Rumour

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 21, 17 November 1939, Page 12

Rumour

WICE last week the Minister of Defence had to deny baseless rumours about units of the Dominion’s naval forces. On Monday the Leander "had engaged an enemy raider and had suffered casualties." On Thursday the Achilles had been "badly damaged in action." In neither case was there the slightest justification for such reports, but the second gained currency as easily as the first. Now most people know that rumours flourish as freely in war as toadstools on a dunghill. Men and women everywhere sigh for sensations; some are malicious; others are simple and anxious and credulous, and easily worried by official reticence. There are a hundred reasons in war-time why those who in normal circumstances neither gossip nor chatter, listen to and pass on lies. For most rumours are lies. They are started without knowledge and they are circulated without verification. In these particular cases, however, the circumstances that might have justified credulity just did not exist. The Government has not only promised to pass on all news that is news. It has given the most solemn undertaking that it will pass this news on promptly. At the same time it has asked, and is entitled to assume, that its confidence in the people in this respect will be repaid by public confidence in the Government. If it tells us nothing it ought to be able to believe that we shall suspect nothing; above all that we shall invent nothing. And that, no doubt, can be assumed of most of us. But the trouble is, many who do not themselves accept rumours take no active steps to suppress them. We do not rebuff whisperers even when we believe that they are circulating nonsense. Which means, of course, that we are failing the Government as well as injuring the innocent. Governments are entitled in such situations to the support of all reasonable citizens. Where public injury is being done they should know that the support will be active and hearty.