Chicago world., 1948-06-19

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The current Juror over the
State Departments "Voice OF
America" radio broadcast is the
most serious the program has
become involved in so far. For
long while a r5izable minority
in Congress has doubted if the
broadeasts 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 when
he said it was an important ad-
junct to our foreign policy.
''Voice of America is beamed
~ directional RADIO to a. long list
of foreign countries, in their IAN
guages. The broadcast which re-
| Gently aroused anger IN Congress
seems to have been extraord1n-
arily critical of this country, at
least in part. 1t was in the form
of travelogue, in which two
men journeyed through various
states and discussed what was
going on. Heavy stress, appar-
emily, was laid on real or alleged
racial and other inequalities. 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 op1n-
ion Of the United States.
Wheterthat is true or not, It'll OOks
as if division of responsibility
is a very weak link in the 'Voice
Of America" chain. The State
Department does not prepare
the scripts, but has that done by
broadcasting company. No one
in authority, apparently, checks
them before they are released.
In the recent controversy, every
on passed the buck to someone
else.
| Regardless Of what has hap
/ pened in. practice, however, the
theory back of r"Voice of Amerl-
ca is interesting. The basic
plan was to put out entertaining
and informative programs that
wou1d. give foreign listeners
particularly htose behind the
iron curtain-a more accurate
idea of American life and thought
than can e gained from their
own newspapers and RADIO, most
of which are government con-
trolled. The idea was to reach
the rank and file of people, and
that America is paceable, sym
pathetic with their problems,
and eager to cooperate in sol
wing the worlds ills. No one
knows how many foreign list
ers have actually heard the
| broadcasts. In some countries,
notably the Soviet Union, where
people caught listening to fore
/ ign broadcasts may find them
selves in serious difficulty, the
number is undoubtedly small.
! Even so, the programs advoca-
tes say, it has been a positive
and growing influence.
! The future of "Voice Of Amer
/ lea" remains tc be seen. Within
the United States, number OF
non governmental activities are
being carried on to give Ameri-
cans themselves a clearer idea
Of the superiority Of the capt.
/ alist over the socialist and COM
munist systems. There is no end
| of authoritative information 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 remem-
.bered. The Los Angeles Chamber
of Commerce, as an example,
has put out a series of charts
called Magic of America which
have been received with much
more enthusiasm than was eX-
I; pected. The charts are largely
factual in character, and are de-
voted to the difference in liv-