Evening star., 1945-04-08

during the past four years has i'm
portant implications affecting the for
eign trade as we'll as the foreign politi-
cal relations of the United States. The
change has come in part as a result of
the use by the United States Govern
ment, through the Office of InterAmer-
ican Affairs, of radio broadcasting in its
information program to the other
Americas.
In contrast, for example, with one
half-hour broadcast weekly which was
the extent of United States radio activi-
ties in a large metropolitan South
American city early in 1941, the Office
of Inter American Affairs currently is
broadcasting 40 program-hours daily
or 280 program-hours week-in Span
ish, Portuguese and English to radio
audiences in all of the 20 other Amer
ican republics. Listeners in these
countries now can tune in to our Short
wave radio program in one or another
of the three languages for continuous
period of 20 hours each day. Trans
mitter time used daily averages 178
hours.
Expansion of United States direct
international short-wave broadcastlng
has been made possible by the con-
struction of 20 new transmitters to sup
plement the ID short-Wave broadcasting
transmitters in this country which, in
November, 1912, were leased for eXclu-
sive Government use. The SO short
Ico
operating in the United States are
jointly shared by the Office of War
Information and the Office of Inter-
American Affairs. One-third of the
transmitter time is allocated to the
Office of Inter- American Affairs for
two-thirds to the Office of War Infor
nation for broadcasting to the rest Of
the world.
Attracts Large Audience.
The achievements in the inter Amer
lea radio field during the past four years
have attracted a large listening audi
ence among the peoples of the other
Americas. The retention of this audi
ence in the postwar years will be of in
estimable importance in the furtherance
of the American program. For
example, the expanded short-wave IA
cilities acquired by the United States in
the war emergency and the many tech
nical improvements effected in trans
mission of foreign language programs
will make it possible to inform large
segments of the population in the other
Americas simultaneously, and in their
own language, of events significant in
hemisphere and world relations
Just as the United States short-Wave
radio may be used after the war in in
forming the other American peoples
about our democratic aims and princi-
Piles in the field Of international affairs,
so it may be effectively used after the
war in advancing this Nations foreign
trade. 1t is the obligation of both man
agement and labor in those industries
contemplating export business after the
war to study the important potentiali-
ties of this mass communication instru-
ment in the postwar foreign trade field.
United States short-wave transmitters
can help greatly in creating favorable
markets for United States products in
the other American republics. These
transmitters also can be used to encour-
age reduction of trade barriers and
elimination of unfair and discriminatory
trade practices which block United
States exports. On more direct basis,
%ro he iy,
cordance with present Federal Com
munications Commission regulations, to
carry the commercial messages of
United States foreign trade organiza-
tions, sales agencies and individual
manufacturers to far wider audience.
U. S. Slow to Act.
1t has taken the war to bring full
realization of the vital Importance of
direct international short-wave broad
casting in the field of international re-
lations. However, it is now universally
conceded that the attitudes of the peo-
pie of one nation toward the people of
another not only have gradually supple
mented the diplomacy developed be-
tween governments through their for
eign offices but in some cases in recent
years have replaced the old-fashioned
type of diplomacy.
Other nations, we must be frank to
admit, acknowledged and made use of
this changing trend long before the
United States did. France, for example,
initiated public information work
abroad more than half century ago by
sending French scholars and famous
writer's abroad to lecture. It subsidized
schools which Frenchmen established
abroad. 1t offered scholarships for for
eign students to study in France. It
financed the translation of hundreds of
French books into foreign languages.
Cultural relations became an important
instrument in French foreign policy,
and the other American republics were
by no means overlooked in this field.
Later Great Britain and the Soviet
Union, among our Allies, undertook to
foster international cultural program.
The United States was the last of the
great powers to enter the international
information field on a sizable SCALE
In August, 1910, the Office of the Co.
ordinator of Commercial and Cultural
Relations between the American repub-
lies was set up by executive order to
further this work in the inter American
field. Later, in July, 1941, the name
was changed to the Office of the Co.
ordinator of Inter-American Affairs
and its responsibilities expanded and re-
defined.
Advantages Of Short Wave.
Short-wave radio has been an impor-
tant part of the Offices activities since