THE PROPAGANDA BATTLEFRONT, VOL. I, NOS. III, IV, V, VI, VII, IX, X (March 15- Sept 27, 1943); Vol III, Nr 7. (April 15, 1945) (8 ISSUES)

New York: Friends OF Democracy, Inc, 1943. Paperback. 4to. 4 pages. Antifascist newspaper. "Friends of Democracy, Inc. (FOD) was organized in Kansas City, Missouri in 1937 by Unitarian minister Leon M. Birkhead. The group described itself as 'a non-partisan, non-sectarian, non-profit, anti-totalitarian propaganda agency.' In 1939 their offices were moved to New York City, an early branch of the group. In 1942 propagandist Rex Stout later became chairman of Friends of Democracy. John Dewey, Thomas Mann, Van Wyck Brooks, and Will Durant were also prominent members. By 1939 the Friends of Democracy had files on over 800 pro-NS Germany organizations in America. The group issued a journal called The Propaganda Battlefront and Democracy's Battle. Author James P. Duffy in his book Lindbergh vs. Roosevelt: The Rivalry That Divided America claims that Friends of Democracy was a front group for British intelligence. He also makes the point that Birkhead became chairman of another front group controlled by the British called the Nonpartisan Committee to defeat Hamilton Fish. An interesting point which supports this claim is that FOD was strongly interventionist during time of the Hitler-Stalin pact. The group was the forerunner of today's 'watchdog' organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center" that track hate groups (Wikipedia, 2016). SUBJECT (S): Propaganda - periodicals; World War, 1939-1945. OCLC lists 5 copies worldwide. Good condition with tears to margins of cover wrappers. (MX-2-30).