PROPAGANDA METHODS 217
purposes. World public opinion was to be made to believe
that if such quantities of grain were available for export, the
allegation that a famine existed must be a falsehood, a political
campaign against Moscow. For nobody would imagine that
there was a State which would conduct its grain export trade
at the cost of the very lives of its nationals.
Yet there were certain circles in Europe who thought that
the Moscow delegates were going too far, and the editor of
the Paris Journal, Saint-Brice, wrote: "This" (meaning
Moscow's protest against the lowness of the Russian grain
quota) "is a tragic contradiction. The economic position of
Russia is such that the country not only cannot export grain,
but might well absorb part of the stocks lying abroad. There
is the greatest distress in the Ukraine, the famous black earth
lands; and the peculiar thing is that not a voice was raised in
London to draw attention to the scandalous contradiction
between Russia's claims to export quotas and the distress of
the population. The reason is that everyone to-day is dazzled
by the mirage of Russian orders and is only too eager to grant
the Russian credits."
So much for the Russian attitude in London. Soon after
a certain change of tactics became necessary. Late in the
summer of 1933 there was a change in the position. A move-
ment began which made it its aim to fight on behalf of the truth
and to throw full light on the question of the Russian famine
and the possibility of bringing help to its victims. The Vienna
Reichspost had published an article containing exhaustive reve-
lations of the position in South Russia, and the outlines of a
general plan of relief. This plan was, in fact, the beginning of
organized efforts to render assistance in the Russian famine
areas in the south. The author's words were published in
important journals in Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and the
United States. A few hours after publication M. Petrovsky, the
Russian Minister in Vienna, issued a categorical dementi^ he
also considered it necessary as late as August to describe