◆ SpookStack

oe es oe ee ee o_. _ ‘ ( tO 20 THE TECHNIQUES OF SOVIET PROPAGANDA each, those policies which avoid the appearance of being servile echoes af thea Wraw a daintetas os mush undar sanantonns n Ananadw's ram. Wh VALU ARIMA DO LIL UG, LLELAWAL FP ES se if the C AE SFE VOU oO Le” . y paigns is achieved than would be the case if the Communist Parties alone were supporting them openly. Positions taken by sup y independent groups are far more impressive than the “predetermined”’ actions of identified partisans. ile the Communist Party would remain isolated if it appeared under its true colors, it is able to create the illusion that proto-Soviet pelicies are advocated by a vast and genuine national movement; an illusion created by hun of trick mirrors that reflect its orders from every point on the horizon, and at hundreds of different angles. A very thorough awareness of reality is necessary to be protected against deception by such a mirage. The trick consists in transposing the music of Moscow into the several registers of trade unionists, philosophers, pacifists, Christians, sportsmen, etc., while fostering the belief that what they play is not a transposition, but an original work. So the credulous Othello is seduced to Iago’s designs by being persuaded that these designs are his own—to end by strangling Desdemona, whom he loves. In the same way progressives, manipulated by parallel organizations, are led in the end to strangle the freedom they revere. — Even tiny crypto-Communist organizations play an important role in Soviet propaganda. They can apply pressure on legislators by enrolling flying squads of Communist-front organizations under their banner. In receiving delegations from these committees, legislators are often unaware that they are sent by Communist-serving puppet groups, and dare not show them the door. Insomecases, subsequent colonization of groups, originally founded by loyal citizens, allows the party to capitalize on the prestige and esteem they have earned by public service and illustrious traditions. Such is the case in France with respect to the League of the Rights of Man. Parallel organizations are a leading propaganda device used in underdeveloped and formerly colonial countries. As pro-Soviet Propaganda in these areas concentrates on the exploitation of national and anticolonial feelings, the true face of communism is almost completely camouflaged, and the task of corrupting minds and estab- Eshing Soviet agents is primarily entrusted to parallel organizations. These are more easily disguise because the Afro-Asian communit is less experienced, and the atmosphere more hectic. Because of this combination of circumstances the parallel organizations achieve the stature of major political forces. few examples, selected at random, are the Association for the Advancement of Asian Peoples, the Union of the Population of Cameroon (UPC), the Association of Frenchmen of Tunisia, the Study and Action Committee for Peace in Algeria, activated by the cooperation of Communists and Christian progressives, and the Gen- eral Union of Algerian Workers (UTA), whose headquarters were for some time in Czechoslovakia. . OCCASIONAL FRONTS AND CAMPAIGNS in addition to the permanent subsidiaries that the Kremlin creates or underhandedly colonizes, all sorts of temporary movements are organized: fronts, solidarity days, and rallies on topical issues, such as ‘for freeing the Rosenbergs,” “against European Defense Com-