Evening star., 1947-06-15
Kent Cooper Charge
OF Propaganda Hit
In Benton S Reply

Inc state DEPARTMENT. IHduc Pup
Lie last night letter from Assistant
Secretary nf State Benton to Kent
Cooper, executive director of the
Associated Press. contending that
a Government information program
Is necessary to develop understanding
of the Uuited States abroad.
The letter replied to- speech
by Mr.. Cooper in which he said
international amity can best be
attained by world news exchange
through the press and its agencies.
Mr.. Cooper spoke May 26 at the
anniversary celebration of the
Medill School of journalism OF
Northwestern University at Chicago.
He explained he was speaking solely
as an individual and not as ex-
ecutive director Of the Associated
Press.
Decaring that "the United States
Is today grossly, shockingly and
dangerously misunderstood by the
peoples of many important coun-
tries" Mr.. Benton said that he and
Mr.. Cooper can agree on these two
things the United States Govern
ment ought to do:
81, It ought to move as it can to
advance the cause of universal
freedom OF information, and
20. 1t ought to encourage the
activities of private, competitive
agencies in the communications
field"
Beyond these steps," Mr.. Benton
continued, you seem to be arguing
that we do nothing-that we revert
to status quo ante bellum.
Objects TO Word Propaganda"
"The opposing argument is that
we should never again be caught SO
helpless: hat the Government must
act to fill he information gaps that
are now 70 glaring. In order that
foreign p, )ples will not again be so
easily misled about us; and that
the Government method must be
to give facts, and nothing but facts,
openly and candidly and steadily
in those areas and via those media
not open to private channels or not
profitable to them. If and as private
agencies develop in these areas and
media, The Government should
withdraw"
Mr., Benton wrote that Mr.. Coop
er's speech contains numerous spe-
cific misconceptions and mislead-
ing statements" and continued:
"As you use the word propaganda
throughout your speech to describe
the international activities of the
State Department, you are prejudg-
ing the question by raising associa-
tions of dishonesty, malice and evil
intent.
I'm your sense deny-f1atly and
categorically-that the Department
OF State is engaged in propaganda.
No responsible newspaperman who
has taken the trouble to study the
Departments operation has so de-
5crlbed it.
Says Wire Service Inadequate.
You say that "all countries OF
any importance actually avail them
selves of the news reports Of the
United States wire services. The
fact is that number of countries
either do not get these reports or
process them beyond all recogni-
ton. Hungary, Poland, Romania,
Yugoslavia and Iran, among others,
get no reports. The Soviet TassI
agency gets the AP report, but /
am sure you agree with me that
Russian newspapers cannot, even in
the most farfetched sense, be said
to have 'AP service. +.r.. l
A bill formally authorizing the
departments information and cul-
tural affairs program, including
Voice of America" broadcasts to-
Russia and other countries, is pend |
:ng in the House.
Mr.. Benton urged Senate Ap-
propriatlons subcommittee yesterday
10 restore $34000,0 900. cut out of the
state Department appropriation bill
for the 1948 fiscal year by the House,
for financing the program.