Evening star., 1950-04-20
Truman Asks Editors
For Truth Campaign
To Halt Communists
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come by truth-plain, simple. un'
vanished truth - presented b!
newspapers, radio and othel
sources that the people trust"
People Do Not Get Truth.
The President said, "Commu'
mist propaganda is so crude, 81
false, so blatant, that we wonder
how men can be sWayed by it.
But he said the answer lies ir
the fact that most of the people
to whom it is directed do MOI
have free access to accurate in.
formation" that free pres
makes possible.
It is to change this situation
that presents one of the Creates
tasks facing the free nations to.
day"
Pointing to the efforts thu
Communists are making to "ex.
plot" the peoples of other lands
and he mentioned the Far Eas1
at the outset-the President sale
this country realizes the falsitI
OF Communist promises, bu1
others do not.
Contradictions Are Cited.
1.-The contradiction between wha
the Communist leaders have
promised and what they have ac-
tually done is SO startling that
we are amazed that any one car
be deceived" Mr.. Truman con-
tinued.
He pointed to Berlin, Czecho-
slovakia. the Balkans and again
the Far East, where, he said, the
Communists have proved time
after time that their talk about
peace is only a cloak for i'm
perialism."
1--WE are the ones who must
make sure that the truth about
communism is known everywhere, u
the President reiterated.
"At the same time, we must
overcome the constant stream of
slander and vilification that the
Communists pour out in an effort
to discredit the United States and
other free nations"
Truman Outlines His Ideas.
Blueprinting his own ideas of
what should be done, Mr. Tru-
man said, 1--WE should greatly ex-
tend and strengthen our efforts
for making the truth known to
the people of all the world"
He said that some good work
is being done through the Voice
of America, United States infor-
nation Offices and libraries, the
United Nations and through ex-
change of students, labor unions
and other organizations have
helped, he continued, but I'VE
need to promote much more di-
rect contact between our people
and those of other countries"
Foreign visitors should be en-
couraged, he continued; colleges
should train more Americans to
go abroad and teach modern
methods in such fields as farm
ing, industry and public health.
Newspapers, radio, magazines
and motion pictures must help
the President amplif1ed, explain
ing that every effective means
must be employed to present the
American way of life.
Praises Help from ASNE.
In this connection, the Presi-
dent had a good word for the
ASNE aid in this vast publicity
effort. He explained that Mark
Ethridge. publisher of the Louis
vile Courier-Journal, and Erwin
D. Canham, editor of the Chris
tian Science Monitor, who are
members Of the society, had a part
in the valuable aid rendered by
the United States Advisory Com
mission Information.
Summing up, Mr.. Truman de-
clared that the task of bringing
home to the millions of unin-
formed. the things for which this
country and the other free ma
tions stand is "as important as
armed strength or economic aid
The Marshall Plan and other
programs, he continued. depend
for their success on the under
standing and support of our own
citizens and those of other coun-
tries"