Propaganda in Social Services

The public relations counsel is necessary to social work. And since social service, by its very nature, can continue only by means of the voluntary support of the wealthy, it is obliged to use propaganda continually. The leaders in social service were among the first consciously to utilize propaganda in its modern sense.

Social work needs public relations advisers. By its very nature, social service can continue only with voluntary support from the wealthy. So social service must constantly use propaganda. Social service leaders were among the first to consciously use propaganda in its modern sense.

The great enemy of any attempt to change men’s habits is inertia. Civilization is limited by inertia.

The greatest obstacle to any attempt to change people’s habits is inertia. Inertia limits civilization.

Our attitude toward social relations, toward economics, toward national and international politics, continues past attitudes and strengthens them under the force of tradition. Comstock drops his mantle of proselytizing morality on the willing shoulders of a Sumner; Penrose drops his mantle on Butler; Carnegie his on Schwab, and so ad infinitum. Opposing this traditional acceptance of existing ideas is an active public opinion that has been directed consciously into movements against inertia. Public opinion was made or changed formerly by tribal chiefs, by kings, by religious leaders. To-day the privilege of attempting to sway public opinion is every one’s. It is one of the manifestations of democracy that any one may try to convince others and to assume leadership on behalf of his own thesis.

Our attitudes toward social relations, economics, and national and international politics carry on past attitudes. Tradition strengthens these attitudes. Comstock passes his mantle of moral crusading to the willing Sumner. Penrose passes his mantle to Butler, Carnegie to Schwab, and so on without end. But active public opinion challenges this traditional acceptance of existing ideas. Such opinion has been deliberately directed into movements against resistance to change. In the past, tribal chiefs, kings, and religious leaders shaped or changed public opinion. Today, everyone has the right to try to influence public opinion. One expression of democracy is that anyone may try to persuade others and take the lead in promoting their ideas.

New ideas, new precedents, are continually striving for a place in the scheme of things.

New ideas and new precedents are constantly seeking a place in the world.

The social settlement, the organized campaigns against tuberculosis and cancer, the various research activities aiming directly at the elimination of social diseases and maladjustments—a multitude of altruistic activities which could be catalogued only in a book of many pages—have need of knowledge of the public mind and mass psychology if they are to achieve their aims. The literature on social service publicity is so extensive, and the underlying principles so fundamental, that only one example is necessary here to illustrate the technique of social service propaganda.

Settlement houses, organized campaigns against tuberculosis and cancer, and research aimed directly at eliminating social diseases and problems of adjustment all serve others. Listing the many activities of this kind would fill a long book. These activities need an understanding of public thinking and mass psychology if they are to achieve their goals. So much has been written about publicity for social services, and the basic principles are so fundamental, that one example is enough. That example will illustrate how social service propaganda works.

A social service organization undertook to fight lynching, Jim Crowism and the civil discriminations against the Negro below the Mason and Dixon line.

A social service organization set out to fight lynching, Jim Crow segregation, and civil discrimination against Black people south of the Mason and Dixon line.

The National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People had the fight in hand. As a matter of technique they decided to dramatize the year’s campaign in an annual convention which would concentrate attention on the problem.

The National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People was leading the fight. As a strategy, the association decided to highlight the year’s campaign at an annual convention to focus attention on the problem.

Should it be held in the North, South, West or East? Since the purpose was to affect the entire country, the association was advised to hold it in the South. For, said the propagandist, a point of view on a southern question, emanating from a southern center, would have greater authority than the same point of view issuing from any other locality, particularly when that point of View was at odds with the traditional southern point of view. Atlanta was chosen.

Should it be held in the North, South, West or East? Since the goal was to influence the entire country, the association was advised to hold it in the South. The propagandist explained why. A view on a southern issue would carry more authority coming from a southern center than from anywhere else. This would be especially true when the view conflicted with the traditional southern view. Atlanta was chosen.

The third step was to surround the conference with people who were stereotypes for ideas that carried weight all over the country. The support of leaders of diversified groups was sought. Telegrams and letters were dispatched to leaders of religious, political, social and educational groups, asking for their point of view on the purpose of the conference. But in addition to these group leaders of national standing it was particularly important from the technical standpoint to secure the opinions of group leaders of the South, even from Atlanta itself, to emphasize the purposes of the conference to the entire public. There was one group in Atlanta which could be approached. A group of ministers had been bold enough to come out for a greater interracial amity. This group was approached and agreed to coöperate in the conference.

The third step was to surround the conference with people who represented ideas that carried weight throughout the country. Support was sought from leaders of a wide range of groups. Telegrams and letters were sent to leaders of religious, political, social and educational groups. These messages asked for their views on the conference’s purpose. But alongside these nationally prominent leaders, securing the views of Southern group leaders was particularly important from a planning standpoint. Even leaders from Atlanta itself were needed to emphasize the conference’s purposes to the entire public. One group in Atlanta could be approached. A group of ministers had been bold enough to speak out for friendlier relations between races. These ministers were approached and agreed to cooperate in the conference.

The event ran off as scheduled. The program itself followed the general scheme. Negroes and white men from the South, on the same platform, expressed the same point of view.

The event went as scheduled. The program itself followed the overall plan. Black people and white men from the South shared the same platform and expressed the same point of view.

A dramatic element was spot-lighted here and there. A national leader from Massachusetts agreed in principle and in practice with a Baptist preacher from the South.

Dramatic moments were highlighted here and there. A national leader from Massachusetts agreed in both principle and practice with a Baptist preacher from the South.

If the radio had been in effect, the whole country might have heard and been moved by the speeches and the principles expressed.

If radio had been available, the whole country might have heard the speeches and been moved by their messages and principles.

But the public read the words and the ideas in the press of the country. For the event had been created of such important component parts as to awaken interest throughout the country and to gain support for its ideas even in the South.

But the public read the words and ideas in newspapers across the country. That was because the event had been built around elements important enough to spark interest nationwide. Those elements also won support for the event’s ideas even in the South.

The editorials in the southern press, reflecting the public opinion of their communities, showed that the subject had become one of interest to the editors because of the participation by southern leaders.

Editorials in southern newspapers reflected public opinion in their communities. The editorials showed that editors had become interested in the subject because southern leaders had taken part.

The event naturally gave the Association itself substantial weapons with which to appeal to an increasingly wider circle. Further publicity was attained by mailing reports, letters, and other propaganda to selected groups of the public.

The event naturally gave the Association itself powerful tools to appeal to an ever-wider audience. The Association gained more publicity by mailing reports, letters, and other propaganda to selected groups of the public.

As for the practical results, the immediate one was a change in the minds of many southern editors who realized that the question at issue was not only an emotional one, but also a discussable one; and this point of view was immediately reflected to their readers. Further results are hard to measure with a slide-rule. The conference had its definite effect in building up the racial consciousness and solidarity of the Negroes. The decline in lynching is very probably a result of this and other efforts of the Association.

The immediate practical result was a change in the minds of many southern editors. They realized that the issue was not only emotional but also open to discussion. The editors immediately conveyed this view to their readers. Further results are hard to measure precisely. The conference definitely helped strengthen Black people's racial awareness and solidarity. The decline in lynching is very probably a result of the conference and other efforts by the Association.

Many churches have made paid advertising and organized propaganda part of their regular activities. They have developed church advertising committees, which make use of the newspaper and the billboard, as well as of the pamphlet. Many denominations maintain their own periodicals. The Methodist Board of Publication and Information systematically gives announcements and releases to the press and the magazines.

Many churches have made paid advertising and organized propaganda part of their regular activities. These churches have set up advertising committees that use newspapers, billboards, and pamphlets. Many denominations publish their own periodicals. The Methodist Board of Publication and Information regularly sends announcements and press releases to newspapers and magazines.

But in a broader sense the very activities of social service are propaganda activities. A campaign for the preservation of the teeth seeks to alter people’s habits in the direction of more frequent brushing of teeth. A campaign for better parks seeks to alter people’s opinion in regard to the desirability of taxing themselves for the purchase of park facilities. A campaign against tuberculosis is an attempt to convince everybody that tuberculosis can be cured, that persons with certain symptoms should immediately go to the doctor, and the like. A campaign to lower the infant mortality rate is an effort to alter the habits of mothers in regard to feeding, bathing and caring for their babies. Social service, in fact, is identical with propaganda in many cases.

But in a broader sense, social service activities are themselves propaganda. A campaign to protect teeth seeks to change people’s habits so they brush more often. A campaign for better parks seeks to change people’s views on whether they should tax themselves to buy park facilities. A campaign against tuberculosis tries to convince everyone that tuberculosis can be cured. The campaign also urges people with certain symptoms to see a doctor immediately, and so on. A campaign to reduce infant deaths tries to change mothers’ habits in feeding, bathing, and caring for their babies. In fact, social service is identical to propaganda in many cases.

Even those aspects of social service which are governmental and administrative, rather than charitable and spontaneous, depend on wise propaganda for their effectiveness. Professor Harry Elmer Barnes, in his book, “The Evolution of Modern Penology in Pennsylvania,” states that improvements in penological administration in that state are hampered by political influences. The legislature must be persuaded to permit the utilization of the best methods of scientific penology, and for this there is necessary the development of an enlightened public opinion. “Until such a situation has been brought about,” Mr. Barnes states, “progress in penology is doomed to be sporadic, local, and generally ineffective. The solution of prison problems, then, seems to be fundamentally a problem of conscientious and scientific publicity.”

Even government-run and administrative social services, rather than charitable and voluntary efforts, depend on well-planned propaganda to be effective. Professor Harry Elmer Barnes discusses this in his book, “The Evolution of Modern Penology in Pennsylvania.” He states that political influences hinder improvements in Pennsylvania’s prison administration. The legislature must be persuaded to allow the best scientific methods of prison management. To achieve this, an informed public opinion must be developed. “Until public opinion is informed,” Mr. Barnes states, “progress in prison management is doomed to be sporadic, local, and generally ineffective. Solving prison problems, then, seems to be fundamentally a matter of responsible, scientifically informed publicity.”

Social progress is simply the progressive education and enlightenment of the public mind in regard to its immediate and distant social problems.

Social progress is simply the public becoming steadily better educated and informed about its immediate and long-term social problems.