

2 For a comprehensive statement of the program of this Division, see House of Representatives, 77th Cong., 2nd Sess., Hearings before the Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations on the Department of State Appropriation Bill for 1943, Jan. 20, 1942, pp. 102–133.

3 For a description of the functions and activities of this Unit, see House of Representatives, 77th Cong., 2nd Sess., Hearings before the Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations on the Department of Justice Appropriation Bill for 1943, Jan. 14, 1942, pp. 253–268.

4 Ibid., pp. 265–268. See also Bruce Lannes Smith, supra.

5 For a description of the Department's noteworthy Bond Campaign, see Odegard, Peter H. and Barth, Alan, “Millions for Defense,” Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 5, pp. 399–411 (Fall, 1941).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

6 See McMillan, George E., “Government Publicity and the Impact of War,” Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 5, pp. 383–398 (Fall, 1941)CrossRefGoogle Scholar; also Larson, Cedric, “Official Information for America at War,” Print, Vol. 2, pp. 66–68 (Oct.–Dec., 1941).Google Scholar

7 See Mock, James R. and Larson, Cedric, “Public Relations of the U. S. Army,” Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 5, pp. 275–282 (June, 1941)CrossRefGoogle Scholar; also Larson, Cedric, “Publicity for National Defense—How it Works,” Journalism Quarterly, Vol. 18, pp. 245–255 (Sept., 1941).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

8 For a brief description of its functions, see U. S. Government Manual (Fall, 1942) pp. 63–65.

9 See Williams, Margaret Hicks, “The President's Office of Government Reports,” Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 5, pp. 548–562 (Winter, 1941).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

10 See Mellett, Lowell, “Government Propaganda.” Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 168, pp. 311–313 (Sept., 1941).Google Scholar

11 For some information on the work of this Division, see House of Representatives, 77th Cong., 1st Sess., Hearings before the Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations on the Independent Office Appropriation Bill for 1942, Jan. 8, 1941, pp. 647–724. See also ibid., 2nd Sess., Hearings on the Independent Offices Appropriation Bill for 1943, Dec. 10, 1941, pp. 317–334.

12 See Kane, R. Keith, “The O.F.F.,” Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 6, pp. 3–26 (Spring, 1942).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

13 See Price, Byron, “Governmental Censorship in War-Time,” in this Review, Vol. 36, pp. 837–849 (Oct., 1942).Google Scholar

14 See House of Representatives, 77th Cong., 2nd Sess., Hearings before the Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations on the Second Supplemental National Defense Appropriation Bill for 1943, Sept. 28, 1942, pp. 379–460. See also Krieghbaum, Hillier, “The Office of War Information and Government News Policy,” Journalism Quarterly, Vol. 19, pp. 241–250 (Sept., 1942).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

15 Ibid., p. 440.

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