Evening star., 1946-10-22
Russiun Radio Takes
Hand in u. 5. Elections
Calls Both Parties 'Reactionary';
Halls PAC Candidates
By Dapid Laurence

By Dapid Laurence
The Russian propaganda offices abroad
are takingta deep interest in the con-
gressional elections in the United States.
The radio broadcasts vary from denun-
Citations Of both Democratic and Repub-
lican parties as "reactionary'' to friendly
comments about the CIO-PAC as rep
resenting the only progressive sentiment
in this country.
The Soviet spokesmen often refer dis
paragingly to Senator Vandenberg, who is
a candidate for reelection in Michigan,
and they talk of Henry Wallace's speech
at Madison Square Garden "as signal
for drive to rally the countrys progress
sive forces"
The Moscow commentators denounce
the atomic diplomacy of the United
States as the work of "reactionaries"
and also emphasize the pressures inside
the United States to get American troops
out of China. For whether the SovietS
admit they are behind the Chinese Com
munists, 1t is apparent that the Russians
want American troops Withdrawn in the
hope that the Communists in China
will have free hand.
Hit U. S. Foreign Policies.
The Russian propagandists are busy,
too, on the short-wav radio denouncing
American foreign policies. The whole
situation is strangely reminiscent of the
tactics used by the Nazis who thought
ina all
campaigns by press and radio comments.
Theoretically it is an intrusion for
the Soviet press and radio, which is
controlled by the Russian government,
to be interfering comments plainly de-
signed to influence the American elec-
torate, but since the voices of democracy
have been raised in Europe by American
spokesmen to insure free elections be-
hind the iron curtain" with freedom
of speech for everybody. there can be
not the slightest objection now perhaps
to Russian comments.
Indeed, it may be that the Russian
propaganda will be helpful to American
voters in making their selections. Thus,
unless the CIO-PAC repudiates the
apparent sympathy being expressed for
its cause by the Moscow radio, many
Americans will, mistakenly or not, get
the impression that vote for the CIO-
PAC is vote desired by the COM
munistic regime in Moscow. Presumably
the Soviet speakers think that the tri-
umph of the CIO-PAC candidates will
constitute pressure on the President and
Secretary of State to adopt an "appease-
ment' policy toward Russia instead of
the present policy of firmness.
| There are many good Americans run
ming for Office who have the indorse-
ment of the CIO-PAC which was given
| them purely because of their friendliness
to the labor cause, though 1t is not al
ways clear whether the CIO-PAC in
dorsement is related only to domestic
issues Thus in 1914 Senator James j.
/ Davis, Republican, of Pennsylvania, for
! example, had about as clearly pro-
labor record as any man who ever had
seat in Congress, but he was fought
and defeated by the CIO-PAC because
it was alleged that he had been pre-
war isolationist in matters of foreign
policy.
May Be Liability.
If the Russian press continues its
! radio campaign, 1t may be that CIO-
| PAC Endorsements will become liabi-
ity instead of an asset because the Com
munist issue Is being raised far more
effectively in the present campaign than
ever before
Up to now those "parlor pinks" and
every mention Of communism as seeing
| things under the bed" have been able
to divert the American peoples atten-
| ton from Communist infiltration. Today
| the progress of the communists in get
ting control of certain labor unions and
in threatening to take control of others
| Is matter of common Knowledge
much so that the issue is raised on the
floor Of union conventions by labor lead
ers whose records show they are them
selves as devoted to the cause Of trade
unionism as any Of the men they are
opposing.
The American Federation OF Labor is
taking a positive stand in fighting COM
munism in America and several CIO
union leaders have lately gotten together
to do the same thing. But this move by
minority of the CIO men has appar-
| entity been overlooked by the Moscow
propagandists who still express conf
dence in the CIO-PAC candidates as the
real progressives whose election Moscow
apparently desires.
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