Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-05-08
Cultural Office Held
Victim Of Own Acts
Taber Insists Agency Reform II
It Is to Get Amy Money
By Gould Lincoln

Of $31 .381 40 requested In the Presi-
dents budget for those activities. Two
| main reasons are advanced for this
action. First, that these activities ars
not authorized by law, but were estab-
lished by executive order. Second, that
the administration Of the activities has
been inef1cient or worse. The cutting
Of these appropriations from the State,
Justice, Commerce, Judiciary Appro-
priation bill for 1948 was the work first
OF q subcommittee headed by Repre-
sentative Stefan, Republican, Of
Nebraska. It was backed by the full
committee and by Chairman Taber.
Loud walls have gone up from the
State Department and from various or
CARNATIONS and persons interested In
the work of the information and cul.
tural divisions OF the department. Secre-
tary Of State Marshall himself has gone
to bat for the battered agency. A great
deal Of pressure is being exercised upon
members Of both the House and Senate.
As OF today. it appears that there will
have to be drastic revision OF the per-
sonnet and administration of the infor-
nation and cultural agencies of the
department and large cut In the. total
amount allotted for this kind OF activity
II they are to survive at all.
$10,000,ooo Called Acceptable.
The State Department, it Is said pri-
vately, is willing to accept $1o,O00,0 900
appropriation for these services-al-
though Of course 1t would Hike to have
the whole $3l 900 900 plus. But whether
Mr.. Taber. Mr.. Stefan. and their coll
leagues in the committee and the House
itself are to give any sum for these
activities still is question. They don't
want to. They contend that q Govern
ment sponsored program to be sent to
foreign lands is out Of tune with Ameri-
can precedents and principles, and that
the Government should not remain In
the news business, but 1t should be left
largely to private initiative with gov
ernmental encouragement
Chairman Taber Of the House Appro-
priations Committee has suggested the
committee might relent and give some
appropriation for these information and
cultural services. He has laid down,
however, some "musts" which are to
precede any favorable action by his
committee. One Is the passage OF
bill authorizing the activities "a bill for
this purpose has already been intro
duced In the House,. To get this atI-
thorization, Mr.. Taber insists, It must
be demonstrated that the broadcasting
service will at all times support the
position Of the State Department and
be loyal beyond question and that the
service shall be on q business basis.
Mr.. Taber has been particularly
aroused over the fact that while Sec
rotary Of State Marshall was battling
recently in Moscow for agreements with
Russia on German and Austrian peace
treaties, this radio service Of the State
Department was sending over the air
to Russia gloriflcation Of Henry Wal
lace, "the country's leading opponent Of
the departments policy" He charges,
too, that denunciation Of President
Truman's orders, designed to rid the
Government service Of those who are
disloyal, was posted on the bulletin
board In the place from which tho
broadcasting to foreign countries origi-
mates In New York. Further, he has been
informed, he says, that man assigned
to work on this broadcasting service IN
Moscow at the time OF the meeting Of
the Council Of Foreign Ministers proved
1nefhcient and had to be sent home.
Senators Also Dissatisfied.
The antagonism to the present infor-
nation and cultural setup in the State
Department Is by no means confined, on
Capitol Hill, to the House. Several Sem
ators have declared themselves utterly
dissatisfied and unwilling to appropri-
ate money for these services unless there
Is complete house-cleaning. Senator
Ferguson, Republican, of Michigan, one
OF the keenest Investigators In the SEN
ate, has quietly made an investigation
Of the operations Of this broadcasting
section. He has, 1t is learned, obtained
copies Of orders-which he does not
claim originated with the Secretary Of
State or officials of the highest level In
the Departmental slant" news from
this country to be sent abroad, giving 1t
a leftist twist. He is likely to take the
floor Of the Senate any day and discuss
the matter in considerable detail.
Senator Bricker, Republican, Of Ohio,
Is another who has little regard for the
broadcasting service as now constituted.
couple Of months ago he requested
copies Of the material which was being
broadcast to Russia. He was told the
matter was not for distribution. He and
other Senators take the position that
they are unwilling to vote to continue
appropriations for an agency which will
not let member of the Senate zee what
it is sending out. There are other sena-
tors who go along with him.
These critical members OF Congress
admit the value Of presenting news Of
America and the American point Of view
to foreigners; but they think that great
deal Of money is at present being wasted
in these services. In addition, they believe
that the news matter sent out - being
colored to suit the views Of radical left
lists and they will insist on that being
stopped.
Passion Understood
From the Cleveland News.
We believe we know Just how the
Bronx driver felt. We never eloped