Evening star., 1951-04-08
Wants Proof Of Need
To Reduce Program
Against Communism

Against Communism
/ Speaker Rayburn said yesterday
he would question on the House
floor an $88 million slash in a
State Department request for
1875 million for the Voice OF
tAmerica.
I Mr.. Rayburn, who has demon
lstrated his awareness of the far
reaching and devious menace OF
Communism, showed in an inter-
lview with the Star, that he was
disturbed by the drastic cut ir
funds asked for the construction
iof new radio transmitters for the
Voice program.
/ The slash was voted Friday by
1.-THE House Appropriations Com
lmittee in reporting a third sup
tplemental appropriation bill. The
COMMITTEE voted for $9,533. .939 tc
complete seven radio construction
projects now under way and turn
led down a State Department re.
quest for funds for the building
of 13 additional facilities to carry
the message of democracy behind
the Iron Curtain.
Demonstration Is Wanted. =
In saying he would ask some
questions about the cut In the
Voice funds. Mr.. Rayburn said:
''I want them (the Committee
members) to demonstrate that the
amount the committee recon-
mends is sufficient to carry on the
Voice of America program in an
efficient manner"
In its action, the House Com
mittee overrode a special plea BY
President Truman who said earlier
that the additional money would
enable the Voice of America to
expand its broadcasts to countries
behind the Iron Curtain.
There was no specific comment
from the State Department on
the committees action. But off,
cialS said it was impossible to sup
ply the committee with details il
asked about the proposed new
construction of transmission IA
cilltieS until it had funds with
which to carry on the undertak-
ing.
Negotiations Are Blocked.
Manufacturers, it was pointed
out. will not take the trouble to
make detailed estimates for new
transmitters when there is no
certainty Of money being available
to order them.
Similarly, they added, they can
not negotiate successfully for land
abroad on which to build the
transmitters until there is money
available to buy the land.
On the question of the effect on
the efficiency of the Voice pro-
gram-the question that Mr.. Ray
burn will raise-State Department
Ispokesmen pointed out that il
was necessary ito get our story
behind the Iron Curtain
The additional transmitters TO,
which funds were requested and
denied by the Appropriations
COMMITTEE, it was added, are
needed to bring the message o1
democracy to- the countries cut
OF from other means of inforrna.
ton. Most of them would be me.
dium-wave transmitters to reach
larger audience than presen,
short-wave broadcasts.
Would Be Vital Blow.
/ Hence this State Department
attitude: The House committee
action, if not overruled by the
House itself, will strike vitally al
the efficiency and primary pur.
pose OF the Voice program.
In denying the State Depart.
ment request the committee, in 9
formal report. said that lack O,
proper planning, poor manage.
ment and avoidable delays in the
execution of plans and contracts
had been shown by the State De.
partment in furthering the Voice
program.
"The material submitted to thu
committee in support of the esti.
mate" the report said, Lacked
definiteness and was so devoid o1
specific data that it could not be
considered plan of action"
i Poor Planning Charged.
! The committee asserted it hae
supported the Voice program
since its beginning and believed
there is "a great need for com.
batting the insidious propaganda
emanating from the Kremlin.
But it added:
ut Fundamentally believes that
properly managed and directed
the Voice of America is the best
medium for accomplishment of 6
campaign Of truth that has beer
devised. However, the COMMITTEES
must say that it is very much dis.
,,iappointed in the accomplishment.
and progress to date.
"Mismanagement and poor plan.
ming with regard to both engi.
fneering and to the administrative
phases of the program have cos
valuable time as well as dollars.
: The State Department is con,
sidering putting some of its trans.
mission facilities on ships, the re-
port disclosed. It said only tina
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