Evening star., 1953-10-30
Plan 10 Move Voice
To Capital Delayed
By Space Rental Ban
By Gornett D. Homer

Plans for moving Voice Of
America operations to Wash
ington are being delayed by
failure to find suitable space so
far under a Government ban
against renting quarters.
This was disclosed at a news
conference late yesterday by
Theodore C. Striebert, Director
of the United States Informa-
ton Agency. which runs the
Voice and other Government
overseas information activity.
Mr.. streibert also told report
ers:
/. The Voice is laying off any
violently anti-Communist propa-
ganda in its broadcasts beamed
directly to Russia but is giving
anti-Communism "the works"
in its broadcasts to Soviet satel-
lite countries.
2. The USIA is rushing pro-
duction of pilot pamphlets to
spread throughout the world de-
tails of the U. N. report by DR..
Charles Mayo on how Commu-
nistS forced confessions from
American prisoners in Korea to
back their germ war claims and
of the Army's report this week
on Communist atrocities in
Korea.
Sees Further Delay.
Mr.. Streibert, who took over
direction of the USIA August
under a congressional mandate
to move Voice of America opera
tions from New York to Wash
1ngton, said he hoped to COM
plete the move by around jan
uary l, but now fears it will be
delayed until after next June 80.
He told queStionerS he had
hoped to rent space for the Voice
studios here. but the General
Services Administration had
ruled against renting space that
was available. GSA insists in
stead, he said, that the Voice
studios be built in a Govern
ment-owned building. Suitable
space in a Government building
has not yet been found, he added.
Nearly 1000 employees would
be involved in the planned trans
fer of Voice headquarters. Mr..
Streibert said these would be new
people coming to Washington,
remarking that the Board of
Trade should note this.
Mr.. Streibert devoted most of
his news conference to elaborat-
ing on documents made public
by the White House Wednesday
defining USIA objectives as
mainly to show how American
policies advance the legitimate
interests of other peoples. 1t
was stressed that under the new
directive the agency generally
will avoid propagandist tone
and concentrate on objective,
factual news reporting.
Aim for Satellite Listeners.
But Mr.. Streibert said Voice
broadcaSts beamed over powerful
transmitterS from Munich into
Soviet satellite countries will not
be restricted by the news direc-
tive. He added that I'VE want to
hit there hardest" and give the
satellite peoples hope of ulti-
mate liberation"
He said the content of broad
casts directly to Russia has been
changed, however, to avoid anti
Soviet propaganda in an effort
to try to gain credibility and a
reputation for factual news re-
porting there.
He pointed out that Russians
who listen to the Voice of Amer
lea risk their lives to hear what
is going on in the outside world.
and asserted that is what we
are going to give them"
In its Russian broadcaSts, Mr..
Streibert added, the Voice will
lean over backward to give both
sides of any issues, and will not
shy away from anything critical
of the United States.
Defines main Enemy"
Mr.. Streibert defined the main
enemy" at which the information
activity is directed as Soviet
expanioniSm land not interna-
itonal Communism as SUCH"
He said the USIA overseas Ii
brary program still is being run
on the directive laid down in
July by his predecessor. DR.. Rob-
ert L. Johnson, which set the
principle for selection of books
as primarily for their content
rather than their authorship.
He told questioners, however,
that there is prescribed" list
of authors-including avowed
Communists and those who re-
fuse to answer questions of Con-
greSsional committees about
Communist connections - whose
books are not bought for the
overseas libraries unless it is
decided the book furthers the
agency'S purpose.