Milford chronicle., 1948-06-18
"Vole AMERICA"

The curref eF the State Depart
Tnents Voice Of America radio brOadcasts
is the most serious the program has become
involved in so far. For a long while a size
able minority in Congress has doubted if the
broadcasts can do any good. At one time it
looked as if either House or Senate might
refuse to vote the necessary appropriations
to keep the program going. 1t was saved by
Secretary Marshall, who made a strong plea
In which he said it was an important adjunct
to our foreign policy.
"Voice of America" beamed by direction
al radio to long list of foreign countries,
in their languages. The broadcast which re-
Gently aroused anger in Congress seems to
have been extraordinarily critical of this
country, at least in part. 1t was in the form
of travelogue, in which two men journey
ed through various states and discussed what
was going on. Heavy stress, apparently, was
laid on real or alleged racial and other in
equalities The author of the script said that
taking isolated lines from the context did it
an injustice, and that anyone who listened
to all of it would get favorable opinion of
the United States. Whether that is true or
not, it looks as if division of responsibility is
a very weak link in the ''Voice of America"
chain. The State Department does not pre-
pare the scripts, but has that done by
brOadcasting company. No one in authority,
leased. In the recent controversy, everyone
passed the buck to someone else.
Regardless of what has happened in prac-
tice, however the theory back of "Voice of
America" is interesting. The basic plan was
to put out entertaining and informative pro-
grams that would give foreign listeners
particularly those behind the iron curtain
more accurate idea of American life and
thought than can be gained from their own
newspapers and radio, most of which are
government controlled. The idea was to
reach the rank and file of people, and to
show them, among other things, that Amer
lea is peaceable, sympathetic with their prob
lens, and eager to cooperate in solving the
worlds ills. No one knows how many for
eign listeners have actually heard the broad
casts. In some countries, notably the Soviet
Union, where people caught listening to for
eign brOadcasts may find themselves in SER
ious difficulty, the number is undoubtedly
small. Even so, the programs advocates say,
1t has been positive and growing influence.
The future of "Voice of America" re-
mains to be seen. Within the United States.
a number of nOn-gOvernmental activities are
being carried on to give Americans them
selves clearer idea of the superiority of the
capitalist over the socialist and communist
systems. There is no end of authoritative in
formation of this kind, but much of it is in
long and scholarly monographs which are
not widely read. More and more thought is
being given to reaching the people with ideas
and facts which can be quickly assimilated
and easily remembered. The difference in
living standards between capitalist America,
communist Russia and socialist Britain are
great. The average American wage Garner
could buy six pairs of shoes with a weeks
earnings, while in Russia his counterpart
gets enough for only one Shoe Again, in
America an hours work will pay for six
quarts of milk, while in Russia it will buy
but third of de quart And, despite our
housing shortage we have an average of 41O