Evening star., 1951-04-09
For a Stronger Voice


requested to expand the facilities of the "voice
OF America" the House Appropriations Com
mlttee has by no means closed its mind on the
subject On the contrary, emphasizing that
1t regards the program as thing of great i'm
portance to our national security, it has plainly
indicated that the cut-or large part of it
will be restored if the administration gives
Congress flrmer assurances that the money will
be used effectively.
The projected expansion indorsed
by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as by the
State Department and the President-Would
strengthen the "Voice" with number of addi-
tional medium wave and short-wave transmitting
stations here in the United States, overseas and
even on ocean-going vessels. The new facilities
which are needed to cope with the Soviet
Unions all-out jamming drive against our Amer
lean effort to get the truth through to the world
behind the Iron Curtain-would cost total of
$97.5 million. But the Appropriations Commit
tee has voted to allow only $95 million to cover
the completion of several radio projects already
In the process of construction.
In explaining this drastic cut--which, Incl
dentally, will not reduce the Voices" present
scale of operations-the committee has ascribed
its decision to evidence of poor management" /"
lack OF proper planning" and vague and in
complete" ideas on the part of those charged
with the responsibility of locating and running
the proposed new facilities. But it has not
slammed the door on the project. Instead, it
has invited the State Department to return "as
soon as possible" to Congress with "a more
intelligent and better planned program" Pre-
sumaby, if the department does so-as it should
ways will be found to work out the problem
satisfactorily.
Actually, despite the committees criticism,
the State Department seems to have an excel
lent case in favor of the expansion project At
any rate. it is strongly backed by the United
States Advisory Commission on Information in
its latest semiannual report to Congress The
commissions kind of impartial watchdog
group of citizens distinguished in private enter
prise-has praised the departments handling
OF the "Voice" and all related programs aimed at
telling Americas story to the world and making
the truth heard above the ceaseless din of hate
melting Soviet lies. In effect what 1t has just re-
ported adds up to convincing warning to the
Nation not to fall down on the job that must
be done to overcome those lies-a job as indis-
pensable, in its own way, as the job of building
up our armed defenses.
The commission is not special pleader
Although it argues against the idea of establish
ing separate agency to administer the "Voce"
and other international programs independently
of the State Department, it welcomes a special
investigation to study the advisability of such
move, and it also welcomes an inquiry into
charges of "poor management charges which
it feels are ill-founded But it urges at the
same time that there be no slowing-dow in the
American effort to win the struggle for mems
minds. In that respect, it's report, though writ
ten before the event, makes the Appropriations
Committees cut seem so unwise that the admin
istration should promptly accept the invitation
to seek congressional reconsideration
In any case, the construction of the pro-
posed new facilities ought not to be held up
merely because of what seems to be congress
sional misconception of what the State Depart
ment has in mind The mere fact that there
Is such q thing as Soviet jamming-a costly and
elaborate business Of around-the-clock suueaks
and squawks designed to drown out the sound
of TRUTHS proof enough that the men OF the
Kremlin regard the Voice" as potent weapon
against them. It is proof enough, too, that no
misunderstanding should be allowed to stand in
the way of making that weapon as strong as
possible.