---
title: 'Be silent: the enemy is listening (Douglas War Production Drive cartoon sheet)'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/be-silent-douglas-war-production-drive-morehouse/
description: 'Black-and-white cartoon sheet of six panels in a plant setting: a worker whispering near a peddler under a ''Be silent, the enemy is listening'' sign.'
section: Collection
---

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3. Be silent: the enemy is listening

**Content note:** A cartoon panel shows a newspaper headline reading 'JAPS TAKE', using a wartime ethnic slur for Japanese people. This object is shown as it was published. [Why](https://propagandaarchive.org/about/#as-it-was)

[![Be silent: the enemy is listening, 1941 US poster: Black-and-white cartoon sheet of six panels in a plant setting](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/be-silent-douglas-war-production-drive-morehouse.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/be-silent-douglas-war-production-drive-morehouse.jpg)

# Be silent: the enemy is listening (Douglas War Production Drive cartoon sheet)

Black-and-white cartoon sheet of six panels in a plant setting: a worker whispering near a peddler under a 'Be silent, the enemy is listening' sign, two men smoking beneath 'No smoking', a woman wasting paper at 'Conserve material', a man walking past 'Buy war bonds here', a late clock-puncher, and workers falling over a newspaper headline. The technique is plain-folks: everyday cartoon workmen model rules of conduct, with a faint fear-appeal in the enemy-listening sign.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Plain folks](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/plain-folks/) [Fear appeal](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/fear-appeal/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
BE
SILENT
THE ENEMY
IS LISTENING
NO SMOKING
CONSERVE
MATERIAL
WASTE
BUY WAR
BONDS HERE
SWISH
-LATE AGAIN-
-NEWS-
JAPS
TAKE
[illegible]
- AND DO THEY RAISE HELL ! WHEN
THE WAR NEWS IS BAD !
[emblem: DOUGLAS WAR PRODUCTION DRIVE AIRCRAFT]
[signature: LEE MOREHOUSE, ILLUSTRATED PARTS CATALOG]
W 100
[on badges: 200 / 30; 686]
```

[← Be proud you're delivering!](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/be-proud-youre-delivering-1941/) [Be sure the driver sees you! →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/be-sure-the-driver-sees-you-1941/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Trois Tetes sous l'meme bonnet (three heads under the same cap)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/trois-tetes-sous-le-meme-bonnet-1789/) (France · 1789 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['This log cabin was the first building erected on the North Bend', Whig print by T. Sinclair, 1840](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/harrison-north-bend-log-cabin-sinclair-1840/) (United States · 1840 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [Treeing Coons (pro-Polk cartoon), 1844](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/treeing-coons-polk-1844/) (United States · 1844 · Name-calling, Plain folks)
- [Zachary Taylor, People's Candidate for President (Currier banner), 1848](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/taylor-fillmore-peoples-candidate-1848/) (United States · 1848 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['Little Mac.' (from the Democratic presidential campaign songster)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/little-mac-song-sheet-feeks-1864/) (United States · 1864 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
- [The peoples' choice, H. Greeley G. Brown](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/peoples-choice-greeley-brown-1872/) (United States · 1872 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
- [The working-man's banner. For President, Ulysses S. Grant, 'The Galena Tanner.' For Vice-President, Henry Wilson, 'The Natick Shoemaker.'](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/working-mans-banner-grant-1872/) (United States · 1872 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [The Chappaqua farmer](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/chappaqua-farmer-1872/) (United States · Jul 1872 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)