by Kev Moore

Excerpts from Adolph Hitlers’ book “Mein Kampf” pages 138 and 139

“……….If we consider the attitude of various Governments towards a whole series of really pernicious phenomena in public life, we shall at once recognise the fearful significance of this policy of half-measures and the lack of courage to take responsibilities. I shall single out only a few from the large numbers of instances known to me.

The Bible for the Australian media

In journalistic circles it is a pleasing custom to speak of the Press as a ‘Great Power’ within the State. As a matter of fact its importance is immense. One cannot easily overestimate it, for the Press continues the work of education even in adult life. Generally, readers of the press can be classified into three groups:

First, those who believe everything they read;

Second, those who no longer believe anything;

Third, those who critically examine what they read and form from their judgements accordingly.

Numerically, the first group is by far the strongest, being composed of the broad masses of the people………………….

………………………………………………The third group is easily the smallest, being composed of real intellectuals whom natural aptitude and education have taught to think for themselves and who in all things try to form their own judgements, while at the same time carefully sifting what they read. They will not read any newspaper without using their own intelligence to collaborate with that of the writer and naturally this does not set the writer an easy task. journalists appreciate this type of reader only with a certain amount of reservation.

Hence the trash that newspapers are capable of serving up is of little danger —— much less of importance——-to the third group of readers. In the majority of cases these readers have learnt to regard every journalist as fundamentally a rogue who sometimes speaks the truth. Most unfortunately the value of these readers lies in their intelligence and not in their numerical strength, an unhappy state of affairs in a period where wisdom counts for nothing and majorities for everything. Nowadays when the voting papers of the masses are the deciding factor; the decision lies in the hands of the numerically strongest group; that is to say the first group, the crowd of simpletons and the credulous…………………………

………………………………Particular attention should be paid to the Press; for its influence on these people is by far the strongest and most penetrating of all; since its affect is not transitory but continual. Its immense significance lies in the uniform and persistent repetition of its teaching. Here if anywhere, the State should never forget that all means should converge to the same end. It must not be led astray by the will-o’-the-wisp of so called ‘freedom of the Press’, or is talked into neglecting its duty, and withholding from the nation that which is good and does good. With ruthless determination the State must keep control of this instrument of popular education and place it at the service of the State and the nation………………………….

………………………..Was it not the German Press that understood how to make all the nonsensical talk obout ‘Western democracy’ palatable to our people, until an exuberant public was eventually prepared to entrust its future to the League of Nations? Was not this Press instrumental in bringing a state of moral degredation among our people? Were not morals and public decency made to look ridiculous and classed out of date and banal,until finally our people also became modernised?……………………………..