The Nome nugget., 1947-04-02
Wednesday, April 2, l947
Russia's American Allies I'm The War Of Words
(The Denver POSt)

(lhe Denver POSt)
 IN PRIVATE LIFE, William Benton was highly successful and enlightened advertising man. barter ner with Chester BoWleS in the firm of Benton & Bowes In public life today he is assistant secretary of state in charge of the state departments worldwide pro- gram to inform other peoples of American aims and ac tions.
 Bill Bentons campaign is part of global "war of words in which the United States is aiming siege guns of truth against the oatarian citadels of ignorance and transformation In address the Foreign Press as,ocation the S. wordwarrior told of the other side of this war-American defense against psychological warfare offensive which the otaltarians are waging against the United States Benton characterized the to- talitarian- Russian campaign as an international libel conducted behind barriers to free information
 When foreign governments in control of information day after day. after year concentrate the abnor- mai and malignant aspects of America, while excluding the normal and benign then think those countries con- sruct barrier to stability and peace that concev- ably prove inSurmOuntable'
 Benton described the "enormous and efficient organ izations by which the Russians conduct their campaign abroad He cited, for example France with Comfnun- iscontrolled press of sixteen daily papers and sixty three weekies and with 1452 committees and offices of the organization "France-U S. $. R., devoted to pro- noting Franco-Russian friendship
 Benton could have touched closer to home and men, toned the National Council of Amercan-Sovet Friend ship with it's widespread organization of local councils in the United States The 'Friendship councils along with the Communist party and it's various fronts the principal agents of Soviet propaganda in this country just they every nation of the world which per- mits their formation.
 As the leading proponents of the Russa-can-d do-no wrong school of thought the council is distributing propaganda sheets captioned WAR OR PEACE WE MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO ROADS," Their the- sis is that the U S. policy is aggressive repudation of Posdam and of everything the Allies foughtfor As they phrase the alternatives:
 Either we insist upon strategic and political posi- tons against the Soviet Union in Greece, Turkey and other encircling nations else seek fundamental settlement with the Soviet Union the basis of permit
 ting the peoples of Europe the Near East and Asia to de- termine their affairs in light of their own needs
 The first course means war; the second peace advises the council propaganda It is subtle line which re- verses the facts of the Greek stuaton actually is the second course-that of seeking settlement with Russia which will guarantee weaker nations the right of self determination-whch forms the basis of American pol icy And it is Russian aggression which threatens this right. Contrary to these facts the council follows the Soviet world propaganda line and libels the United States as the aggressor.
 Bill Benton must regret that U s. propaganda has no such allies behind the toatarian frontiers even though he remarks Free peoples could not carry on the kind of psychological warfare waged by the totatarian