POSTERS AND CARTOONS

Where are the great cartoons of this war - not simply humorous or satiric but heroic and inspiring - in the great 1914-18 traditions of Raemakers, Partridge, Brangwyn, Pryde, Nicholson, Bone and Pennel - men who thrilled the nations to arms through four years of desperate war?

This Ministry must find the up-to-date counterparts of these men - here and abroad - and USE them, quickly!

As quickly as humanly possible, for example, there should be a great inspiring drawing on every hoarding

“THE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT OF FRANCE”

There has been far too much tendency to shy away from the “heroic” tradition. In time of real emergency the mainsprings of human reactions are found to be fundamentally unchanged.

We must arouse PATRIOTISM, frank and unashamed. We must use the dramatic power of great artists to show the beastliness of the thing that threatens us and the flaming courage that alone will smash it down.

THE EMOTIONAL POWER OF GREAT DRAWINGS must be used. Time-wasting delay through obstacles such as the private monopoly of the work of the best artists by publishers and newspapers should be over-ridden. The work of the best men should be reproduced everywhere. Given Ministerial backing to approach important newspaper interests, this Division can fix equitable terms.

With a free hand to use the best British and French talent available this Ministry could hearten and inspire the public as in no other way.

Nor must quibbles about the preferential use of the hoardings be allowed to stand in the way. Our job is to gird up the public temper and we cannot do it without tools.

The number of really great artists for this class of work is not as large as it was in the last war and those that exist are mostly “locked up” on the above lines. But they are to be found - men like JEAN CARLU in France and JAGGER in this country. What is therefore recommended is -

AN INSPIRING SERIES OF AT LEAST TWELVE PICTORIAL POSTERS (INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHIC ONES) KEYNOTE: BRITISH AND FRENCH COURAGE WILL TRIUMPH OVER THE HUN.