To Horwitz from Wilchu: [*67*] [*July 31 1942*] Morale Librarian at Urbana, Illinois. Reports that most of the comments in Editorials in Illinois weekly newspapers seem to be concerned with domestic morale. 1 The necessity for taking a realistic attitude toward War. 2 prevention of accidents 3 greater part in civilian defense 4 greater interest in government. 5 The Soldiers Vote. LSW 8/10/42 [*Chicago Rumor Area Study File*] At the present time under a limited budget we are making an initial study of rumors prevalent in Chicago. Our study is being conducted with the aid of voluntary informants who send in weekly reports of what they have heard or overheard. (For instruction sheets and forms see exhibits A, B, C, and D attached.) The first of these reports was due the first week of July, and our informants will continue to send in statements until notified to discontinue their cooperation. [Bi]Semi-monthly a brief statement is sent to our informants reporting the type of material which we are securing. (For the first of these statements, see Exhibit E.) About 50 persons are cooperating in this study. These informants have been carefully selected from six areas [from] in Chicago. The areas studied are Hegeswick, a Slavic industrial community; Hyde Park, a middle-class primarily native-white district; Highland Park, an upper-class residential suburb; the South Side Negro district; South Chicago, an industrial suburb with a mixed population of Slavic, Mexican and Negro; and the Near West Side, a lower-class Italian and Negro district. Our materials, which at the present time are still limited in quantity (representing the reports of only two weeks) contain series of current rumors and opinions adjacent thereto. They are what our informants have heard or overheard- there is no interviewing or questioning involved. The materials show the following preoccupations and consensus: 1. There is a good deal of opposition to rationing, particularly sugar rationing. -2- For example, the following statement was made by a steel worker in a defense plant: I don't believe there is a sugar shortage, this ration business is a lot of humbug. The other day I read in the Tribune where a business house stored thousands of pounds of sugar in a basement and it happened to rain, the basement was flooded and the sugar was melted. This probably isn't the only case. 2. There is pronounced feeling about the role of certain groups in the war effort. In the Negro community one of our listeners overheard the following statement made by a Negro in a tavern the night before his induction: I had rather fight here at home for rights denied me than go abroad to fight unless Negroes get a better break in everything. Here is the statement of a Negro doctor: I can't see myself volunteering when the doors to so many places where aid to win the war is vitally needed are closed in my face. When I am called I shall gladly go. But to volunteer, seems to me a farce. From both South Chicago and the Italian West Side we get pronounced anti-Jewish statements. Here is a statement made by an Italian youth in his own home. Most of the Jews are to blame for this war. Hitler was right in kicking out all the Jews, although he should not have attacked the other countries who were not bothering him at all. There aren't a heck of a lot of Jews in the Army, is there? No. They stay home getting rich while the other boys go out and get killed. Damn them! Why doesn't the government look into this? Typed [*3*] Here is the statement of a fifty-year old South Chicago steel-maker. The only people who are making money out of this war are the Jews. I’ll bet there will be more rich people after the war and they will not be people like you and me who earn our dough the hard way working in a factory. 3. Among certain minority groups, for example, the Italians, there seems to be some evidence of pro-axis feelings. Here is a report of statements made by fairly prosperous Italians: On Sunday June 28, 1942 at a breakfast party held by a church organization, a middle-aged man, fairly-well dressed, said: “Say, you know at the place (factory) where I work there are some German people who talk to those of us who are Italians and whose people in the old country are with the Axis, and when they talk about how the war is getting along they say, ‘How is Roberto? Roberto is doing pretty well today? Roberto will win, will he not?’ Of course, you all know that he (Roberto) is the Axis. You can see that is the way we talk so nobody knows what we are talking about. Yesterday, one of these German guys told me, ‘Russia is finding Roberto tough now, ain’t she?’ Pretty soon, a member of the group asked of the speaker, ‘But who is this Roberto?’ Whereupon he replied, ‘Rome-Berlin-Tokyo. RO-BER-TO.’” About half of the group expressed surprise, the other half seemed to know all about the “secret” word. Then, this same speaker said, “They say Mussolini is the boss of the Axis - he’s the brains of it. But they are making off that Hitler is so as to trick everybody into thinking the brain power comes from Germany. But the real power, we all know comes from Rome that’s why it’s Ro-ber-to. Rome comes first. Ciano and Mussolini they are smart men.” To this that same half of the group responded with approbation but the other half remained incredulous. Another rumor from the Italian area concerns itself with the refusal of American soldiers to embark for overseas duty. According to -4- this tale the soldiers have to be captured, tied up, and carried aboard ship. 4. The "spy" trials are being reflected in rumors. Here is one from a middle-class white area: At a small tea on Friday several friends of mine were re-telling one of the current spy stories. They are women of the University community, active and alert, and somewhere around 40 years old. The story is, that in a local beauty shop on 55th or 53rd, a woman came in for a shampoo and wave. She was unknown to the proprietor except for her name on the appointment book. After she had gone, it was discovered that she had left a book behind. The proprietor (a woman) examined the book for some clue to the customer's identity, and discovered that it was filled with maps, plans and codes, as well as odd bits of information such as, how to know an F.B.I. man. On advice of her husband, the beauty shop proprietor turned the book over to the Hyde Park Police. The next morning, the customer returned, much perturbed over the loss of the book. A search was made of the shop by one of the operators, the proprietor being "mum" and the woman, rumor has it, was taken into custody. The above story inspired another woman to say that she had heard that all beauty shops in this neighborhood were being investigated, due to the "fact" that a shortwave sending and receiving set had been found in Gottlieb's Beauty Shop -- a place under suspicion for its clientel for some time. Here is another: It seems when Churchill and Roosevelt went to Fort Bragg to see an exhibition of paratroopers, the officer in charge of the troopers was really a spy and planned to give the orders for them to jump when the planes were over a forest which would have meant that many of the troopers would have been injured. Fortunately, this spy was discovered in time and the maneuver went off as planned. -5- Here is a saboteur story from the Italian area: They tell me that at Fort Custer, Michigan five or six hundred soldiers are quarantined with yellow jaundice. They get if from the serum that is injected in them in the vaccinations. On the West Coast there's a lot of yellow jaundice among the sailors and soldiers. Something's wrong somewhere with all those soldiers and sailors in quarantine. 5. Rumors concerning reasons for the events of war are also frequent. An example from an upper class area follows: Have you heard that a lot of the British soldiers in Libya are blind? The reason the British had to retreat was because so many of their men had desert blindness. Various other stories, that plants canning food for the Army are using spoiled meat, that soldiers who take advantage of the ten days furloughs after induction will be kept in the Army for two years after the war ends, that the tire administrator is connected with the big rubber companies, etc. all seem to be current. The purposes of this investigation of rumor are (1) to get a picture of the kind of rumors which are present; (2) to see how they vary among cultural groups, among social classes, and among occupations; (3) how they are related to passing events; (4) what light they throw on the tensions, anxieties, complaints, and hopes of people; and (5) how they originate and spread. As mentioned, the volunteer informants are carefully chosen in terms of willingness to cooperate, of ability to observe, and of strategic accessibility to a significant group in the community. [*Exhibit A: Instructions - higher educational level*] University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPORTERS Purpose The committee on Communications and Public Opinion is interested in furnishing various government agencies with information about the changes in public opinion in this area. One way in which one can determine shifts in public opinion is to find out, over a period of time, what people are talking about. Rumors in particular reflect the feelings and attitudes of people towards the things in which they are interested. General The Report Sheet, form #1, is to be used to report your findings to the Committee. This form should be sent in at the end of each week so that it may be received in this office before Tuesday of the following week. The heading of form #1 is self-explanatory. One caution: Be sure to space headed "Reporter's Code" is filled in before mailing your report. What to Report We are interested primarily in rumors about the war and about civilian participation in the war. A rumor usually is concerned with some item of public interest which has not been printed (except perhaps in gossip columns) or reported over the radio. Rumors treat with what people have heard, although often rumors are distortions of what people have read. You can usually recognize a rumor when the rumor-spreader begins saying "I heard..." or, "Someone who ought to know told me...," or "Everyone is saying...," or "Someone told me they read somewhere...," or "Have you heard...," etc. Report all rumors about the progress of the war, Government Policy, the Army, our Allies, or any other information which you may consider pertinent, such as reaction to sugar and tire rationing, etc. Please be full in reporting these rumors. Tell us: (1) What you have heard. (2) Where you heard it (such as "at the barber shop," or "at the bridge club," or "at a party," or "on the bus." (3) When you heard it (such as "yesterday," "two days ago," etc.) 2 (4) Who stated the rumor? We do not want the names of these persons. We should like to know their sex, approximate age, social position, economic position and any other facts about them that might help us to judge the kind of group from which the person comes. It should be easy for you to supply this information about your friends and acquaintances, and, once you get started you will quickly be able to report most of these items about any casual contacts which you might have. (5) To whom was the rumor told? Was it to you, to some other person, or to a group of persons. If you can we should like you to describe simply the persons to whom the r mark was made. For example, you might say "I heard a middle-aged woman who was quite well-dressed say to her companion, who was about the same age and similarly dressed ........" This statement could serve as an adequate description of the person stating the rumor and the person to whom it was addressed. (6) what was the response of the persons to whom the rumor was reported? Did they say, "Yes, that's probably so," or "You don't say --," or, "I can't believe it." Maybe they said nothing at all and just accepted the rumor as fact. Whatever is your impression of their reaction, report it. If you are in doubt as to whether an item is a rumor or not report it anyway. You probably will find it helpful at first to jot down rumors that you hear as soon as possible after you have made your observations. This will help you to remember the interesting things about a particular situation. Try to keep a record each day of the rumors you have heard that day. To help you get started a sample report sheet is attached. This is not a model. Report in your own way, but this sheet will help you see the kind of things in which we are interested. Form #1 The University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion Sheet No: 1 Reporter's Code: E.S. Date: June 10 Yesterday afternoon on the I.C. train I overheard two middle-aged women talking about the War. They were about 50 years old and well-dressed. I judged that they lived in South Shore. One of them was saying that she had heard from a friend who had it from a reliable source that our government was holding a large part of our Army in this country because we were planning to invade Russia as soon as the Red Army beat the Germans. The other said she hadn't heard that this was our official policy but that she thought it was a good policy since obviously we would have to fight Russia after this War. Then they talked about their children. One of them was worried because her son who was married was soon going to be drafted. The other said that she had heard that if one knew the right people one could always get an Army Commission. They both agreed on this and went on to talk of the sons of friends who had received Commissions. When I was making a purchase at one of the department stores I overheard two middle-aged saleswomen talking. They were discussing the fact that starting the next week deductions would be made from their pay to purchase War Savings Stamps and Bonds. One said to the other "Between bonds and hospital insurance, I'll have to go without lunch to make ends meet." The other said, "That's right. But wait until they start the Liberty Loan drive." The first said, "Do you think they're going to have one?" I could not overhear any more of this conversation. It seemed to me that these women were very unfavorable to having deductions made from their checks for Savings Bonds. Charles R. Pinnell, President B. W. Honnold, Secretary KANSAS COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL [*219*] Member North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools John C. Roberts, Superintendent KANSAS, ILLINOIS August 15, 1942 Dear Mr. Kane: In compliance with your reguest I beg to submit the following report. Monday, August 10, 1942, Illiopolis, Illinois. 1. " A carpenter received a notice to appear for work on the Sangamon Ordnance plant. He reported at the specified time and place but there was no one to report to. He sat around for half the morning and finally picked up a 2x4 and began carrying it around to make believe he was working. He carried the board around the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon before he noticed that he was being followed by a man who also carried a 2x4. He did every thing he could to try to shake the man following him but could not. Finally late in the day the first man stopped and went back to the second man and asked him why he was carrying the 2x4 around. The second man replied, "You are my boss. They instructed me at the main office to follow you around and do everything you did." 2. While on the milk truck. Lady, "How many customers have you lost in the last week?" My reply, "None, we get new customers every day." "Why?" Lady, "Well we have been worried for two weeks because the rumor is out that they have been firing 200 to 300 men each day over at the ordnance plant. Every day my husband expects to get his slip. Neither of us can sleep at night. With the four children about ready to start to school and winter coming on we just can not get along with out work." My reply, "Every day some one gets fired over at the plant for incompetence or sabotage. Every day new men are taken on. Your husband is a conscientious worker and has a good incentive in you and your children. As long as he works hard you need have no fear of being without work." Tuesday, August 11, 1942 Kansas, Illinois 3. "Yep, the selective service is not fair at all. In some counties they are sending married men while in other counties there are hundreds of IAs still available. If our government was at all competent the quotas would be made on the basis of the number of IAs in a given county rather than on the basis of the number of registrants. Why there was so and so who was drafted and his wife had twins four months after he was in the army. One of them died. I wonder how he feels about the war not when there are single men loafing in Chicago. Besides that when a county can not Charles R. Pinnell, President B. W. Hannold, Secretary KANSAS COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL Member North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools John C. Roberts, Superintendent KANSAS, ILLINOIS #2 make its quota one month they never have to make up that quota it is just wiped off the records. What do you think of that?" Wednesday, August 12, 1942, Illiopolis, Illinois. 4. "Why doesn't our government wake up. Everybody seems to know there is a war going on but them. They want us farmers to raise more food yet they take all our laborers away from us. What good does it do to raise it if we have to let it rot in the field. Last week I lost thirty tons of good clover hay because I could not get any one to help put it up. It is just laying there in the field rotting. These common laborers get $11 a day out here on this ordnance plant. How can I pay that much? But the thing that makes me the madest of all is that every afternoon from 4:30 until dark there are from 100 to 200 men over there in the park in several big crap games while us farmers are forced to let our crops rot in the field." 5. "Do you see that pile of mail Mr. Roberts?" "Some of that has been there for two days. Thats why your mail is always late. These ordnance workers started coming in here in March. Now there are about 4,000 of them. We are trying to give 5,000 people the same service we gave 1,000 with the same help. Ever since April I have been trying to wake them fellows up in Washington. They don't realize there is a war on and an ordnance plant here. We need a bigger force in the Post Office. There are just four of us now, the same number as before the war. Why can't the government fellows be as good as the Wabash railroad. Whenever the agent over there asks for help he gets it. He has four new men helping him now. If I could just get two or three I would be satisfied. It is the same way with war bonds and stamps. We get the same as we did before the plant started. Now our supply lasts only a few days and then we don't have any for the rest of the month." Thursday, August 13, 1942, Charleston, Illinois 1–a. A carpenter received a notice to appear for work on the Wabash Ordnance plant at Newport, Indiana, etc. etc. (This is the same story as No. 1, except that this time there are three of the men carrying 2x4 instead of two) Charles R. Pinnell, President B. W. Hannold, Secretary KANSAS COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL Member North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools John C. Roberts, Superintendent KANSAS, ILLINOIS #3 Friday, August 14, 1942 Kansas, Illinois 6. A carpenter on the Wabash Ordnance Plant. "I have worked for the past ten years for $15 a week. Last Saturday I made that much in one day. But the thing I can Not understand is why they do not want you to do an honest days work. The [*7-a-b*] company and union bosses are always riding us about slowing down. Its slow down, slow down, slow down, do you want to work yourself out of a job. To hell with them, my kid brother is in the army, I'm working for him, too. And the the way they waste lumber, I could build a house with the pile they burn every day. Some of it good boards with only a foot or two cut off. Most of it over ten feet long. I wish they would let me truck it home but they would rather see it burn. Uncle Sam pays for it any way." Saturday, August 15, 1942 Illiopolis, Illinois 7. "For year I had bought flower bulbs and shrubs to beautify my home. Harold always liked those things so much and after he died it seemed to help to work with them. When I received final notice from Mr. Fisher that I would have to move from my farm because of the ordnance plant I went to Springfield to ask if I could take some of the flowers and shrubs with me. Mr. Fisher said absolutely not, those things were all government property now that I could not touch them under penalty of arrest. I went home and moved to town. The next thing I knew they had moved in with tractors and bulldozers and had completely destroyed all of them flower bulbs and shrubs. Thats the way they do it in the German occupied countries. I never dreamed that any American citizen would do something like that to another citizen. Its been almost five months since they threatened me and made me move but I have never been paid yet. I have to borrow money to live on. It seems like every body takes advantage of a widow woman. They tell me we have to pay for the appraiser the government hired and the negotiator the government hired. Looks like if we have to pay the bill we would be allowed to hire our own appraisers. That negotiator. Phooey, nothing but a politician they wanted to pay off with our money. Sincerely yours, John C. Roberts John C. Roberts ILLINOIS Report made – August 8, 1942 Report due – August 8, 1942 [*6*] BUREAU OF INTELLIGENCE REPORT NO. 6 STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA – August 3 to August 8 The Counter Propaganda Committee on Morale which is a Division of the OCD of Chicago, represented by Mr. William Spillard, head of the Arson Division of the National Board of Fire Underwriters and President of the Chicago Special Agents Committee which is comprised of representatives of various law enforcement agencies, plant protection units, private investigation agencies and many other representatives from organizations that have mutual problems, reports the following rumors: Mr. Spillard advises that rumors are increasing at this stage. [*6*] The Department of Justice made available a number of its special investigators by requesting them to pay attention to current rumors that were He advised that the consensus of statements made by the Italians with whom he talked this week is that they have a revengeful feeling toward Japan without a great deal of antipathy toward Germany and they still talk of America's stab in the back at Pearl Harbor. He heard no objections to America's aiding Russia. (In some cases, this individual was known as a Justice agent; in others, he was unknown.) [*6*] A professor of Sociology, who is a member of the University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion which is making an intensive study of the rumors within the Chicago area, reports that this week the current rumors were: [*6*] Concerning England: He also reports two noticeable developments (1) since the trial of the eight Nazi saboteurs, it has been difficult to find persons of German descent who will act as sponsors for these proposed parolees whereas it was simple prior to that incident, and (2) a suspicious attitude among non-Germans toward Germans is more prevalent than it was a week or ten days ago. [*6*] Another special investigator who contacts the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, FBI, police, courts, etc., reports that there is little talk about the war other than conversation about establishing a second front and that, this week, the remark that "The establishment of a second front should be a decision of the military experts rather than amateurs" is more prevalent than "A second front is necessary to save Russia." The following rumors were reported by a representative of the Department of Justice to have been spoken by persons of more than average intelligence: –2– [*6*] STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA – August 3 to August 8 ILLINOIS spoken in the course of their contacts with the public. They reported the following: STUDENTS REACTIONS TO THE WAR Directed By Mandel Sherman The following is a brief summary of the material you wanted. The survey of the attitudes of youth was made in three high schools in Chicago and in the high school of a small town near Chicago. The data were obtained mainly from themes which the students wrote entitled "What the War Means To Me." These themes were written in a forty-minute class period at the request of the teacher who suggested the title as an appropriate one on which she could base her opinion of their ability in English. In addition, about 400 youth of high school age of those who wrote the themes were interviewed for further elaboration. The following classification was made of the responses of the students. 1. Direct antagonism to the war, including criticism of the government, of the war effort, and of the reasons for the war. (More emotional and general than 2.) 5.2% 2. A critical attitude towards the war and towards the government, including criticism of the way the war is handled, criticism of rationing, etc. 5.8% 3. Neither critical nor favorable. In this category, statements are made that war "perhaps could not be avoided," or "since we are in the war, we might as well go through with it." 21.0% (a) Neither favorable nor critical: statements about how bad rationing is; that there will be a depressions. 4. Favorable attitude towards the war, but critical of specific elements. For example, one boy stated that there is no reason for taking young people, older persons should go. Another boy said that they are going to draft his father and there is no reason why their family should be penalized because the nation goes to war. Specific criticism of rationing is also common. 9.0% 5. Evident confusion, where the adolescent states that the whole war is a sort of mystery and he does not know what to think. Often statements are made that perhaps it might be all right to have a war because people will learn how to save. 12.0% 6. A favorable attitude toward the war with statements that he will try to help as much as possible by selling stamps or becoming a nurse, or an airplane pilot. 26.0% 7. A strong favorable attitude with, perhaps, statements that we should have gotten in earlier with parallel vindictiveness against the enemy. 21.0% The above distribution is that of the responses of 7,600 high school youth. Students' Reactions To the War (Continued) –2– The majority of the students did not mention ideological concepts of the meaning of the war, but for the most part were concerned with personal problems and deprivations. Those in the lowest economic groups were more favorably disposed toward our war effort and were less critical of the conduct of the war than the youth of families of higher economic levels. The younger of these youth were more verbal and less critical than the older. Fully 20 per cent of the youth were concerned with the possibility of a depression after the war and a larger number were concerned more with the personal deprivations than with the issues of the war. A large number of youth stated that they were confused by the issues because of the many contradictions they observed in the newspapers and over the radio and because they were more confused than clarified by the discussions of their parents. Mandel Sherman PROPOSAL FOR RESEARCH ON WAR ATTITUDES IN CHICAGO Directed by Arthur. W. Kornhauser Two major questions indicate the direction of the project: 1. What information concerning people's personal aims, societal orientation, and systems of values is most useful in interpreting and dealing with their behavior and specific attitudes in relation to the war? The response of typical groups to the government's various means of controlling inflation, will be conspicuous among the behavior and attitudes to be continuously observed and analyzed. 2. In what respects can procedures for ascertaining such "deeper" attitudes relating to the war best be improved? 1. The first question implies that a distinctive contribution can be made to the analysis of war opinion by searching for deeper lying attitudes than those which deal directly with specific issues. The ordinary opinion surveys, valuable and necessary as they are in describing the current complexion and shifts of opinion, neglect the longer run and deeper personal meanings of the war. It appears probable, however, that the most effective measures to improve morale will be those directed toward these personal aims and meanings. Hence, it is proposed that our research efforts focus at this point. More specifically, for example, we shall seek to describe the characteristic personal aims, values, and expectations of negroes as compared with whites, of war industry employees compared with management representatives, of dislocated small business men, of ex-isolationists, of Germans still loyal to the fatherland, of low income group "Americans," etc. The Research on War Attitudes (Continued) 2 underlying question will be what kinds of policies and appeals can most effectively reach such groups in terms of their own concrete experiences and personal goals. How can they best be brought to feel that the war hold promise for them and that they can afford to submerge their separate interests for the sake of the greater gains for themselves (as contrasted with so much of the general type of appeal which sounds nice but leaves people unmoved?) Questions of the kind pointed to here will include "dangerous" ones which a government agency probably would find it unwise to ask. For example, we should try to gain light on how far different parts of the community genuinely believe in and really desire democratic controls in government and in industry. How far do people want a "social revolution"––or Wallace's "century of the common man"? And what lies back of these attitudes? Our immediate research task will be to formulate more fully and carefully the types of information to be sought along the lines suggested in these preceding paragraphs. 2. The second question has to do with techniques of inquiry and with the validity of findings obtained by alternative techniques. It is proposed here to carry on small scale exploratory studies with the following methods: a. Direct interview techniques of the usual type, including both short–answer and free–answer questions. This ordinary interview procedure is included primarily for comparative pruposes; the results will be checked against those obtained by other methods. In addition, the interviews will constitute a necessary basis for procedure (b) described in the next paragraph. b. A few days after the usual interview has been completed, a second Research on War Attitudes (Continued) 3 (more mature?) interviewer or "supervisor" will call upon the respondent and explain tactfully that he wishes to fill in a little further information and to find out how the other interview "went." Different types of explanations will need to be tried out in order to find which encourages the respondent to talk more fully and freely. I believe that in general the follow–up interviewer will be able to elicit considerable additional material from the respondent and that, at the same time, he can learn something of the extent and nature of the respondent's resistance, deception, and lack of frankness during the initial interview. (We shall explain to all interviewers the plan of having these follow–up interviews in order to avoid misunderstanding or resentment.) c. Interviews will be tried in which the questions pertain to concrete and specific "cases" described by the interviewer, instead of the usual more or less abstract and general questions. Similarly, some interviews will be built around quoted expressions of opinion with the request that the respondent tell his agreements and disagreements. These procedures have been occasionally employed (the "case" description especially by Alfred Jones in his Akron study of attitudes toward private property) but offer opportunities for further development and adaptation to inquiries of the kind here proposed. d. A very small "panel" of respondents will be set up with whom a series of intensive interviews can be conducted. The purpose here will be to check on the usefulness of this procedure for our particular type of study. The nature and advantages of the panel procedure have been widely discussed in the literature. Research on War Attitudes (Continued) 4 e. Reports will be secured from "competent" observers within various community groups concerning the attitudes which they believe to characterize the groups. The observers will include preachers, social workers, political party workers, and civilian defense officials. They will be interviewed from time to time to obtain their impressions about relevant attitudes based upon their casual observations and informal conversations with people in the community. We shall probably provide guiding instructions to them concerning the types of attitudes we wish to have them report. f. Finally, a small sample of the general population will be interviewed with respect to what they think other persons of their acquaintance think on the matters under investigation. Findings from all the above methods will be studied in relation to one another as far as possible. THE STUDY OF THE CHICAGO PRESS Directed By Ithiel Pool The Chicago press invites continuing research in war-time because the Chicago newspapers serve as type models of all the major newspaper approaches to the war. The Chicago Tribune is the outstanding isolationist paper in the country, and a paper of great power. The Herald-American is a typical Hearst paper. The Chicago Sun and the Chicago Times are liberal Democratic papers supporting the administration. Finally, the Daily News is an example of a conservative and Republican paper, which is, however, all out for the war. As its first subject of study this project is taking the headlines, editorials, and special dispatches to the paper by its own correspondents. The press service stories are much alike in the different papers. By excluding them we focus our attention on those parts of the paper which are most sharply slanted toward the publishers' point of view. We are content analyzing this material with three primary problems in mind: optimism and pessimism, criticism and unity, and the effect of the paper on public opinion. 1. Optimism is not a simple phenomenon. In a previous study of the press in a war situation (the French press during the battle of France) we found an elaborate mechanism of compensation for bad events in one sphere by an increase of optimism in another less relevant sphere. Overoptimism does not consist simply in predictions of victory in 1942 nor in the proportion of good and bad battle news headlines. The purpose of this is to trace the confidence leval continuously in all the major spheres of war news, observing the shifts in complacency and realism under the impact of events. Study of the Chicago Press (Continued) 2 The results of this part of the study will be related to the results of the other two parts. There is good reason to expect that lack of realism in this sphere will be closely related to divisive and unfavorable attitudes both in the press content and in the reactions of the readers. 2. A record is kept of the targets of press attacks and the character of the attacks. For example, we have already found that the Tribune has been forced to shift from its direct attack on the administration to attacking such unofficial "devils" as New Yorkers, Ralph Ingersoll, refugee royaalty, et al. In March such unofficial "devils" accounted for but 15 per cent of the Tribune's domestic political attacks, while in July they accounted for about 40 per cent. In a similar manner, of course, record is kept of all identifications. By determining the relative frequency of attacks on and identifications with various groups such as labor, the government, or our allies, and the character and sphere of the attacks we can establish the impact of events upon the various papers, and also the relationship between the presence of certain critical attitudes in the press, and the acceptance of the attitudes by the attitudes by the readers. The latter involves relating the results of this section of the study to those of the final section. 3. A recently completed study by the Committee on Communications has shown that the Tribune and Sun do exert a marked influence on their readers' opinions. We found that dissatisfaction with the Tribune's was attitudes was the primary factor making people turn to the Sun. We found, further, that people who stuck to the Tribune did so, for the most part, despite its war attitudes and because of habit, features, or style. We also found (and this is most important) that the appearance of the Sun did result in a marked Study of the Chicago Press (Continued) 3 shift away from isolationism in those persons who changed to the new newspaper and that, on the contrary, those persons who stuck to the Tribune were definitely influenced in its direction. One of the major purposes of the Study of the Chicago Press is to carry further this determination of the influence of the different newspapers. In particular, we should like to estimate the influence of the Chicago Tribune on this part of the Middle West. The technique for obtaining these results would involve a combination of polling and content analysis. When Dr. Kornhauser has completed two or three opinion surveys we will examine the results to determine on which questions marked changes of opinion took place. We will then determine if there is any differential in the amount of change for readers of different newspapers. So far, all this information can be obtained from the poll results. The final step, however, would be to content analyze the Chicago papers for the period involved to determine how much and what kind of difference there was between the treatment of the relevant topics in the different newspapers. The results could then be related to the poll results, and an estimate made of the effectiveness of the devices and approaches used by the different papers. On the basis of those conclusions suggestions could be made about government information policy, and about effective and ineffective appeals. INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION [OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT REPORTS] TO: William H. Webber DATE: 10/12/42 FROM: Field Representative for Illinois - HMA [*H.M.A.*] SUBJECT: Rumor Report Attached hereto are rumors collected from our six persons as per your directive of October 1, 1942. I wish to advise that we have very rigidly carried out all instructions but are definitely not pleased with results. It was my feeling at the time we received this assignment that we would not obtain much of a supply of rumors from the six limited sources so the results are not a little bit surprising. The six people assigned to this work were: MR. NELSON and MR. BAUMGART OF THE THE CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE, One North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois: Both of these men have been associated with the Chicago Association of Commerce for several years. They supply advice to business men regarding priorities and on other problems arising from the war program, and arrange luncheon meetings and the like. Both have university training and are held in high regard by the Association Secretary. DR. ALFRED E. HANSSEN, 55 EAST WASHINGTON, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Dentist, born in Narvik, Norway; lost one brother and one nephew as a result of the German invasion. Former instructor in dental surgery at the College of Dentistry at Northwestern University. Enjoys a small but high type clientele. BEAUTY OPERATOR: Typical beauty shop operator about 31 and married. She works in an above-average shop located in a hotel with predominately Jewish residents. Probably has high school education. SAM GOLDSTEIN, 1159 WEST MADISON, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Druggist in Rexall Drugstore on Chicago's short west side. Clientele made up of people in low economic strata. Reported no rumors. THOMAS CONROY, DES PLAINES STREET POLICE STATION, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Policeman. Reported no rumors. JOSEPH REGAN, PRESS STEEL CAR COMPANY, 113th and BRANDON STREETS, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Director of Personnel and in charge of plant protection at Press Steel Car Company which is located on the extreme south side of Chicago which is the industrial district. Mr. Regan directly handled this matter with an official of the plant union. He made an effort to find prevailing rumors within the plant and advised there were none during the past week. He advises that the morale within the plant is on a very high plane. It is my opinion that this is an ineffective and cumbersome type of assignment. In the main, the reaction received from those who helped us was that it was uninteresting, burdensome, and ineffective. I sincerely urge Mr. Webber - 2 10/12/42 that Washington not ask us to repeat this type of activity. In the past, we have used a very excellent process of determining what rumors were in circulation by tapping technical sources such as the University of Chicago Committee on Public Opinion and Communications which has made a thorough study of rumors, the Counter-Propaganda Committee of the Chicago Area OCD, Department of Justice Agents, men engaged in plant protection work, and other investigators who are in constantly in contact with many elements in the field. It is through such contacts as those that we can come through with a survey of what types of rumors are currently making the rounds and the extent of same. Another thing is we did not have sufficient time to properly organize this work and to get same started, we had to pretty much rush into it. To my mind, this is a phase of activity that does not produce the necessary results, and Douglas Waples and Dr. Blumer of the University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion join with me in this reaction. ILLINOIS Report made - August 15, 1942 Report due - August 15, 1942 BUREAU OF INTELLIGENCE REPORT NO. 7 STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 10 to August 15 The following report concerning rumors covers the period August 10 until noon of August 15. In gathering this material, we have solicited the services of individuals and organization who are in touch with all groups and classes of the population. In the main, these rumors were stated in Cook County, Illinois, with isolated exceptions, and all will be so designated. The organizations that have so graciously cooperated with us in this survey are: 1. Special Inspection Division, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Justice 2. Cook County Committee on Counter Propaganda 3. Chicago Special Agents Club 4. University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion 5. All staff members of the Bureau of Public Inquiries 6. Consumers' Division, Office of Price Administration Inflation Control "Why are ice cream cones six cents?" - a numerous complaint received by telephone and stated to OPA speakers. "Storehouses are bulging with sugar." - very numerous rumor stated by all classes and groups. "No landlords are paying attention to recent ceilings." - frequent rumor particularly among colored people. "March ceilings are being violated and OPA is not enforcing them." - frequent remark made by all groups of consumers. "Henderson changes things much too often." - frequent rumor. "All sellers are violating meat ceilings." - common remark made by consumers. -2- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 10 to August 15 ILLINOIS "There's going to be a meat shortage." - frequently remarked by consumers. "If the Government will tell us the truth, we will cooperate with all anti-inflation programs." - this statement constantly made to OPA representatives. "If you don't freeze wages and put all farm products under a ceiling damn soon, you can forget anti-inflation control." - frequently stated in business circles. Racial Attitudes "When I have dealings with white people, I pull down my shade so my fellow Negroes will not see that I'm working with white people." stated August 11 by a Negro business man. "The Jews brought this war on." - very frequent rumor made by Irish, Germans and others. "The Jews won't fight." - stated several times this week in Chicago. "The Jews are trying to get rich out of this war." - frequently stated. "When this war is over, the Jews will catch Hell from the people." - reported as stated twice this week in Chicago. "The Japanese, the Indians, and all colored people have a good deal in common." - stated by a Negro to a group of Negroes this week in Black Belt. War "The war will be over in six months!" - slight rumor. "The war will last three years!" - a numerous remark generally made this week. -3- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 10 to August 15 ILLINOIS "The war will last ten years." - isolated rumor. "We don't like Britain and British Imperialism." - rumor prevailing among intellectual Negroes. "Britain discriminates against all colored people." - rumor stated in intellectual Negro class. "Britain has certainly messed up the Indian situation." - frequent rumor. "India should immediately have her independence." - frequently remarked. "What's the Indian situation all about?" - very frequent question. "The war will end in a stalemate." - a remark made several times this week. "The war will soon become a stalemate, but we'll eventually win - the people of Europe will see to that." - isolated. "Russia's all through." - frequently stated. "A woman with a razor blade concealed in a bandage on her finger is cutting gas masks at Johnson-Johnson Gas Mask Plant." - this old rumor is still making the rounds. "When are we going to establish a second front?" - very frequently made within all groups. "Even a second front will not save Russia." - frequent. Ten middle-class persons stated "Britain is handling the Indian situation badly." Two persons in a theater remarked "Russia is selling out America." "We're getting more aid to Russia now." - isolated. Administration "This is a filthy administration that smears and uses underhanded -4- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 10 to August 15 ILLINOIS tactics. I read the Stanley Johnson Coral Sea battle story and I can not seen why the Navy should object." - isolated. [*3*] "Knox is out to get the Tribune." - frequently stated in business and professional circles. [*3*] "McCormick and the Tribune should be put out of business." - a common and frequent rumor made this week in Chicago. [*32*] [*3*] "The Tribune is subversive!" - frequently made by all groups. [*37*] [*3*] "Ickes and Knox are putting the squeeze on the Tribune." - isolated rumor. [*38*] [*3*] "The social workers are running everything in the administration, including the war." - reported as stated several times this week. [*39*] [*3*] "The Tribune Grand Jury is just a part of mutual persecution. They do it to the administration and vice versa." - isolated. [*3*] "What right did Ickes have to denounce the Tribune while the Grand Jury is in session?" - isolated. Eight housewives complain that "War news comes too slow and doesn't have sufficient facts." "We can't understand the secrecy surrounding the saboteurs' trial." - two housewives. [*3*] One Department of Justice employee said "The President and Mrs. Roosevelt are Communists." [*7b*] Two downstate farmers said "The President's disapproval of rubber from grain is evidence that he is going along with the big oil and rubber interests and is selling out the farmers." [*7b*] Another farmer stated "The President knows what he is doing about the rubber situation." Rumors Champaign-Urbana 233 The Chicago Tribune case is being pushed in order to shut the Tribune's mouth; it will never go to trial. (Aug. 11) The Australians are mad because no Australian troops are participating in the Solomon Islands battle. (Aug. 11) The Solomon Islands offensive is just an experiment to see whether that kind of an attack can succeed. (Aug 11) The INS revelations about the execution of the Nazi saboteurs must have been with the connivance of Elmer Davis, because he has been tring to get such information published and no such information could have been published without his knowledge and consent; the information secured by the INS was no doubt the result of lining some pockets, and Elmer Davis would naturally wink at that in his desire to put something over on the War and Navy Departments. (Aug. 11) All officers now in the army, having received commissions directly from civilian life, are to be demoted to the rank of private. (Aug. 13) A shortage of candy bars is to be expected. (Aug 10) So many doctors have gone into the army that in order to keep them busy they have been set to drilling troops, and here these communities are being drained of their medical specialists even though their services are not needed. (Aug. 10) OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT REPORTS 301 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILDING INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA [*Office of War Information Bureau of Public Inquiries 501 Circle Tower Indianapolis*] OFFICE OF THE STATE DIRECTOR FOR INDIANA [*RW*] [*Rumor collections*] October 13, 1942 Mr. William H. Webber, Chief, Report Section Office of War Information Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Webber:- I have just returned from Chicago where I attended the Elmer Davis meeting, hence the delay in rumor report. The report will be mailed to you tomorrow. One of my contacts is out of town and will not return until morning. His secretary told that he had a number of rumors but she couldn't find them. In reply to your field letter of October 3 regarding the names and addresses of my contacts the information is as follows: Druggist:-- Earl H. Pressnall, 5464 E. Washington St., Indianapolis. Labor:-- William T. Miller, President U.E.A.W. Allison Division of General Motors, Indianapolis. Dentist:-- Dr. Dale Lentz, 445 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis. Beauty Shop-- Lucille Patterson, Lucille's Beauty Shop, 411 Odd Fellows Bldg., Indianapolis. Police:-- Lieut. Edward Rawls, head ofsubvervisive Division, Indianapolis Police Department, Indianapolis. Club-- William H. Book, Executive Vice-President, Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce Bldg., Indianapolis. In each case the person contacted was very agreeable to accepting the assignment. They thought the work interesting and at the same time felt they were doing a patriotic service. It was slightly burdensome in the case of and the Dentist and the Beauty Shop operator because of the rush of business in both establishments. [* FOR VICTORY BUY UNITED STATES SAVINGS BONDS AND STAMPS *] 2-2-2- Mr. William H. Webber. 10/13/42 All of them would undoubtedly agree to repeat their performance but only one or two would accept it on a continuing basis. The Druggist, the Policeman and the Labor Leader were most enthusiastic. Both the Druggist and the Policeman, I am sure would be glad to handle the assignment permanently. Here is a suggestion: The American Women's Voluntary Services is now operating in high gear here. The majority of its members are also members of the Business and Professional Women's Club. The members include female lawyers, accountants, advertising directors, personnel directors, etc. For ability and agressiveness the organization is the last word. These women are looking for something constructive to do in connection with the war effort. They even offer free-of-charge expert stenographic service in the evenings. Inasmuch as this chapter of AWVS is composed of business women their talents are not readily susceptible to activities of the Red Cross, OCD and other agencies where most of the work is done during the day. If you are interested in this organization let me know and I will furnish you with a detailed report on its various committees along with the names of the officers. Yours Sincerely, Louis F. Hutchinson Asst. Field Representative LFH:HEG THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY READERS' BUREAU Cha[???] no ? LP. Rumor [?] Kane 223 In a Business andProfessional group of women, there was much discussion about a rumor that the Germans were infiltrating into the unpopulated areas of N.E.Canada, preparatory to a drive by plane into our middle West areas, around Chicago and Detroit, a smart move because all our boys are congregated at the coasts. A couple just back from Miami were talking about the thousands [*5*] of Southern negroes working on a new cantonment. In talking to the local people they found they were getting white man's wages, same [*7a*] scale as given in the north. Terrible because it raises the now unbearable national debt unnecessarily. These wages not necessary because of the much lower standard of living in the South. Is bad also because the Negroes are not used to having so much money and are spending wildly thus helping inflation. A school-teacher (one of those language teachers forced to cease teaching German and take on Spanish or French and so slightly jaundiced and tired) said- "Good Neighbor policy, my eye. We're just as good grabbers as Hitler. All we want of South America is what we can get out of her economically." Two men talking about the cuff-less trousers- "All hooey, just a chance to give some more pay-rollers jobs ckecking up. What do they think cuffs were put on trousers for in the first place-certainly not for beauty but to hold the pants-legs down. Now they'll have to use some other heavy material for that purpose. And another thing- banning the extra pair of trousers is the most extravagant move that could be made. The object of the two-pants suit is to make the suit last longer. Sidney Hillman must be back of that ruling, drumming up more trade for the tailors. 2 THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY READERS' BUREAU It seems to me we're dispersing our men all over the world too thinly to do any good anywhere. Wouldn't it be better to concentrate on some big surprise move as the Germans are reported to be doing for their spring drive on Russia. The trouble is we have too many old fogies at the head of our army and navy. We need some young blood. "This labor situation burns me up. I've always been for labor. When I first started in business, labor was terribly exploited and and I've been glad to see them gradually treated like human beings. But now labor runs the country, and it isn't the rank and file of the men. They're a decent lot, as patriotic as the rest of us. It's [*7-a*] the handfull of agitators, Communists and racketeers that rule the unions, and an administration that is afraid to cross labor that is to blame. Why should the cream of our boys lose their lives and their business and professions by going to war for a pittance, while these fellows stay home and refuse to make any extra effort, either in hours of work or smaller salaries? Every small business man is [*7-b*] being drafted because he's due to lose his business. Why shouldn't labor be drafted too? They say it's because labor will then lose all they have gained by their years of fight, but that's foolish. They'll go back to the old hours and conditions after the war just as we are planning every one else will do." The other day I got to talking to the taxi driver about the war. He had just been reading some article about labor's demands and volunteered the information that he was in the last war and that [*7?*] there was nothing that made the boys madder than to read in the newspapers that labor at home was making a fuss over not getting more money. He criticized the administration roundly for not slapping them 3 down, as he expressed it. He said-"We actually thought we were fighting for democracy. It sort of made us wonder. And now history is repeating itself." "There is no real scarcity of sugar. The government admits it now. Their alibi for rationing now is that it's good for the soul to sacrifice. Looks to me as if it were just the first step in a complete regimentation. It's an insult to Americans because they will be perfectly willing to sacrifice if necessary, but it's foreign to their makeup to be regimented." Alice M. Farquhar No Smily – EP Ha No Scott – EP. Kan No Kaisa – WP. Caly OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Chief, Bureau of Public Inquiries - KCB 8-15-42 Field Representative for Illinois - HMA Report No. 7 - Study of Rumors in Chicago Area - August 10 to August 15 Attached is Report No. 7 for the Bureau of Intelligence entitled "Study of Rumors in Chicago Area - August 10 to August 15." ILLINOIS Report made - August 15, 1942 Report due - August 15, 1942 BUREAU OF INTELLIGENCE REPORT NO. 7 STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 10 to August 15 The following report concerning rumors covers the period August 10 until noon of August 15. In gathering this material, we have solicited the services of individuals and organizations who are in touch with all groups and classes of the population. In the main, these rumors were stated in Cook County, Illinois, with isolated exceptions, and all will be so designated. The organizations that have so graciously cooperated with us in this survey are: 1. Special Inspection Division, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Justice 2. Cook County Committee on Counter Propaganda 3. Chicago Special Agents Club 4. University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion 5. All staff members of the Bureau of Public Inquiries 6. Consumers' Division, Office of Price Administration Inflation Control "Why are ice cream cones six cents?" - a numerous complaint received by telephone and stated to OPA speakers. "Storehouses are bulging with sugar." - very numerous rumor stated by all classes and groups. "No landlords are paying attention to rent ceilings." - frequent rumor particularly among colored people. "March ceilings are being violated and OPA is not enforcing them." - frequent remark made by all groups of consumers. "Henderson changes things much too often." - frequent rumor. "All sellers are violating meat ceilings." - common remark made by consumers. -2- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 10 to August 15 ILLINOIS "There's going to be a meat shortage." - frequently remarked by consumers. "If the Government will tell us the truth, we will cooperate with all anti-inflation programs." - this statement constantly made to OPA representatives. "If you don't freeze wages and put all farm products under a ceiling damn soon, you can forget anti-inflation control." - frequently stated in business circles. Racial Attitudes "When I have dealings with white people, I pull down my shade so my fellow Negroes will not see that I'm working with white people." - stated August 11 by a Negro business man. "The Jews brought this war on." - very frequent rumor made by Irish, Germans and other. "The Jews won't fight." - stated several time this week in Chicago. "The Jews are trying to get rich out of this war." - frequently stated. "When this war is over, the Jews will catch Hell from the people." - reported as stated twice with week in Chicago. "The Japanese, the Indians, and all colored people have a good deal in common." - stated by a Negro to a group of Negroes this week in Black Belt. War "The war will be over in six months!" - slight rumor. "The war will last three years!" - a numerous remark generally made this week. -3- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 10 to August 15 ILLINOIS "The war will last ten years." - isolated rumor. "We don't like Britain and British Imperialism." - rumor prevailing among intellectual Negroes. "Britain discriminates against all colored people." - rumor stated in intellectual Negro class. "Britain has certainly messed up the Indian situation." - frequent rumor. "India should immediately have her independence." - frequently remarked. "What's the Indian situation all about?" - very frequent question. "The war will end in a stalemate." - a remark made several times this week. "The war will soon become a stalemate, but we'll eventually win - the people of Europe will see to that." - isolated. "Russia's all through." - frequently stated. "A woman with a razor blade concealed in a bandage on her finger is cutting gas masks at Johnson-Johnson Gas Mask Plant." - this old rumor is still making the rounds. "When are we going to establish a second front?" - very frequently made within all groups. "Even a second front will not save Russia." - frequent. Ten middle-class persons stated "Britain is handling the Indian situation badly." Two persons in a theater remarked "Russia is selling out America." "We're getting more aid to Russia now." - isolated. Administration "This is a filthy administration that smears and uses underhanded -4- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 10 to August 15 ILLINOIS tactics. I read the Stanley Johnson Coral Sea battel story and I can not seen why the Navy should object." - isolated. "Knox is out to get the Tribune." - frequently stated in business and professional circles. "McCormick and the Tribune should be put out of business." - a common and frequent rumor made this week in Chicago. "The Tribune is subversive!" - frequently made by all groups. "Ickes and Knox are putting the squeeze on the Tribune." - isolated rumor. "The social workers are running everything in the administration, including the war." - reported as stated several times this week. "The Tribune Grand Jury is just a part of mutual persecution. They do it to the administration and vice versa." - isolated. "What right did Ickes have to denounce the Tribune while the Grand Jury is in session?" - isolated. Eight housewives complain that "War news comes too slow and doesn't have sufficient facts." "We can't understand the secrecy surrounding the saboteurs' trial." - two housewives. One Department of Justice employee said "The President and Mrs. Roosevelt are Communists." Two downstate farmers said "The President's disapproval of rubber from grain is evidence that he is goin along with the big oil and rubber interests and is selling out the farmers." Another farmer stated "The President know what he is doing about the rubber situation." OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Chief, Bureau of Public Inquiries - KCB 8-8-42 Field Representative _ HMA Report #6 - Study of Rumors in Chicago Area - August 3 to August 8 Attached is Report No. 6 for the Bureau of Intelligence entitled "Study of Rumors in Chicago Area - August 3 to August 8." I have not been able to spend as much time as I wanted to on this report as practically all my time has been devoted to pressing matters pertinent to our moving, and so forth. However, through the media of groups and organizations that are close to this particular subject and the splendid cooperation I have been able to solicit from them, I am confident this will give you a good over-all picture of the current rumors which were uttered in Chicago and surrounding area during the past week. ILLINOIS Report made - August 8, 1942 Report due - August 8, 1942 BUREAU OF INTELLIGENCE REPORT NO. 6 STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 3 to August 8 The Counter Propaganda Committee on Morale which is a Division of the OCD of Chicago, represented by Mr. William Spillard, head of the Arson Division of the National Board of Fire Underwriters and President of the Chicago Special Agents Committee which is comprised of representatives of various law enforcement agencies, plant protection units, private investigation agencies and many other representatives from organizations that have mutual problems, reports the following rumors: "The British are waiting for Americans to come to England to do their fighting for them." Has been heard between twenty-five and thirty times by either Mr. Spillard or others who reported to him. "Russia is ready to fold up" - has been stated approximately twenty-five times to one of the committee. "A woman with a razor blade concealed in a bandage on her finger is cutting gas masks at Johnson-Johnson Gas Mask plant" - a year old rumor which still persists and was heard twice. "A white man has never considered the Negro his equal but Jap and Negro will be equal" - heard this week by several members of his committee in Chicago's black belt. Another rumor that persists in this Negro area and is quite current is "For what reason should the Negro fight in this war?" Mr. Spillard advises that rumors are increasing at this stage. The Department of Justice made available a number of its special investigators by requesting them to pay attention to current rumors that were -2- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 3 to August 8 ILLINOIS spoken in the course of their contacts with the public. They reported the following: "Why don't we establish a second front?" - stated by seven Italians and one Swede: reported by special investigator who handles primarily Italian investigations. Three of his sixty odd contacts stated "Why doesn't England give India her independence--is England waiting for the Japs to take over India rather than free her now?" He advised that the consensus of statements made by the Italians with whom he talked this week is that they have a revengeful feeling toward Japan without a great deal of antipathy toward Germany and they still talk of America's stab in the back at Pearl Harbor. He heard no objections to America's aiding Russia. (In some cases, this individual was known as a Justice agent: in others, he was unknown.) "If we don't establish a second front, Russia will fall" - reported by another Department of Justice special agent; heard twelve times from the public at large. "All the talk about the second front is just another war of nerves" - heard eight times. "If several of the Nazi spies should go free, it would be a great ad for democracy throughout the world" and "The penalty on Max Stephan is too severe--the Axis will retaliate by doing this to our boys" - spoken by a person of presumably high intelligence. "It is easy to deal with individuals who may be against this country but how can you deal with a paper like the Chicago Tribune which does more harm to the war effort than all other subversive elements?" - reported by an agent who investigates proposed sponsors for alien enemies who may be paroled if any adequate sponsor may be found and who talks to middle-class business -3- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 3 to August 8 ILLINOIS men of German nationality for the most part, but all citizens; stated by a Czechoslovakian. He also reports two noticeable developments (1) since the trial of the eight Nazi saboteurs, it has been difficult to find persons of German descent who will act as sponsors for these proposed parolees whereas it was simple prior to that incident, and (2) a suspicious attitude among non-German toward Germans is more prevalent than it was a week or ten days ago. Another special investigator who contacts the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, FBI, police, courts, etc., reports that there is little talk about the war other than conversation about establishing a second front and that, this week, the remark that "The establishment of a second front should be a decision of military experts rather than amateurs" is more prevalent than "A second front is necessary to save Russia." The following rumors were reported by a representative of the Department of Justice to have been spoken by persons of more than average intelligence: "The Japs will invade Alaska" - seven times; "The Japs will invade Russia" - six times; "Russia will demand more aid from allies on threat of a separate treaty with Germany" - four times; "Why doesn't the Government intern Japs in America as none are loyal" - six times; "Whole war is just a spectacular stunt like other acts of this Administration and the war won't end until after the 1944 elections" - stated by an employee of the Department of Justice to several other employees in that Department; "The Government doesn't need scrap rubber or metal" - four times; "We haven't started to win the war yet and Chicago is liable to attack by air at any time" - two times. "All alien Japs should be interned as potential enemies of the -4- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 3 to 8 ILLINOIS United States" - four times; reported by agent who investigates all Japs in Chicago. He advises that the Japs themselves will not talk and all profess their loyalty to America. One food merchant said "We will soon have a food shortage in America." A professor of Sociology, who is a member of the University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion which is making an intensive study of rumors within the Chicago area, reports that this week the current rumors were: Concerning England: "British do not fight - heard frequently; "Trouble between United States soldiers and British soldiers is commonplace" - heard frequently; "Churchill's visit to America was a sign of increased taxes on the American people" - stated by a steel worker. Concerning elections: "No gas rationing until after the elections" - heard often; "There will be an extention of rationing after elections" - frequently stated; "Army will take over all defense industries after the election" - isolated rumor. Concerning Negroes: "Negroes are being discriminated against in defense jobs" - stated frequently; "Treasury Department order in Washington that white female employees and Negro female employees are to be given separate lavatories" - isolated rumor. Concerning the Army: "A draftee who accepts a ten-day furlough at induction must stay in the Army for an extra two years" - frequently heard in South Chicago; "Many accidents are taking place among Air Corps cadets because of rushed training programs" - frequently heard; "Extensive damage was caused by the Japs in their attack on Dutch Harbor" - frequently stated; "There are not enough training planes for Air Corps cadets for use at training fields" - frequently stated; "Soldiers have to be shanghaied at embarkation ports in -5- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA – August 3 to August 8 ILLINOIS order to get them on ships going overseas" – frequently stated among the Italian people; "Spoiled meat is being sent to the Army by small packing plants" – isolated rumor; "We have a large Army in Ireland and Australia" – isolated rumor; "Large shiploads of wounded from Alaska and the Aleutian Islands are being sent to mid-western hospitals" – heard in Highland Park, a town in the Chicago area; "At Pearl Harbor, the officers ordered men to leave the barracks and go to nearby hills because of inadequate air defense and the barracks were destroyed by Japanese bombers" – another isolated rumor picked up in Highland Park; "There is a rampant venereal disease infection prevalent among our Armed Forces and around 40% of the soldiers have contracted these diseases" – an isolated rumor. Sugar Rationing: The United States has the ability to produce all sugar necessary" – frequently stated; "Supply of sugar in warehouses is abundant" – a frequent rumor; "There is no sugar shortage--if there were, why did the Government let Goldblatt's use it unnecessarily in a cooking school?" – uttered by a steel worker; "Sugar rationing was done to make the people feel the pinch of war" – an isolated rumor; "A Minnesota farmer received an order from the Government to destroy his sugar beets" – isolated rumor heard in Highland Park; "Sugar is being thrown in the ocean by the Government so the Government won't be shown up before the American people" – isolated rumor; "Sugar rationing came about due to fear that western beet crops would fail--they didn't--hence, the Government is embarrassed with too much sugar" – an isolated rumor; "Sugar rationing was inaugurated as a means of locating spies--didn't a spy prosecution immediately follow" – isolated rumor. Jews: "Jews are getting all the important jobs and will be rich after the war" – frequently heard among steel workers; "No Jews are volunteering for -6- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 3 to August 8 ILLINOIS war service" - frequently heard among Italians; "The Jews brought on the war" and "Jews have control of the Government in Washington" - frequently heard in Irish district on west-side Chicago; "Girls at USO Centers are primarily Jewish and soldiers stay away as they don't want to dance with them" - isolated rumor. Sabotage: "A fire occurred in one of the subsidiaries of the Aluminum Corporation in Chicago and in trying to put it out, gasoline was found in the fire extinguishers" - occasionally heard in Hyde Park district of Chicago; "A woman with her hand bandaged had a razor concealed therein and was cutting off the heads of matches at a plant" - occasionally heard; Yellow Fever germs were placed in serum by spies in the Rockefeller Institute" - an isolated rumor; "A workman with bandaged bend destroyed shells at a Joliet ordnance plant" - isolated; "Twelve persons were found with false badges after an Elmwood ordnance plant explosion" - isolated rumor. Miscellaneous: "The shelling of the Pacific Coast by Jap submarines caused tremendous damage" - frequently heard; "With money, you can buy off many draft boards" - frequently heard; "The Japs would never have attacked us if we hadn't sent war material to England" - isolated rumor; "The OPA is building up a political machine with all the new jobs" - isolated rumor; "A Minnesota manufacturer of cardboard received a number of orders for cartons and, after completing same, he endeavored to find out where to ship them. He continued to receive orders and continued to fill them until the plant was bogged down with unshipped cartons. An Army officer with the rank of Major drove up to his plant and told him to keep producing. When the manufacturer asked where to ship this tremendous supply already completed, the Major advised that that wasn't his job as he was only in charge of getting the material produced. After having filled with completed cartons all his supply -7- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA - August 3 to August 8 ILLINOIS rooms and lot adjacent to his plant, he is still unable to find out who wants them" - a story that has been circulated in Highland Park; "A German submarine was sunk in the Gulf of Mexico and labels of Bond bread from New Orleans floated on the surface" - isolated rumor; "The Red Cross charges two cents more per package on cigarettes sold to the soldiers" - isolated; A Jewish girl, who circulates in a Jewish and Irish community, reports many Churchill rumors--all critical of him--are being made in this locality and the most noticeable is "Churchill's last visit to the United States was made because he wanted to run out of England to escape the wrath of parliament caused by Egyptian campaign reverses"; "Why wait until November to hang Stephan—do it now" - frequently heard since the President announced the Federal court sentence; "The war looks bad and it is getting worse" - frequently stated by many Jews; "What happened and is happening in the Aleutian Islands?" - occasionally asked; "Why don't we do something about a second front?" - frequently asked; "The people are far ahead of the Government in wanting to do something to help win this war--the Government should lead the way" - occasionally heard; "We don't have enough plant protection around defense plants, steel mills, and oil refineries in the Chicago area" - frequently heard. Additional rumors not reported by above groups are as follows: "The Government is just waiting until after the election to draft 18 and 19 year old men" - heard many times August 4, 5 and 8, Chicago. "This Administration will go down in history as being a success in political generals--look how they are delaying payment to dependents of soldiers and drafting 18 and 19 year old men" - heard August 5, Chicago. "The reason why we don't have a second front is because United States and England are ready to sell Russia out" - heard August 5, Chicago. -8- STUDY OF RUMORS IN CHICAGO AREA -August 3 to August 8 ILLINOIS "When you see how bureaucratic, wasteful and inefficient our Government is, you wonder if democracy is the right form of Government after all" - heard many times August 2 and 5, Chicago. "Government is afraid of the farmers" - "Farmers are best cared for group in America" - "Farmers are a bunch of ignorant, selfish ingrates" - "Too many farmers are beating the draft by hiding behind a cornstalk" - all heard many times in Edgar County, Illinois, August 2 and 5. "There are over 1,000 soldiers sick right now with Yellow Jaundice. Some of them have been sick since February and over 100 of the boys have died with it. And all just because the War Department didn't check and make sure about the serum! Why inoculate them at all?" - heard at Eitel's Sandwich Shop in the Field Building in Chicago, August 6. OFFICE MEMORANDUM XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION Date: 9/4/42 To: Eugene Katz From: William H. Webber [*WHW*] Subject: Special Report on Counter- Propaganda Enclosed is a copy of a special report on rumors from the Chicago Field Representative. This report may be of interest to Horowitz. Should you receive this material from other sources, please let me know so that we can advise our Field Representative of the duplication. Enclosure [*Horowitz*] XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION 9/4/42 Eugene Katz William H. Webber Special Report on Counter-Propaganda Enclosed is a copy of a special report on rumors from the Chicago Field Representative. This report may be of interest to Horowitz. Should you receive this material from other sources, please let me know so that we an advise our Field Representative of the duplication. Enclosure Damon;mk ILLINOIS Report made - September 1, 1942 SPECIAL REPORT ON COUNTER-PROPAGANDA As you were advised in our Rumor Reports, the Office of Civilian Defense has organized a Counter-Propaganda Committee to endeavor to stop the spreading of rumors in Chicago and vicinity. Dr. S. H. Kraines of this Committee, in a communication to the members thereof, adequately summarizes the work they are endeavoring to do in this regard. The following, quoted from Dr. Kraines' letter, gives the agreed principles that will be followed by this Committee: "It is almost an impossibility to deal with all rumors. Moreover, rumors in themselves reflect the state of anxiety which is present among any group of persons in times of stress. Hence, rumors should be looked upon as a valuable index of the state of public mind, and to serve as a guide for practical corrective measures. "It was suggested that certain kinds of rumors are so emotional in character that their discussion publicly would serve further to disseminate them without providing an adequate answer. In such categories, for example, is the oft-repeated rumor that thousands of dead soldiers were brought in shiploads to this country as a result of the incident at Pearl Harbor. Consequently, it was my thought that we restrict, initially at any rate, the subjects of the rumors to the following three categories. 1. Those rumors which tend to divide us from our allies. 2. Those rumors which tend to divide us among ourselves. 3. Those rumors which hinder the war effort. "Many of the rumors in these categories can be answered effectively by -2- authoritative facts and figures, and a news commentator can be asked to bear these categories in mind, and to stress them whenever discussing any particular rumor. The news commentator not only tends thereby to 'squelch' individual rumor, but also builds up the level of resistance of the listening public against the general type of rumor. "The method of dealing with rumors as outlined above may be called the negative technique. There is a more positive method of dealing with these rumors. This latter method is based on the concept that the average citizen has good general orientation and, fundamentally, has sound moral values. These personality traits, however, tend to be perverted primarily because of lack of thorough understanding as to the actual situations about which they are concerned. Consequently, a great service can be rendered by providing the average man with all available facts on any particular topic and the possession of such facts will, in itself, tend to discount rumors which are 'planted,' as well as aid in the general war effort. "Thus, for example, in the positive aspect of dealing with the three categories of rumors listed above we can 1. Encourage dissemination of information on the efforts put forth by our Allies, and show how these efforts are tied up with our own. Personalized and human interest stories of the efforts which our Allies are making would be of great value. 2. The division among ourselves includes the setting of capital against labor, of one union against the other, of whites against the blacks, of the Jews against Catholics against Protestants. One of the strongest of the 'Hitlerian lines' is the anti-Semitic one, and much can -3- be done by news commentators by the broadcasting of names which are obvious to Jewish, Polish, Italian as incidents arise indicating the efforts played by the various groups. Specific comments upon the melting pot character of our war effort should be continuously made. 3. Stress can be laid as to what we shall lose and what we shall gain in this war. Comments need to be made on specific situations and repeated. Comparisons should be made between totalitarian orders and democratic processes. When suggestions are made over the radio, as they are at present, that each citizen buy war bonds, save fats, collect scrap metals, etc., it should be emphasized that the person is not only aiding the war effort, but is specifically guaranteeing his own and his children's future. "Another very important anti-rumor method is the anticipation of the development of the new demands upon the citizenry and supplying of information about these new demands. Thus, there is prospect of rationing of meat in the near future. It is extremely likely that many rumors will spring up about this subject, which will be malicious and discouraging. A great deal can be done by commentators at the present moment by discussing all the facts involved and the reasons for such rationing. The more understanding and specific information which the average citizen has the more automatically he will counteract rumors." Attached is a list of rumors that are currently making the rounds in Chicago. RUMORS "A hugh cache of explosives, left by German submarines, has been discovered on the shore of Hudson Bay." "Uncounted thousands of political favorites have been given commissions in the Army and Navy while your husband and son are struggling along as privates" - generally has an anti-Semitic twist. "Better not be too anti-Nazi because the Germans are going to control this country when the war ends." (This persists among the German-language groups in Chicago. It is an idea assiduously spread by such men as Walter Kappa, the former instructor in the German saboteurs' school near Berlin who is possibly in the United States according to an FBI warning. He and others of his ilk used to worm their way into the councils of various German-language groups--turner class singing societies, etc., and implant this doctrine among the natural leaders of the group who, in turn, controlled the thoughts of the others to a great extent.) "Several troop transports have been sunk, and the Army and Navy won't admit it." "This or that battleship or carrier has been sunk." (Sentence 2 is an especially tricky one to handle and, sometimes, of course, may well be true.) "If there's any meat rationing it's on account of those lend-lease shipments." (Officials of the National Association of Retail Meat Dealers have also broadly hinted this same thing.) "Warehouses are so full of rubber that the floors are breaking through, and yet we can't have any for our cars." "Hell, this is just a Jewish war." (We are advised that this was heard repeatedly at a recent party and it was later learned that one of the persons making the statement was a good friend of one of the twenty-six indicted in the blanket Washington sedition case.) RUMORS - cont'd (2) "I suppose we've got to go on and fight this war, but we could have kept out of it." "This war won't decide anything; we'll just have another Versailles Treaty that will line up everybody for World War III." "This war is just to save the British Empire." (Frequently heard in Irish circles.) "If we lick the Germans too badly that'll let them damn Reds break through into Europe, then they'll be using our boys to lick the Reds." "British arrest Gandhi and Nehru--that's just like the 1776 headline-- 'British try to arrest Hancock and Adams.' " RUMOR STUDY Directed By Herbert Blumer University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPORTERS Purpose The committee on Communications and Public Opinion is interested in furnishing various government agencies with information about the changes in public opinion in this area. One way in which one can determine shifts in public opinion is to find out, over a period of time, what people are talking about. Rumors in particular reflect the feelings and attitudes of people towards the things in which they are interested. General The Report Sheet, form #1, is to be used to report your findings to the Committee. This form should be sent in at the end of each week so that it may be received in this office before Tuesday of the following week. The heading of form #1 is self-explanatory. One caution: Be sure to space headed "Reporter's Code" is filled in before mailing your report. What to Report We are interested primarily in rumors about the war and about civilian participation in the war. A rumor usually is concerned with some item of public interest which has not been printed (except perhaps in gossip columns) or reported over the radio. Rumors treat with what people have heard, although often rumors are distortions of what people have read. You can usually recognize a rumor when the rumor-spreader begins "I heard... " or, "Someone who ought to know told me... , or "Everyone is saying... , or "Someone told me they read somewhere... , or "Have you heard... ," etc. Report all rumors about the progress of the war, Government Policy, the Amy, our Allies, or any other information which you may consider pertinent, such as reaction to sugar and tire rationing, etc. Please be full in reporting these rumors. Tell us: (1) What you have heard. (2) Where you heard it ( such as "at the barber shop," or "at the bridge club, or "at a party, " or "on the bus." (3) When you heard it (such as "yesterday," " two days ago," etc.) 2 (4) Who stated the rumor? We do not want the names of these persons. We should like to know their sex, approximate age, social position, economic position and any other facts about them that might help us to judge the kind of group from which the person comes. It should be easy for you to supply this information about your friends and acquaintances, and, once you get started you will quickly be able to report most of these items about any casual contacts which you might have. (5) To whom was the rumor told? Was it to you, to some other person, or to a group of persons. If you can we should like you to describe simply the persons to whom the r mark was made. For example, you might say "I heard a middle-aged woman who was quite well-dressed say to her companion, who was about the same age and similarly dressed ........" This statement could serve as an adequate description of the person stating the rumor and the person to whom it was addressed. (6) what was the response of the persons to whom the rumor was reported? Did they say, "Yes, that's probably so," or "You don't say --," or, "I can't believe it." Maybe they said nothing at all and just accepted the rumor as fact. Whatever is your impression of their reaction, report it. If you are in doubt as to whether an item is a rumor or not report it anyway. You probably will find it helpful at first to jot down rumors that you hear as soon as possible after you have made your observations. This will help you to remember the interesting things about a particular situation. Try to keep a record each day of the rumors you have heard that day. To help you get started a sample report sheet is attached. This is not a model. Report in your own way, but this sheet will help you see the kind of things in which we are interested. RUMOR STUDY (Directed By Herbert Blumer) THE LISTENING POST No. 3 Committee on Communications and Public Opinion Among the many rumors that are being sent in, certain groupings and types of stories have become apparent. With a few exceptions, the stories which you are hearing seem to fall into quite distinct types. Some of these come from all areas that are reporting; others tend to be found only in part of the areas. Some are more popular around certain dates; others tend to come in more regularly. The Listening Post, this week, proposes to discuss several of the more popular groupings. Rationing, actual and threatened, has been a favorite rumor topic since the beginning of the reporting--out-numbering considerably any other single group of rumors. When sugar rationing was started, there were many stories, pro and con, concerning the necessity of the rationing. For example: From the Near West Side: Somebody was telling me that sugar rationing was totally unnecessary. That we have too much sugar. But the government wanted the Middlewest to feel the pinch of the war and wanted to do it on a nation-wide basis so that the Middlewest would not suspect it was directed at the Middlewest alone. From Highland Park: A woman whose father is a Minnesota farmer reported that she had heard that her father had received orders to blow up all of his sugar beets. From Hyde Park: There is plenty of sugar on hand. Rationing is just to make us realize that we must help in the war effort. Again from Hyde Park: There's plenty of sugar--the only reason the government registered everyone was to get a complete population registration. Did you notice that the spies were caught after the sugar registration--not before? From South Chicago: A man in an A. and P. store made the remark that the government has so much sugar that it is being thrown into the ocean so as not to show up the government in its views about the rationing situation. With the threatened Middle-western gasoline rationing, many stories immediately started coming in on gasoline supplies. This talk also brought a new flood of general rationing stories. Explanations were offered, similar to sugar rationing: that people had heard that this was simply another way to arouse the Middlewest to a war consciousness and to feel the same pinch that the eastern seaboard was feeling. Or a story from the Near West Side stated that the "reason that we are having tire rationing is to save rubber for the war in case that the war lasts longer than it is expected." -2- Sugar and gasoline have occupied the top positions on rationing rumors, although other food items (like coffee, tea), shoes, wool clothes, and so on have had some attention from the rumor spreaders. However, since the middle of July, rationing stories have been declining in number and popularity. The last few that have come in have had a new slant on general rationing: From Hyde Park: If it were not for the fall election, gasoline and other materials would be rationed now. Or: I heard that gas rationing will not go into effect until after the elections. With the decline in rationing stories, there has been an increase and sudden interest in spy and sabotage stories. This change apparently has been related to the change in public interest from rationing talk to discussions of the recent rounding up of spies and the various grand jury investigations. Just as spies and saboteurs have taken over the front page of the the newspapers, and rationing, the inside of the paper, so have the spy and saboteur rumors come to the foreground. For instance, we have the following examples: From the South Side Negro Area: I have heard that at the Elwood powder plant near Joliet where the explosions took place that it was discovered that there were twelve guards or policemen who had false badges. From Hyde Park: The Naval Military Police in Hyde Park who are armed and in uniform, are really helping the FBI to hunt and run down spies. It is said that one has already been caught at the Harvard Hotel. From Highland. Park: A man who has a summer house on Cape Cod kept a couple living in his lodge while he was in New York during the winter. There had been constant talk of New England fishermen refueling and supplying U-boats with goods, so he went down to investigate. Upon arrival, he found that his store- house supplies had been greatly diminished, and he eventually discovered that his couple had been aiding the enemy with goods. From Hyde Park: An army officer who was sent to a camp near New Orleans found that his duties were very simple and that he did not have much to occupy his time. He was beginning to wonder about this and about the strange atmosphere of the camp, when suddenly there was a big blow-up in the personnel of the camp and all of the highest officers were sent away. It was rumored that they had been working hand-in-glove with saboteurs and enemy agents operating in and about the Gulf of Mexico. From South Chicago, there comes a sabotage story of which we have had several versions, but the main facts of the story are, in each case, the same: -3- A woman, who was working on the line that was turning out airplane motor carburetors, came to work for a number of days with her left hand bandaged. She claimed that she had cut her hand rather badly and thus needed extensive bandaging. After this went on for a good while, someone became suspicious and asked that the company doctor examine her hand. When he removed the bandages, he found no wound. But rather concealed in the bandages there was a sharp object with which the woman was puncturing each carburetor that passed by her and thus making it unusable. Another topic which has been especially popular has been tales of the army and draftees. These appear to come from all reporting areas and to be a subject which is frequently and openly discussed. These have ranged from stories on how to get a commission or how to evade the draft, to, especially popular, the many diseases which the boys have had. The disease stories are especially interesting: From the Near West Side: At Fort Custer, I hear that five or six hundred soldiers are quarantined with yellow jaundice that they got from the serum injected for vaccinations for yellow fever. Also, a lot on the West Coast have yellow jaundice. From Hyde Park: High officers of gas warfare took malaria shots. They were shot with something else causing the officers to be disabled for life. From Highland Park: A friend told us an interesting solution to the mystery of the many hundreds of cases of "yellow fever" reactions and to the sixty-two deaths caused by the reaction to the shots given all men entering the armed forces. A doctor at St. Luke's Hospital had told a friend that the serum was put up at the Rockefeller Institute in New York and that there saboteurs had substituted real yellow fever germs for the regular serum. Two such culprits have already been caught. The continued collection of rumors will make it possible to throw light on such questions as the following: what kind of rumors have limited circulation and what kind have broad circulation; do rumors differ greatly in nature and extent from one kind of people to another; do rumors center around events of current public interest; how far do rumors indicate un- certainty, fear, anxiety, prejudice, or just lack of information; how far do rumors point to suspicion and lack of confidence. Your aid in helping to answer these questions by submitting rumors to us is greatly appreciated. The next issue of The Listening Post will review further rumor subjects in some detail. Be sure to get your material in on time. If you need more supplies, let Mrs. Johnson know at once (phone--Midway 0800, extension #738). Exhibit C: Report Sheet - higher educational level Form #1 The University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinions REPORT SHEET Sheet No.: _____ Reporter's Code: _____ Date ____________ Exhibit D: Report Sheet - lower educational level Form #1 University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion Sheet No. Reporter's Code Date What did you hear? Where? When did you hear it? Who said it? Kind of people? Answer? Anything else? [*Exhibit E: Semi-monthly Report*] University of Chicago Committee on Communications & Public Opinion The Listening Post No. 1 Two weeks ago our reporters began sending in material on what they were hearing. The reports that have come in are very interesting. They show that: (1) There's a lot of discussion about sugar rationing. Example: ". . . There was enough sugar in the warehouses to take care of all of our needs for over a year and 'they' are about to ship a great deal more in very soon. (2) People are spreading stories about spies. Example: "There was a fire in a plant making war materials and when the fire extinguishers were turned on, the fire burned even better. They discovered that twelve out of fourteen fire extinguishers in the room were filled with gasoline." (3) People are spreading stories about the war. Example: "The reason the British are retreating in Libya is that so many men in their forces are getting desert blindness and can't fight." (4) People are spreading stories about the part different groups are playing in the war. Example: "Most of the Jews are to [leave] blame for this war. Hitler was right in kicking out all the Jews, although he should not attack the other countries who were not bothering them at all." Watch for material of this kind, as well as for any other things you hear and report them. We are very appreciative of the material that has been coming and we hope that you'll continue to send in your reports regularly. The Listening Post will come to you twice a month. Persons who do not send in reports will be dropped from our mailing lists. Please return to Horowitz rec'd July 16 Blumer At the present time under a limited budget we are making an initial study of rumors prevalent in Chicago. Our study is being conducted with the aid of voluntary informants who send in weekly reports of what they have heard or overheard. (For instruction sheets and forms see exhibits A, B, C, and D attached.) The first of these reports was due the first week of July, and our informants will continue to send in statements until notified to discontinue their cooperation. Semi-monthly a brief statement is sent to our informants reporting the type of material which we are securing. (For the first of these statements, see Exhibit E.) About 50 persons are cooperating in this study. These informants have been carefully selected from six areas from Chicago. The areas studied are Hegeswich, a Slavic industrial community; Hyde Park, a middle-class primarily native-white district; Highland Park, an upper-class residential suburb; the South Side Negro district; South Chicago, an industrial suburb with a mixed population of Slavic, Mexican and Negro; and the Near West Side, a lower-class Italian and Negro district. Our materials, which at the present time are still limited in quantity (representing the reports of only two weeks) contain series of current rumors and opinions adjacent thereto. They are what our informants have heard or overheard -- there is no interviewing or questioning involved. The materials show the following preoccupations and consensus: 1. There is a good deal of opposition to rationing, particularly sugar rationing. -2- For example, the following statement was made by a steel worker in a defense plant: I don't believe there is a sugar shortage, this ration business is a lot of humbug. The other day I read in the Tribune where a business house stored thousands of pounds of sugar in a basement and it happened to rain, the basement was flooded and the sugar was melted. This probably isn't the only case. 2. There is pronounced feeling about the role of certain groups in the war effort. In the Negro community one of our listeners overhead the following statement made by a Negro in a tavern the night before his induction: I had rather fight here at home for rights denied me than go abroad to fight unless Negroes get a better break in everything. Here is the state of a Negro doctor: I can't see myself volunteering when the doors to so many places where aid to win the war is vitally needed are closed in my face. When I am called I shall gladly go. But to volunteer, seems to me a farce. From both South Chicago and the Italian West Side we get pronounced anti-Jewish statements. Here is a statement made by an Italian youth in his own home. Most of the Jews are to blame for this war. Hitler was right in kicking out all the Jews, although he should not have attacked the other countries who were not bothering him at all. There aren't a heck of a lot of Jews in the Army, is there? No. They stay home getting rich while the other boys go out and get killed. Damn them! Why doesn't the government look into this? -3- Here is the statement of a fifty-year old South Chicago steelmaker. The only people who are making money out of this war are the Jews. I'll bet there will be more rich people after the war and they will not be people like you and me who earn our dough the hard way working in a factory. 3. Among certain minority groups, for example, the Italians, there seems to be some evidence of pro-axis feelings. Here is the report of statements made by fairly prosperous Italians: On Sunday June 28, 1942 at a breakfast party held by a church organization, a middle-aged man, fairly-well dressed, said: "Say, you know at the place (factory) where I work there are some German people who talk to those of us who are Italians and whose people in the old country are with the Axis, and when they talk about how the war is getting along they say, 'How is Roberto? Roberto is doing pretty well today? Roberto will win, will he not?' Of course, you all know that he (Roberto) is the Axis. You see that is the way we talk so nobody knows what we are talking about. Yesterday, one of these German guys told me, 'Russia is finding Roberto tough now, ain't she?' Pretty soon, a member of the group asked of the speaker, 'But who is this Roberto?' Whereupon he replied, 'Rome-Berlin-Tokyo. RO-BER-TO.'" About half of the group expressed surprise, the other half seemed to know all about the "secret" word. Then, this same speaker said, "They say Mussolini is the boss of the Axis -- he's the brains of it. But they are making off that Hitler is so as to trick everybody into thinking the brain power comes from Germany. But the real power, we all know comes from Rome that's why its Ro-ber-to. Rome comes first. Ciano and Mussolini they are smart men." To this that same half of the group responded with approbation but the other half remained incredulous. Another rumor from the Italian area concerns itself with the refusal of American soldiers to embark for overseas duty. According to -4- this tale the soldiers have to be captured, tied up, and carried aboard ship. 4. The "spy" trials are being reflected in rumors. Here is one from a middle-class white area: At a small tea on Friday several friends of mine were re-telling one of the current spy stories. They are women of the University community, active and alert, and somewhere around 40 years old. The story is, that in a local beauty shop on 55th or 53rd, a woman came in for a shampoo and wave. She was unknown to the proprietor except for her name on the appointment book. After she had gone, it was discovered that she had left a book behind. The proprietor (a woman) examined the book for some clue to the customer's identity, and discovered that it was filled with maps, plans and codes, as well as odd bits of information such as, how to know an F.B.I. man. On advice of her husband, the beauty shop proprietor turned the book over to the Hyde Park Police. The next morning, the customer returned, much perturbed over the loss of the book. A search was made of the shop by one of the operators, the proprietor being "mum" and the woman, rumor has it, was taken into custody. The above story inspired another woman to say that she had heard that all beauty shops in this neighborhood were being investigated, due to the "fact" that a shortwave sending and receiving set had been found in Gottlieb's Beauty Shop -- a place under suspicion for its clientel for some time. Here is another: It seems when Churchill and Roosevelt went to Fort Bragg to see an exhibition of paratroopers, the officer in charge of the troopers was really a spy and planned to give the orders for them to jump when the planes were over a forest which would have meant that many of the troopers would have been injured. Fortunately, this spy was discovered in time and the maneuver went off as planned. -5- Here is a saboteur story from the Italian area: They tell me that at Fort Custer, Michigan five or six hundred soldiers are quarantined with yellow jaundice. They get it from the serum that is injected in them in the vaccinations. On the West Coast there's a lot of yellow jaundice among the sailors and soldiers. Something's wrong somewhere with all those soldiers and sailors in quarantine. 5. Rumors concerning reasons for the events of the war are also frequent. An example from an upper class area follows: Have you heard that a lot of the British soldiers in Libya are blind? The reason the British had to retreat was because so many of their men had desert blindness. Various other stories, that plants canning food for the Army are using spoiled meat, that soldiers who take advantage of the ten days furloughs after induction will be kept in the Army for two years after the war ends, that the tire administrator is connected with the big rubber companies, etc., all seem to be current. The purposes of this investigation of rumor are (1) to get a picture of the kind of rumors which are present; (2) to see how they vary among cultural groups, among social classes, and among occupations; (3) how they are related to passing events; (4) what light they throw on the tensions, anxieties, complaints, and hopes of people; and (5) how they originate and spread. As mentioned, the volunteer informants are carefully chosen in terms of willingness to cooperate, of ability to observe, and of strategic accessibility to a significant group in the community. [*Exhibit A: Instructions - higher educational level*] University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPORTERS Purpose The committee on Communications and Public Opinion is interested in furnishing various government agencies with information about the changes in public opinion in this area. One way in which one can determine shifts in public opinion is to find out, over a period of time, what people are talking about. Rumors in particular reflect the feelings and attitudes of people towards the things in which they are interested. General The Report Sheet, form #1, is to be used to report your findings to the Committee. This form should be sent in at the end of each week so that it may be received in this office before Tuesday of the following week. The heading of form #1 is self-explanatory. One caution: Be sure to space headed "Reporter's Code" is filled in before mailing your report. What to Report We are interested primarily in rumors about the war and about civilian participation in the war. A rumor usually is concerned with some item of public interest which has not been printed (except perhaps in gossip columns) or reported over the radio. Rumors treat with what people have heard, although often rumors are distortions of what people have read. You can usually recognize a rumor when the rumor-spreader begins saying "I heard..." or, "Someone who ought to know told me...," or "Everyone is saying...," or "Someone told me they read somewhere...," or "Have you heard...," etc. Report all rumors about the progress of the war, Government Policy, the Army, our Allies, or any other information which you may consider pertinent, such as reaction to sugar and tire rationing, etc. Please be full in reporting these rumors. Tell us: (1) What you have heard. (2) Where you heard it (such as "at the barber shop," or "at the bridge club," or "at a party," or "on the bus." (3) When you heard it (such as "yesterday," "two days ago," etc.) 2 (4) Who stated the rumor? We do not want the names of these persons. We should like to know their sex, approximate age, social position, economic position and any other facts about them that might help us to judge the kind of group from which the person comes. It should be easy for you to supply this information about your friends and acquaintances, and, once you get started you will quickly be able to report most of these items about any casual contacts which you might have. (5) To whom was the rumor told? Was it to you, to some other person, or to a group of persons. If you can we should like you to describe simply the persons to whom the r mark was made. For example, you might say "I heard a middle-aged woman who was quite well-dressed say to her companion, who was about the same age and similarly dressed ........" This statement could serve as an adequate description of the person stating the rumor and the person to whom it was addressed. (6) what was the response of the persons to whom the rumor was reported? Did they say, "Yes, that's probably so," or "You don't say --," or, "I can't believe it." Maybe they said nothing at all and just accepted the rumor as fact. Whatever is your impression of their reaction, report it. If you are in doubt as to whether an item is a rumor or not report it anyway. You probably will find it helpful at first to jot down rumors that you hear as soon as possible after you have made your observations. This will help you to remember the interesting things about a particular situation. Try to keep a record each day of the rumors you have heard that day. To help you get started a sample report sheet is attached. This is not a model. Report in your own way, but this sheet will help you see the kind of things in which we are interested. Form #1 The University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion Sheet No.: 1 Reporter's Code: E.S. Date: June 10 Yesterday afternoon on the I.C. train I overheard two middle- aged women talking about the War. They were about 50 years old and well- dressed. I judged that they lived in South Shore. One of them was saying that she had heard from a friend who had it from a reliable source that our government was holding a large part of our Army in this country because we were planning to invade Russia as soon as the Red Army beat the Germans. The other said that she hadn't heard that this was our official policy but that she thought it was a good policy since obviously we would have to fight Russia after this War. Then they talked about their children. One of them was worried because her son who was married was soon going to be drafted. The other said that she had heard that if one knew the right people one could always get an Army Commission. They both agreed on this and went on to talk of the sons of friends who had received Commissions. When I was making a purchase at one of the department stores I overheard two middle-aged saleswomen talking. They were discussing the fact that starting the next week deductions would be made from their pay to purchase War Savings Stamps and Bonds. One said to the other "Between bonds and hospital insurance, I'll have to go without lunch to make ends meet." The other said, "That's right. But wait until they start the Liberty Loan drive." The first said, "Do you think they're going to have one?" I could not overhear any more of this conversation. It seemed to me that these women were very unfavorable to having deductions made from their checks for Savings Bonds. [*Exhibit B: Instructions - lower educational level*] University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPORTERS Purpose The Committee on Communications and Public Opinion is cooperating with government agencies and the local Office of Civilian Defense in getting some information on the way people feel about different things such as the War, sugar rationing, the government, and so forth. The reports which we are asking you to send us will be used in making up the material that we furnish the Government. Such material will then be a guide to the government and the O.C.D. in morale work. It will give them information on the kind of work that is needed in each community and the kind of thing that is unnecessary. General The Report Sheet, form #1, is to be used to turn in your reports to the Committee. This form should be sent in at the end of each week, Friday or Saturday, so that it will be in this office before Tuesday of the next week. On the top of the page fill in the sheet number starting each week with number 1 and number each page you need to use--2,3,4, and so on. After "Reporter's Code," put your own initials. Fill in the month and day after "Date." What to Report We are interested in what people are saying about the war, especially the things that they say that haven't been printed in the papers (except in gossip columns) or reported on the radio. The sort of remarks we mean usually begin "I heard--" or "Someone who ought to know told me--" or "Everyone is saying---" or "Have you heard---." Report all such remarks about the war, the administration, the army, our Allies, rationing, OCD, defense workers, or any other things you think are interesting. Try to report these remarks fully. Tell us: (1) What you have heard. Record this on Form #1 under "What did you hear?" (2) Where you heard it (such as "at the barber shop," or "at the bridge club," or "at a party," or "on the bus"). Record this on Form #1 under "Where?". 2 (3) When you heard it (such as "yesterday," "two days ago," etc."). Record this on Form #1 under "When did you hear it?" (4) Who said it? We do not want the names of these people. What we would like to know is whether it as a man or woman, their age (if you don't know, make a rough guess), what they do (if you know or what you guess they might do), whether they looked rich, poor, or middle-class. It will be easy for you to give this information about people you know well, and once you start you will find that you can do it for people you hear on the street, and so forth. Remember, no names, please. Put this under "Who said it?" on Form #1. (5) To whom was the remark made? Was it made to you, to someone else, to a group of people. Put this under "To whom?" on Form #1. If you can, give us a little picture of the persons to whom this remark was made. Something like this would be good-- "Woman of about 40, who seemed pretty well-dressed said to another woman, about the same age, same kind of clothes---." Record this under "Kind of people?" on Form #1. (6) What did the person to whom the remark was made say or do? Did they say-- "You don't say," or "Is that so?", or "I can't believe it." Maybe, they didn't say anything. Try to size up the way they took the remark, and report it to us. Record this under "Answer?" on Form #1. If there is some other incident or remark that you think is interesting or any other comment you wish to make, record it under "Anything else" on Form #1. If you're not sure if what you've heard is of interest to us, report it anyway. You'll find it useful to write down what you want to report as soon as possible after you hear it. This will help you remember the different things you hear. Use a different form for each remark, and use as many sheets for your report as you need. To help you get started a sample report form is attached. This is not a model. Report in your own way, but this sheet will help you see the kind of things we want to know. As soon as we have enough material, we'll report to you about the things people are talking about. Form #1 Sheet No. 1 Reporter's Code E.S. Date June 12 What did you hear? There's plenty of sugar in this country. This is just a way to scare us. They just want us to know a war's going on. Well, I don't like it." Where? In a lunchroom in which I was eating lunch and after I had told the waitress to put in only one teaspoon of sugar I happened to remark that I used to use two, but to save sugar I was only using one now. When did you hear it? Yesterday noon. Who said it? The waitress To whom? To me. Kind of people? This was a lunchroom for working men. The waitresses are pretty old because the young girls can get jobs in factories. Answer? I didn't say anything. Anything else? Nothing to report. [* Exhibit C: Report Sheet - higher educational level *] Form #1 The University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion REPORT SHEET Sheet No.: __________ Reporter's Code: _________ Date: _________ [* Exhibit D: Report Sheet - lower educational level *] Form #1 University of Chicago Committee on Communications and Public Opinion Sheet No. __________ Reporter's Code _________ Date _________ What did you hear? Where? When did you hear it? 2 Who said it? Kind of people? Answer? Anything else? [*Exhibit E: Semi-monthly Report*] University of Chicago Committee on Communications & Public Opinion The Listening Post No. 1 Two weeks ago our reporters began sending in material on what they were hearing. The reports that have come in are very interesting. They show that: (1) There's a lot of discussion about sugar rationing. Example: "...There was enough sugar in the warehouses to take care of all of our needs for over a year and 'they' are about to ship a great deal more in very soon. (2) People are spreading stories about spies. Example: "There was a fire in a plant making war materials and when the fire extinguishers were turned on, the fire burned even better. They discovered that twelve out of fourteen fire extinguishers in the room were filled with gasoline." (3) People are spreading stories about the war. Example: "The reason the British are retreating in Libya is that so many men in their forces are getting desert blindness and can't fight." (4) People are spreading stories about the part different groups are playing in the war. Example: "Most of the Jews are to [leave] [*blame*] for this war. Hitler was right in kicking out all the Jews, although he should not attack the other countries who were not bothering them at all." Watch for material of this kind, as well as for any other things you hear and report them. We are very appreciative of the material that has ben coming and we hope that you'll continue to send in your reports regularly. The Listening Post will come to you twice a month. Persons who do not send in reports will be dropped from our mailing lists. Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.