The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1953-07-23
This w eek
in
Washington

The Western powers are wait
ing, as they have since 1916, for
the next Soviet move in the
struggle of Communism VS. free
dom. This time, however, the
Russians appear to be on the
defensive since all is not well
behind the Iron Curtain.
This watchfulness and wait
ing is due to the fact that vir-
tually all top military and civil
liam aides of the former Soviet
control commission of East Ger
many and the ambassadors to
the Western powers were sum-
moned to the Kremlin for a con-
ference on the heels of the East
European revolts.
The West would like to know
what they talked about and
what was planned behind the
walls of the Kremlin.
Presumably, they were recall
ed to explain what happened
when 100000 un-armed East
Germans suddenly arose and
nearly overthrew their Com
munist rulers. Also to explain
why there is so much unrest in
other areas of the workers par
adise that is supposed to exist
behind the iron curtain.
No doubt new policies will
emerge from Moscow shortly.
Perhaps they will ease East
West tension. But it would be
folly to expect good from evil
or kindness from brutality.
1t appears, after the Treasury
Departments announcement of
the largest deficit in the nations
peace-time history that those
within the Republican admins
tration who have been scream
ing for tax reductions have been
bowling in the wilderness. The
deficit amounted to $9,389, ,00O,-
600, a billion dollars more than
was anticipated.
At the same time, the Trea-
Sury reported it would borrow
$5,500,000,000 to $4,000, 100000
for eight months. Later another
So to Sc billion will be borrow
ed.
With such a deficit and the
need to borrow to meet govern
ment expenses, it is a sure bet
that the administration will
fight to the limit any effort to
reduce taxes before January /.
And, in the opinion of many gov
ernment observers, it is doubtful
if any appreciable reduction will
come even then.
The following statement
from the American Book Pub
fishers Council and the Ameri-
can Library Association is draw
ing the applause of serious,
thinking Americans:
THE freedom to read is essen
tial to our democracy. 1t is un-
der attack. Private groups and
public authorities in various
parts of the country are work
ing to remove books from sale,
to censor textbooks, to label
controversial books, to distribute
lists of Objectionable books or
authors and to purge libraries.
"The actions apparently rise
from a view that our national
tradition of free expression is
no longer valid; that censorship
and suppression are needed to
avoid the subversion of politics
and the corruption of morals j..
I'VE trust Americans to re-
cognize propaganda and to re-
ject obscenity. We do not be-
lieve they need the help of cen
sors to assist them in this task.
1T is contrary to the public
interest for publishers or lib
rarians to determine the accep-
liability of a book solely on the
basis of the personal history or
political affiliations of the
author. A book should be judged
as a book. No art or literature
can flourish if it is to be measur-
ed by the political views or pri-
vate lives of its creators. No
society of free men can flourish
which draws up lists of writers
to whom it will not listen, what
ever they may have to say"
There is a dangerous trend
developing in the United States
toward telling the general
public what books they can read
and which are not acceptable.
The question arises: would this
trend develop, if not stopped
now, into telling the average
American what weekly news
paper he can read and which are
not acceptable.