ee re exiles, through their leosely organized Couscils or Committeos, to wholly develop, manage, acd control RFZ bruadcantinges Sinee the advert of KFE was the most important development affecting the oxilos whieh hed cocurred since their flight from howe, they quickly understood and applauded its implications and potential effect on their futures. Tirvugh thie tuatrument they could once again become prominent and powerful in the offairs of the homoland, - once more they could conten? for place and yower. Selection of personnel for the purposa_at hand quickly became a political football of rivel leaders, perzonalities, and groups. Rightists, Leftists, Centriste, Labor Zlexents, and Splinteregroups argued with us for advancezent of their particular personal or political views. Sponsorship of their own adherents os RFE employees through whom such views would be broaccart to their captive countrymen becane the pattern of their pseudo co-peration. This petvern was followed to sueh au extent thet ordinary progress and sengizle development of our basic purpose of truly free srosdeaste under exile control soon appeared to be not only impracticable, but dangerous. For exemple, the National Councils Division attempted to inaugurate troedcasts to Crechoslovakia under the gusploes of a Czechoslovak Netional Council. The Council was and is made up of exile persoralities of differing political views and parties. Its factions preceeded to engage in endless disputes and ire recencilatle elaims for ecatrol of seript preduction and program ecntent. ovak "Sepawatiata” arguing for the total Independence of Slovakia
Fa sought that objective, while Czechs desired opposite views to be alread and edsycated the rebirth of pre=sar Czechoslovakia. Each group sponsored ard insisted upon employment of its own more or leas qualified adherents upoa the sssumption that its special views would be thereby expressed f te the eaptive Czochoslovak audience of RFE. Similar activities wore pursued by Hungarians, Bulgarians, ond Poles until the futility of per- wmitting the exile Counoila to control the destiny and broadcasting policies of RFE was made clear beyond refutation, It became tragioally ebvious thet uncontrolled exile-werld Counolls and professional poli Ricans could not agree on personnel selection ot program content. In apite of every effort to induse harmony in and obtain proper eocperation from the ®Counsils", "Committoes”, and individuals, RFE was gonfrested with an impasse. The alternative theory and present policy of Azerican aclection of non-political exile personnel was the only way... oute It has worked. Technically qualifled personnel produce properly eriented programs =- and have been doing so with documented success aince July, 1950. Disappointed exile politicians, professional exile ecanp follewers, disturbed American special pieadera, and alarmed Gommuniat agents all scream, anipe and snivel «~- but RFE pregrams ore doing the job. ECFE-RFE records of this stage can be supplied by Frederic R, Delbeare, Yico-President, Natioral Councils Division, and Robert E. Lang, Director, EFE. The current policy has the complete endorsement of these efficerg and of the Board of Directors of NCFE.