The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1953-12-25

| do not mean to imply that there
is no effective counter-propagan
from the West. | have high regard
for much that / saw the U. S. In
formation Service doing all over the
East. But we have been put on the
defensive almost everywhere. What is
calling to travelling Americans is that
we must defend ourselves against
the charge that we are moral threat
to peoples of the East. We are the
war-mongers and Communists the
peace-loving people. l was Inundated
to discover how widespread was the
acceptance of the fantastic charge
that we had used germ warfare in
Korea. Hadn't we first used the
atom bomb?, people asked. And would
a nation that had deliberately wiped
out cities like Hiroshima and Maya
saki be deferred by humanitarian con-
sideration from using germ warfare?
By far the most striking aspect
of Communist propaganda was the
fact that it was carried on not by
Russian or Chinese Communists, but
by convinced native nationals of the
various countries. These converts to
Communism were willing to make
great personal sacrifices to see it
succeed. Unhappily, by contrast, a
good deal of the Western propa-
ganda was carried on by foreigners
who were, from the native point of
view, extremely well-paid, or by ma
tionals employed by foreign agents.
This was not universally true, of
course. | met many Indian, Ceylon-
csc, Burmese, and other editors,
teachers, and public figures who were
intellectually committed to the
democratic way of life and were US
ing their influence in that direction,
but it was frequently charged they
were the tools of imperialistic West |
ern powers.
A third impression of mine was that |
the information we get about Chinese
Communism through our Western |
news channels differs greatly from
what | got from numerous individu- |
ais who had but recently come out |
IF China. Perhaps these people were |
deceived. Perhaps they were allowed |
% see only what Chinese leaders
wanted them to see.
| was obliged to discount the story
If some that there was complete re-
igious freedom, because it was in
lirect collision with the testimony |
lad first-hand from persons who had
zen victims of religious persecution.
can only suggest that visitors who
talking of free religion were
Interested in other matters; perhaps
hey saw an occasional temple or
hurch open for worship, but they
new nothing Of the severe restric-
ions placed on them.
| found that Communist China in
ties people, especially Chinese who
We outside the country, to visit and
ae for themselves what is happen
lg. The visitors pay their own way
} the Chinese port of entry, but are {
zen given an extensive tour, at gov {
rnment expense, through at least l
lie Eastern seaboard from Canton 6
, Mukden. 1
A number of them told me they I
ere conducted on this tour and 1
lOwn what the government wished z
lem to see, though some of them as
'rted they went freely about the t
ties they visited and were allowed a
ask all the questions they desired t
even to criticize the Communist re- n
me publicly. At the end of two b
onths they were allowed, for an ad- Il
tional two months, to travel at t.
cir own discretion among the vii a
ges and inland cities, even to re- tl
IN to their native home communi- C
IS. N
How were the affected? =
Well, a number whom | interview :,
came back talking the Commu- r. p,
st Party line without variation. !,
ley had been generally sympathetic =, ~
fore they went. They had clearly a.
EN- what they were looking for. !,
1t by no means was this always ~
e case. Some were critical of this y,
that feature of Red rule, yet were -,
eatly impressed by the general pic "
re. Most of my informants were
'uck by the fact that the general e.
lndard of living had been definite VI
lifted There was, thew said. new dl