Evening star., 1950-03-14
Censorship in Soviet
Distorts Replies 10
Peace Moves in u. ).
Lag in Press Comments
To Peace FeeIers Due to
Bureaucracy Red Tope
BY Davfd La,crence

CUilic lIibO Lie OulUeQ states from
behind their censorship of news
dispatches is examined minutely
here nowadays to determine just
what the Kremlin is thinking
about.
Observation of the Russian
technique in handling press rela-
tions has developed the almost
unanimous conclusion here that
the lag in comments on world
news in the Soviet press is due to
bureaucracy's red tape. The Off
cial propagandists in Moscow
must wait for weeks at a time
while their requests for guidance
are discussed at the top level in
the government and they must
wait still further for the directives
telling them what to write-to
percolate downward to all con-
cerned.
Thus, for example, it is more
than five weeks now since Sena-
tor Mcmahon of Connecticut
made his speech in the Senate
advocating that as much as fifty
billions of dollars be spent to de-
velop a plan for world peace which
would include economic aid to
Russia.
Master of Invective.
The task of denouncing the plan
evidently has just been given to
Ilya Ehrenburg, the Soviet press
hatchet man, who is supposed
to be master of invectiye and
satirical criticism.
The Ehrenburg comment in
"Prayda" is, of course, significant
not because of what that particu-
lar writer thinks but because it re-
veals what his superiors are think
ing. The comment says:
Our people will never live ac-
cording to other peoples orders.
In vain Mr.. Truman contemplates
frightening us, in vain Mr.. Nc
Mahon thinks of buying us out.
We don't need the advice of
ignorant South Carolina slave
owners and we don't fear haber-
dashery statesmen from across the
ocean. even if they advertise
bombs instead of suspenders.
The reference to South Carolina
may have been intended as crack
at the author of the Baruch Plan
for Atomic Control, whose ances-
tors lived in South Carolina, and
the gibe at the "haberdashery
salesman" is the way some Soviet
commentators occasionally refer
to Mr.. Truman's early career in
business.
What Russians Forget.
What the Soviet propaganda
chiefs forget is that writing OF
that, kind may amuse some readers
on this side of the ocean and an
tagonize others, but it doesn't con-
vince Americans that the Russians
have really learned anything
about how to conduct effective
propaganda-how ito win friends
and influence people" .e---
Actually, three pieces of impor- |
tant information may be, derived
from the inspired Ehrenburg COM
ment: tf .yo = -
First, it reveals that the Rus
slams construed the Presidents
announcement of our intention to
manufacture the H-bomb as a
move to frighten Russia into sub
mission. It shows the United
States should have issued its state
statement with a different psy-
Geological approach.
Second, it reveals that the Rus
slams purposely misunderstood the
Mcmahon speech, or else the Con-
necticut Senator really didn't
make his point clear-that the
setting up of huge International
fund to assure peace was primarily
to promote economic well-being as
a basis for friendship among all
nations. including Russia, and was
not by any stretch of the imagina-
ton intended as a means of
buying peace or of Offering
money as an inducement to nego-
tiation.
Third. despite all the talk that
American news does not get into
Russia. it is evident that speeches
such as those made by Senators
Mcmahon and Tydings are thor
oughly read in an effort to ap-
praise the mood of the American
people. It all shows how rela-
lively untried are the constructive
ways of removing distrust between
the two peoples and how psyche
logically important are exchanges
OF view that can help build mutual
trust.