THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. "Public Service.” FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1943 PRISONERS’ BROADCASTS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3250, 9 April 1943, Page 4

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. "Public Service.” FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1943 PRISONERS’ BROADCASTS

All who are aware of the manner in which enemy broadcasting stations make use of messages from prisoners of war will recognise the wisdom of the Army Order, just issued, which forbids officers and men of the Forces in the event of their being taken prisoner to transmit any broadcast statement or agree to a statement beingmade on their behalf. As the order points out, . such broadcasts are frequently' inaccurate, whereas there are reliable channels of communication by which relatives receive official information concerning prisoners. Occasionally next-of-kin have first learned the whereabouts of men as a result of enemy broadcasts, but these cases are few and far between. The relief thus afforded must be contrasted with the disappointment to the majority bf anxious relatives, not to. mention their exposure during periods of listening (at the enemy’s invitation) to the padding of propaganda which surrounds any crumb of news.

1 The Japanese are particularly blatant exponents of this heartless device, prefacing their so-called “hour” of messages from prisoners with the playing of “Home Sweet Home,” then introducing a long session of propaganda before giving at the most the names of three prisoners, together with . “messages” containing suspiciously unfamiliar sentiments and phraseology. Recently the Italians paid rei luctant tribute to the correct 1 and courteous but uncommunicative attitude of British officers and men who had fallen into their hands, and urged their own troops to model their behaviour on this example. General adherence to the rule of silence may not always be easy, , but in the long run it will save the majority of relatives needless strain and uncertainty. Furthermore, it will remove from the enemy’s hands one of the propagandist weapons he seeks to employ against us.