Evening star., 1950-09-06
Crusade for Freedom

General Eisenhower has made an interesting
notwithstanding for what he did not say as
we'll as for what he said-in connection with the
opening of the Crusade for Freedom campaign.
The Crusade for Freedom is worthy under
taking It's aim is to arouse the American people
to the danger that threatens them and to raise
funds for privately operated radio stations abroad
that can broadcast the truth without being
subject to what General Eisenhower somewhat
graphically refers to as Government restrictions"
1t is project designed to supplement the work
of the Voice of America, and The Star has
desire to belittle its significance. Our conflict
with the Russians, at this stage at least, is in
substantial part war of propaganda and 1t is
important that we reach as many people as
possible with our story.
But we should not delude ourselves with the
notion that the real conflict with the Russians
can be won by propaganda alone. The most
successful propaganda effort could at best,
amount to no more than part of what has
to be done. What should most earnestly concern
us are the military measures that may be taken
against us, and those which we, in our turn,
would have to take.
General Eisenhower brushed over this aspect
of the matter. He spoke with eloquence of the
things that would happen if we fail to meet the
Communist challenge. "The system of govern
ment established by our forefatherS" he said,
will disappear, the sacrifices of American
patriots will have been in vain. The world will
go back to the days of master and slave, of
darkness, ignorance and Savagery. The American
record, from Washington to the day of disaster,
would be only blank page in history" Yet, with
this day of disaster" looming as a distinct
possibility, our wartime supreme commander had
little in the way of military counsel to offer. He
said that I'VE must give real support to all
aspects of the military aid program, and re-
examine at once our troop strength in critical
areas" But for the rest, his recommendations
dealt with propaganda, economic and political
matters
It seems to The Star that this gives rise to
regret and concern. There is hardly any limit
to the advice offered with respect to incidental
matters Almost any one is willing to tell the
people how to wage the propaganda war. The
air is filled with counsel, though it is often
conflicting counsel, on the strategy and tactics
of the economic struggle The pros and cons of
political warfare are dime dozen. But when
one gets to the hard core of this matter-the
question of what might best be done in military
way to insure our Survival-there is singular
reluctance to speak out.
The President has moved to silence his
subordinates with respect to this phase of the
matter, and one can understand the reasons for
that But the reasons which enjoin silence on
the part of the Presidents subordinates sound
as far as they go, are of no aid in shaping public
thinking on the most solemn and most difficult
question of all those that confront us. That
question is simply this: Should we wait until the
Russians strike directly at u.s. or should we strike
first?
The lives of millions of Americans in our
cities, perhaps our very survival as Nation,