SCIENCE AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS 281 



when certain individuals or groups have sought to mold the 

 ideas of a population by indirect methods. The modern and 

 secular form of propaganda has developed in intimate rela- 

 tion to the advertising of modern business. The character- 

 ization of advertising, "as persuading people to buy things 

 they do not need and would not want if they were not over- 

 persuaded," may be resented, but it possesses a measure of 

 truth. What we designate as propaganda is the attempt to 

 influence public opinion by subtle and indirect means. 

 Where the attempt is made by direct appeal and frank ac- 

 knowledgment of purpose, the term advertising is to be pre- 

 ferred. Propaganda and advertising are, however, so in- 

 extricably connected that distinctions are arbitrary. The 

 case of corporations that spend large sums in advertising, 

 which, although descriptive of the articles for sale, is pri- 

 marily designed to build up a favorable opinion and thus 

 enable the corporation to combat governmental action, 

 illustrates the relationship. The abuse of news colums for 

 this purpose is familiar to all. 



With the extension of literacy, the printed rather than 

 the spoken word became the medium of mental exchange; 

 and the newspaper has now become the most effective con- 

 troller and director of ideas, which civilization has ever 

 known. Not even the Church at an earlier day possessed so 

 effective a means of molding the thoughts of men. The 

 newspapers are, in general, organs of conservatism, because 

 they are so closely allied to great commercial interests. The 

 dangers in such a situation are evident. Now that popular 

 opinion has become so important a factor in social progress, 

 this opinion should be correctly informed. The ideas which 

 the press constantly reiterates become dominant. The social 

 dangers, inherent in the use of propaganda to perpetuate 

 the archaic frame of mind, can only be dealt with by the 

 methods of scientific analysis, backed by determination to 

 get at the bottom of particular cases despite the mass of 

 selfish motive that obscures the issue. The general prob- 



