Newspaper Article from Syracuse Post Standard, "The Rumor Clinic: Every Loyal Citizen Can Fight Enemy With Truth and Facts," by Warren B. Walsh

The Rumor Clinic Every Loyal Citizen Can Fight Enemy With Truth and Facts Published as a Public Service in Co-operation with the Syracuse University Rumor Clinic By Prof. Warren B. Walsh, is Director of the Syracuse University Rumor Clinic k y Not very many of us can serve our country in the combat forces. e Not all of us have jobs directly in war industries. Not all of us can e serve as air raid wardens or auxiliary police. And very few of us can a buy all the bonds and stamps that we should like to. Yet this is OUR WAR and WE HAVE GOT TO WIN IT. What can we do? WE CAN USE OUR GREAT WEAPON OF TRUTH AGAINST THE LYING AT- TACKS OF THE NAZIS AND JAPS. The enemy is trying to work the same plan on us that he worked in France, and Norway, and Holland, and Singapore. He is trying to divide us among ourselves. He is trying to set group against group. He is trying to undermine our confidence in our leaders. To do this he tells lies. He lies about the Army, the Navy, and the other military forces. He lies about the Catholics, the Protestants, and the Jews. He lies about shortages, about rationing, about our equipment. THIS IS OUR SECOND FRONT. This is where we can all get at the enemy and strike him hard. For we have a weapon he dares not use. We have truth and facts. We can answer his lies and squelch the rumors he starts. To do this best we must have a little training and a little prepara- tion. Here are the answers to 10 questions which are often asked about rumors. Read them and then look at the typical rumors which are given below. These rumors have been selected by the Clinic for investigation and answer. If you hear these rumors repeated, kill them with truth! First, let's get this in mind: Just what is a rumor? A rumor is a story or an item of alleged information which is cur- t rently repeated altho it has not been established as a fact. g Where do you hear rumors? Everywhere-in the shop, in the office, at the store, in peoples' homes, in fact anywhere that people meet. Who tells the rumors? Most of us at some time or other unless we are very careful. Are rumors started by enemy agents? Some rumors are, but many are begun by careless Americans. It is estimated that about half the rumors begin with well-meaning but thoughtless people who like to tell a good story. Are all rumors false? No. Some rumors may be based upon fact and often a rumor con- tains a partial truth. Usually, however, the rumor distorts the facts. Do rumors have any distinguishing characteristics? Yes, but deliberate propaganda rumors are so clever that they are difficult to d'etect. How can the average person know which is rumor and which is fact? Unhappily there isn't any wholly satisfactory way to decide off-hand. Most people lack the time and facilities to check all the stories they hear. That's one reason for having a Rumor Clinic. Then can't the average person do anything to guard against rumors? He most certainly can. What can he do? 1. He can beware of all stories and gossip which claim to be based on some vague authority. Rumors frequently start with phrases like: "A sailor wrote his family that- or, "A fellow who works there told a friend of mine that-' or, "I heard a woman on the bus say-". 2. He can ask himself--"Will this story hurt our cause?" If the an- swer is "yes," then he should be very suspicious of the story. 3. He can say "Who will be helped if I tell this story?" If there is any chance that it will help the enemy, he should not repeat the story. 4. He can send all such stories and items to the Rumor Clinic to be checked. What shall I do when I next hear a rumor or what I think may be a rumor? 1. Ask the person who tells you "Where did you hear that?" 2. Report the story promptly to the Rumor Clinic. This Week's Rumors Rumdr: Lloyd's is betting 1 to 3 that the war ends by Christmas. Answer: Lloyd's are issuing no bets (insurance) of any kind with respect to the end of the war and have not done so for some months. Authority: Financial Department of Local Bank. Rumor: During the floods in Washington two weeks ago, the White House was under water. The flood was the work of saboteurs who destroyed numerous dams along the Potomác. Answer: This rumor is totally without foundation in fact. The Di-