Evening star., 1946-01-14
Byrnes on information

In his letter to the President re-
garding the State Departments new
Office of international Information
and Cultural Affairs, Secretary
ByrneS makes out persuasive case
for the perpetuation-on a sharply
reduced and modified scale-of the
activities carried on during the war
by the now dissolved OWL and the
Office of ter-American Affairs.
The case is based on a special de-
partmental study by DR.. Arthur w.
MacMahon. and although questions
can be raised against it. it stands
up well. not least because the idea
of high pressure propaganda is
specifically disavowed and because
every other major country will be
engaged in such a program in the
peacetime years. Mr.. Byrnes fully
agrees with the Presidents view
that the new Office should be IAN
integral part of the conduct of our
foreign affairs" In his opinion, in
order to present a sound picture
abroad of how we live and what we
stand for, it is now more necessary
than ever "to replace prejudice with
truth, distortion with balance, and
suspicion with understanding.
To this end-the whole project, of
course. will depend on whether or
not Congress approves 1.-THE State
Departments new Office would be
represented by small stats in sixty
two different countries, and its
operations would include the follow
ing: The maintenance of American
libraries of information abroad; the
overseas distribution of textual and
background material; the continued
publication of a Russian Language
magazine for circulation in the
Soviet Union; preparation of docu-
mentary films for foreign audiences;
an educational exchange program,
and a continuance, for the time
being at least, of some short-wave
broadcaSting. In it's entirety, the
undertaking probably would call for
an annual expenditure of $25,OO0,-
600 and the employment of about
$500 individuals-a marked depart
mental expansion.
In considering such a program,
more than a few Americans will be
disposed to ask why it should be
necessary, when our great private
news agencies, our magazines, our
movies and other similar ventures
already command vast audiences
abroad. The answer, as Mr.. Byrnes
gives it, is that the new office would
in no sense compete with these en-
terprises, but would simply supple
ment them by covering important
ground which they cannot cover or
which is outside the field of their
normal functions. AS for propa-
ganda and the danger of stimulating
intense international propagandistic
competition, Mr.. Byrnes emphasizes
that the intention is to deal only
with the legitimate distribution of
facts and to avoid all special plead
ing.
An intention, of course, is one
thing and practice another, but If
this new venture actually were
carried out along the lines set forth
by Mr.. Byrnes, it might be able to
play an effective role in promoting
a better understanding of America
throughout the world. In any case
when the time comes to decide for
or against it, Congress would be we'll
advised to give careful attention to
the impressive MacMahon memo
randum recommending it. Worth
remembering, too, is the fact that
every other major country is resort
ing to the same sort of operation as
a permanent part Of its conduct of
foreign policy.