THE CURRENT SOVIET PORTRAYAL OF THE AMERICAN SCENE
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Document Creation Date:
December 21, 2016
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105
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Publication Date:
November 11, 1998
Content Type:
REPORT
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f.:_ASSIFICAT:?":N
CENTRAL iNTI:.LLICENCE AGENCY 25X1
INFORMATION FROM : '
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT lit: CURRENT' S0VrET PORTRAYAL OF 2lE AMERICAN SCENE
HOW
PUBLISHED Monitored Radio Broadcasts
SERE
PUBLISHED
DATg
PUBLISHED
LANGUAGE
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION Afr[ctINS THE NATIONAL 0111511
Or TM[ UNITED STATES WITHIN THL B[ARIN. or if /ItlNABI ACT 10
N. 81 C.. AI AND Sc. AS AMBROSE. ITS IRAN/VISION ON TN1 IIYILATIOR
01 ITS CONTENTS IN ART BANNER TO AN YNAYTNORI1ID PERSON If PRO'
111171D IT AT. NIPNODYCTION or THIS FOAM It PROHIBITED.
Il+1TftaDUCTICN AND SUILARY ............................................... ..1
ECONCMIC CONDITIONS-.CLASS EXPLOITATION AND "LRISIS" ......................4
THE "PERSECDTION OF PRC ESSXVES?; RACE DISCtIMIN ITION ................. :..6
AM ICAN TRADE UNION "Z7?AITCRS.......... .' .............. ................ o..Es
AMERICAN "PRO SSTYES" ................. .............................., ..8
CONNCRESS AND THE JUDICIARY .......... ......... ..... a........a aaa? a........9
TALL ST13+L' t o ......... .. ? . e ..... s o ~ .goo . o o . e .... a OF. 0. ...... 0 .............10
IJt 61LI ;
JU1y 1949
15.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
25X1
DATE DIST.
NO. OF PAGES
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
VOUSA AND ZRE "VENAL" AMERICAN PRESS AND RADIO. ........................ .11
IDEOLO(! AND RELIGION ................................12
E SOV 1 VERSUS TM AMMIC.AN SYSTEII. o .............000* ...o . o o a . o .. ai .13
MISCELLANEOUS: 1 IE "ARMAMENTS RACE", GUBITCEIEV CASE; MOSCOW "MAILBAG" ..''.14
CONFIDENTIAL *
CQNFIDEN f t
CLASSIFICATION
W NSRB
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INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
The word which moat aptly describes current Soviet radio portrayal of the "so--called
American way of life" is Fesciat. Soviet radio propaganda tries to show that the United
States eazffiot, by any stretch of imagination or credulity, be considered democratic.
An yet, monitored broadcasts refrain froma claiming that America, as a whole, is Fascist,
or'ths.rthe Goverment itself is Fascist, but the radio incessantly haI at the
following alleged attributes of Americanism, which, in the minds of its listeners are
the essential characteristics of Fascist dictatorship;
Suppression of civil liberties; persecution of racial, national and opposition
Control and exploitation of the majority by a very small, powerful mincity.
Pursuit of a chauvinistic, "aggrensi.ve," "imperialistic" foreign policy together
with domestic preparation for war.
Insofar'as America's "ruling circles" are concerned, the implied charge .)f FascitR is a
constant slam nt of current Soviet radio propaganda. But an equally constant ell t of
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the prcvage mda line is the profession of faith in the goodness and (pro-Soviet) pro-
gresaivxness of America's "plain people." While this idea receives loon anybasia, as
compared with denunciation of the!, "ruling circles," it provides the framework for
implicit representations of class! struggle inside the United States. (k stored broad-
^ute9 however, employ very little Marxist terminology; olaUS struggle is prmented in
terms of the "war makers" versus the "peace forces," the "pr'ogressive8 versus the
"reactionaries.") The Soviet radio's avowed sympathy for the ;American "people,''] more-
over, provides a shock-absorber for its denunciations of the policies of their Goverment;
and with only one exception,l monitored broadcasts have consistently excluded the possi-
bility that the American people might support Wall Street'iaggressive plans," that, in
other words, Americans might differ, in a potentially dangerous way, from the "peoples"
in other pets of the world who support and love the JSSR.
1. This exception was an apparently abortive deviation from the line, made in connection
with .Arbella Bucar's widely exploited book, THE TRUTH ABOUT AMERICAN DIPLCMI,TS. PRAVDIA
reviewer Kozev called attention to Miss Bucar'e warning to the effect that many "ignorant
and deceived people," members )f the lowest social-economic class, "make it possible, by
their passive attitude, for the bankers to plsv first fiddle in America." (Soviet Hose
Service, 1 birch 1949)
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Thus he familiar ,two-coupon concept provides the framework for' Sovietdesoriptiess
of life inside he United States, as awl as for the other RM-Soviet areas of the
world. within this fraaev oarresit broadcasts propagate several inter-related
theses which are allegedly descriptive of conditions in the United States. The
range of topics discussed in current broadcasts about America, and the relative
saphasis riven to each, is roughly indicted by a tabulation of the subject matter
of 163 broadcasts monitored during the pdr~iod 1 April - 20 dune 1949. This tabulation,
given below, lifts the subjects diseussed1and the total number of! broadcasts on each
subject contained in the sewl0:
SUBJECT OF BROADCAST NWAM OF DISCU5SIDSiS
(1) SoozmiclC ditions.. ... . .......... .......... . ...... .47
(specifically on economic crisis).? ......................... 1.19
(2) "Pereaecutil nand Dinorin1nation ... ......... ............'...., ...
(specifically. on race dis'crininaticai) . ...... ............. ...... ..8
(3) "Reaetionary" Trade Unions.,......... ....... .................. .15
(4) Aneric "Progreeeives"..1.......... .15
he Courts.. ...... ... .11
e G ..
?t
(5) Cca weal
.... '.11
(6) Nall Street. ...................... ......... ............
(7) The Press and Radio_? ....I,.......... .
(8) Ideology sad Culture..',. .I,.......... ......... ............ ...
(9) Soviet vs. U.S. Systems.., ........ .... .........., ..... .4
(10) Miscelll eous........ ......... ...........? ...........' ..... .4
il
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The tabulation included a check on the n bur of tines the broadcasts explicitly re-
plied to Vaasa it American "propaganda" general., Twenty-two direct replies were
counted; of these, 16 were in the contest of economic cooditiona, While 6 replied to
the "such va t'ed freedom" in America,
Certain features of this tabulation of the subject matter of Soviet broadcasts of the
period underlreviaw may be briefly notedrAs indicated by the tabulation, America's
allegedly heirrolwing economic cezditim receive first place; the very heavy concen-
tration on this subject, however, is sect' more clearly in the illustrations of Soviet
treats t of the vriou subjects given in the body of this report. The ecamouic or
class exploitation e :rg- mauty it will be s en, appears in all contexts, and in hewer
a variety of claim. and 'chargas. SiaPe the material for tbis',report was prepared,
11 Cu 1 IyraxLU.
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it should be noted, emphasis on the allegedly approaching crisis";1i the United States
having gained in frequei.cy dnriaag the period under review.l
Another subject which received increasing stress during the period
under review is that
of American trade union; during the first two weeks of June, i vas noted that 10
attaols on the TU "traitors" (in the context of American, rathe'r;t international
affairs) were monitored, in contrast with the 5 broadcasts recorded for the month of
The relatively slight emphasis on American racial diecriainatioa~~ indicated by the
tabulation, agrees with the general pattern of Soviet comment on~the American scene
noted in iaeuea of the SURVEY OF USSR RADIO BROADCASTS over the peat two years. In
general, Moscow does not seems to gi--. co lcentrated attention to the American Negro,
except for special news occasions (e.g. Paul Robeson 'e tour; Dr.Bunche'e statements on
segregation.) The broadcastsanple, however, consists almost enti'ely of broadcasts
beamed to the Soviet and Western audiences, and does not reflect!posaible variations
in broadcasts beamed to Asiatic and colonial audiences.
The oniaeiona of aubject matter in the broadcasts tabulated above are perhaps an note
worthy an the emphasis of current broadcasts. Omissions in the'iouirent line are of two
I I
kinds, the first being thoce theaee which were formerly stressed; but which do not
currently appear as a subject of major attention. The topics of American 'ailitarism"
and of the "reactionary bi-partiean" political system, stressed ', in 1948, are not now
discussed in any extensive fashion. While broadcasts constantly;iaply or explicitly
charge that America is militaristic (e.g.
its line on the Democratic Party.
aggressive, fanning dnlents race,"
preparing for war) the radio, does not attempt to substantiate ibis claim, in the eon-
text of American affairs. Emphaiiis on A lerican politics - dg (which was never great)
dropped sharply after the 1948 electionsat which time the radio-I aentarily reversed
Current broadcasts attempt o', blacken the record of
l
yo none of its former
the Democratic majority in the 81st Congress, but Moscow diepla
moderate interest ir. the structure of the American political byl+etei, or in American
1 More recent la?oedrastL4 regarding the economic -risis" are discussed in
detail in the SUflVEY OF USSR' RADIO BROADCASTS, Vol. II, No. 2511 2 - 4. The
radiols noon-committal treatment of this subject continues, as its explicit pre-
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I. ECCKCIEC CON 1)ITIik?: -C KIIPLOITATICIN AND "CRISIS"
If
The assumption oi. capita's sit, exploitation of the massen organizes Moscow's came*t on
the U.S. standard of livi^+, The following broadcasts stress housing, health, and fob
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The aecoasd type of omission current broadcasts is the deletion and/or distortion of
facta and events of enenable to the pattern. These are too numerous for discussion,
but a few of tha radio' a ;xomt etriking omissions can be briefly noted.
(1) Ncor-recognition o x :son-C un at, liberal or left-wing forces in American
polit.ieb.'' The recent election of Fruaklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., was completely
ignored in aoonitore broadcasts,, although Soviet radio propaganda appropriated
the Roosevelt nerve: its campaign for Wallace and again. Truman in 1948.
Other jolliticel ',amid, sectional distinctions are also ignored.
(2) Marked absence ofi4teaptelto eubatantiate Wall Street I a claimed control of
all aepecta of er AmLcen life, although this assuaptiom constitutes the raison
d'etre for the raoio'a attacks on the American way of life. The existence of
State andlprivat4rcea which check or regulate big business, including the
existence of mall,; usineae, is ignored.
, a
(3) Diaregiard,of the c koantradiction between claimed Wall Street control of the
promo, and the aedhulous utilisation of criticism of Wall Street sad the Govern-
ment obtained from'the American press. Similarly, the statements of "reactionary"
groups, and official Cove.ent report., are used for proof of bad conditions.
(4) AvoiaamcIof discussion ofIlthe liberties and safeguards provided for the indi-
vidual,, radio c:",mats are confined to the "persecution of progreaeivea" and
race discrimination and in all instances the radio attempts to equate group
aecur,. uy with ind dual. liberty.
(5) Avoidaknce of corlreJe diacussion of either the Soviet or U.S. standard of living;
]sadist definitions of systems and incomplete or non-comparable data represent
the radiota fu .d cf arguments on economic matters.
It may also be noted in c elusion that the radio does not comment on trials and in--
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veetigatios pertdining to Soviet espionage inside America. The few references made to
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Cubitehev's arrest give no a lantion of the circumstances of his arrest, his position
in the United Nat,icais, or the'chaarges brought against his. Substantive coa*ent on the
trial of the Ameril'tn Came ii t politburo is similarly lacking, and to date, no reference
to the has and 'l;oplon triais, or to the Hickenlooper investigation of the Atomic Energy
Commiaeiea, has been monitored.
the Ararican forae>i e
security coaditio>ID while ar*ge scales, the range and abundance of consumers goo s,
Govermamt and 5tate eecu. i1 j and welfare programs, are disregarded. Home Service
listeners, in particular, a>e frequently treated to lurid accounts of the "misery" of
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x... In Soso, Americn enterprise?n, a Sack -.orktr is deprived of ell naezs of sub-
sistence anti his positior in ai't the pore grievous bectuee nedicaI se--yot in the
United Stwteb is extremely dear, Even Prese77ent TruMs (admitted this). .
What sort ut high living tstandarde of A trican labor can there b- if 'ore than.
3,750,000 ?uupie in the United States have no work at all, and 9,000,000 are only
partially etployei whet cart of high living Standards can there be talk of when,
according ~u a etstoaerrt by President Truss= himself, nearly 20 percent of the
JXMgA= "ce occupied by one-third of the population of the United States is elm.
,. All these facts are very well known in the United States, of course, Sad the
American radio would hardly risk telling American listeners all the cock and bull
stories it iueds to foreign listeners,
The Voice of America is so carried away by an enumeration of the non-existext
services ens achievements of the American unions that it boasts that these services
were especially great in the fields of social insurance and social security, where
unemployment insurance and old age pensions had bean introduced. The radio fails
to say, however, that the halted States has no ayIto offedgeal social i surc2 .
Industrial and office workers are obliged to We contribution' to the insurance
fend out of their orm wages, which means an additional tax on wages. As for the
uaasployment relief ..,, everyone knows that in the first place it is very small;
in the seconu place it is issued f:,r only a restricted perk:; and in the third
place an unemployed man is depnvtd of relief as soon as ne.refuses a job, even
though the job way not Suit his qualifications or desires.
" .. And how about gg'h reasione in the United States? This may be judged if
only by. the fact that ltet year the x,onthly reunion totalled about 20 dollars.
But ace:ord:ng to the Federal Social Security Administration,, a minimum of 160
dollsrrss a month vto needed to maintain an aged husband and wife. These pensions were
totally intcequate even before the star, Federal Security Ad inistrator, Oscar Ewing,
said recently, ci the vwe and subsequent inflation wade the situation terrible.
It's rislisalau _tQ it th C r~S'rs are free lSgve their..442i0 and go to
another factory. It's rather the employer that makes use of this right. Hundreds
of companies have Lheon discharging workers a. atasse lately, owing to the eeomomic
slua!p, (Maacov,.in Fxgiioh to North America, 1.0 May 1949)
* The U.a. propag!andista kl u t that when (Br_tieh) workers saw the wonders for
themselves, they would help to spread the legend of general U.S. equality, but the
British delegates thought the FQrd yorkers at Det~g, operated in inhns.n ccmditions.
They saw nu antics oz the faces of the thousands of Ford workers, who looked tired
and bewildered. ... What can be said about the -2 million unemployed who tramp the
streets of America in search of work? Or of the 9,500,000 workers who work a short
week and never kn.o+r from day to day whether they will be unemployed on the morrow?
The now of the workers have to de7ote all their energies to the struggle for survival.
38 percent of the population lives in hovels which comprise 20 percent of the habita-
tions. The paper of the ladustrial Trade Union (CIO) says that conditlems in the
to ero -, > nag are such that the Government regulations for the keeping of cattle
would result in better conditions if enforced for humans. It is diffioult for
the son of a worker to receive education. Truman had to admit that si>iame of U.S.
hit wen dy~o$sytd ecYool, An idle existence and secure position is ensured
for the song of the rich, but the sons of tht? wrraor sad the farmer are doomed to
be the slaves of capital and struggle all their days to eke out an existence.
Ask the United ut~gd oglo what he thinks of general equality in the so-called
U.S. earthly paradise. The legend of genera ,quality and equal possibilities for
an in the U.S. is fostered to deceive the peoples on whom the Americana want to
force their notorious 'w9ry of life' to serve a clique of U.S. imporialista who
aspire to world domination." (Moscow, in Italian, 18 ay 1949)
"The Catholic journal, AMERICA, on February 12, paints a grin picture of the position
of seasonal worikera and the impoverished farmers. 'Searom titer season,a says the
Journal, move al,gna the roads in search of work. They
have no ripjst to genius thesiselves in trade unions, are not protected by wage-laws,
have no rigidt, for education or medical aid. These people lead miserable lives.' .
In er.. article dedicated to the rocgsg_oP loB ng 10A, the Catholic Journal, CaWAONWEAL,
aayef 'The process of pushing the population off their lend and the growth of large
farms working on capitalist principles is eontinui~xg. .,." (TASS, to the Soviet
provincial preen, 7 vuoe 1949)
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*The picture of 'industrial slivery', i.avtev writes, is characteristic sot only of
Texts (Where "dettbe from. starvation account for 75 percent of the total death
rate"--ED). Fro= one to two million agricultural migrant laborers annually 'awder
in the !Ynited States in search of earnings. Even that half-hearted labor legis-
lation which is in force is that . entry is not extended to the agricultural workers,
whose lumber in the United States runs into 3 million people. .. A 1 e ani.
of ruI-Q 313 :. , sent-starved and (ill?) on the one hand, and the monopoly organi-
zation and capitalist farms pocketing tremendous profits on the other hand--such are
the two extremes of poverty and wealthy exposing the myth of the "stability f
small and middle (class) farming in the United States, Laptev concludes." (from an
article in BOLSEEV1 ; TASS, in English Morse to Europe, 19 April 1949)
Currant broadcasts repeatedly cite the "threatening" symptene of crisis reported by the
American busi.'aess press, 'uci revealed in "falsified" statistics of U.S. Covert
agencies, but no commentator ventures an explicit interpretation of the data presented
nor a prediction of when the world may expect the crisis to arrive:
"Syeptossr oi' the approaching econaeic crisis America ore of ecoming mom and more
visible, and this cannot even ?, hidden by the country.
(Moscow, cawaentt y, in Spanish to Spain, 24 May 1949)
"In an article e:xtitled~ 'The Economic Situation in the United States', Neausyan
writes; 'Tuu beginning of 1949 was marked by the growth of economic hardships in
al',11 capital;Qt countries. ,.. A trend toward a decline of ~he gene~~levelfofl.'
world pnir"i' became apps ent. The vcluse of industrial produce
The author quotes dete to prove the acute determination of the economic situation
in the U.S. by the ead of 1948 and the beginning of 1949. In March 1949, t is rii.
ontvnt was ', percent below output in October. 1948. ... The number of ~ TYptci~,
this inevitable consequence of a crisis, is growing. Unable to conceal the
gxlla f-5 . ?`=Ut, the Government ecomomietu state in comforting
threatt~~ ~T
tames that it will hardly exceed the level of 3,500,000 to 4,000,000, while cynically
calling this figure a. 'healthy maximum' encouraging the workers to greater labor
productivity. ...
"Much good ie this heralded 'way of life' whti millions of people are looked upon as
manure destined to fertilize the soil for new auperprofits of the monopolies! n
the fade of ,h^. economic crisis', Msnusyan writes in conclusion, ... the American
people will umdouttedly intensify its struggle against the attempts of Wall Street
to transfer the chief burden to its shoulders. ...." (Soviet Home Service, from a
NEW TIMES article, 19 May 1949)
II. THE "PERSECUTION OF PROGRESSIVES"; RACE DISCRDLINATIC
No concrete or detailed antlvwts of the American system of civil liberties, as expressed
in law and tradition, is presented in monitored broadcasts. Mocow, instead, attempts
to deny the existence of individual freedout by rsraing the "persecution" of political
and racial minorities. Of the several provisi-;;vs the Bill of Rights, Moscow comments
only on the denial of freedmen of speech and preso-and these freedoms are noted only
by implication; other rights, such as freedom of religion, petition, and assembly,
protections given the individual in crininal prosecution and in "due process of law,"
and the eafeguarde against "unreasonable searches and seisures," are ignored:
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"The Persecu~ on~S S?.YU:leXjL C?rgar4Lati~?:a,~:Ti Wt*d states: NeeTerk--
On April tvec,ty-second, the Govermor of the Steve of d signed a bill for
the immediate padeing of the Moat savage of all A2.11=,41R=tic lees passed to far
is the United States. The law is aimed first of all at a mouacing the Communist
Party as outlawed and, also thra:ateaing all other progressive urganimaticros. .?"
(TABS, to tub USSR provincial press, 25 April 1949)
"New York-.;,, ter six we,:ks of tiresome court rrocedure, it becomes more and sore
clear that the Goverment accusers rely conpittaly oz the inventions of professional
RQiige s iyi s_r~?gd nr9YQCKtN;11S in order to ac ruse and condemn tlis leaders of the
Asfri_c C o rx;y d L2+rtv, and declare the Party illegal. ... In striking simi-
Iarity, the witnesses reiterate well-rehearsed statements, primarily describing
the activity of the Ccoaaunist Party as a sinister plot designed to seise control
of the baic branches of industry, and secondly, describing the Communist Party
as a secret weapon of the Soviet Union," (Soviet Hcse Service., 8 May 1949)
.., The buret of world-wide indignation prevented the British authorities from
satisfying American demands for Eisler's return.... In this case a proaiaeat
figure was in question. The situation of thousands of Americana called 'before
the FBI to give evidence is much more difficult. These are mostly astiro trade
union members, adherents of the WC lace Party, and people suspected of sympathizing:
with the Comuunista. . Prof~,~7ior Spurs of Oregaa University was dismissed
because be had published an article expounding the Lysenko doctrine. Prof. N&risi.i
was dismissed from Yale University for participating in the Congress of the partisans
of peace. The NEW YORK TIES and NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE published reports about
the =gU . , . JU State 12Atitut?iona in connection with the war hysteria. A species
tribunal was set up by the Illinois Legislature for the investigation of the 'under-
mining activity' of Chicago students and professors. Ralph Hamsteade Secretary
?es ral of the American Association of University Professors, is swamped with com-
plaints of persecuted and dismissed professors. ..." (Soviet Home Service, in
Aserbai4ani, 3 June)
With regard to racial discrinination, Moscow stoat-= that racial and national iaaquality
is inherent in capitelien, and that racial antagonism is Increasing. Attempted reforms
are ignored (e.g., the Senate fight over civil liberties) or denounced as sham (e.g. the
Presidential non-segregation order). The Moscow radio's recent publicity on Dr. Bunche
contrasts with its previous ua ked avoidance of his achievements.
" In Georgia, a mob broke into the local prison and killed a 28-year old Negro
charged with having supposedly fired a gun at a white sheriff. This recent incideLt
is not unique. Ebvsicel violence against Negroes has become a very frequent
phenomenon in modern America. Between 1900 and 1941, 3,408 Negroes were lynched in
the United States, and i.-i only the past few years, more than 40 Negroes have become
victims of the lynch mob. The lyn_ching_of Negroes is an integral part of the policy
of discriuinstion and terror which the reactionary circles of the United States
pursue as regards all rational minorities. In the United States, where so such
is said about the American racy of life, and about American democracy, the murder of
a human being and lynch law methods are .uon-punishable. To this day there is no law
in the United States which prohibits th:, lvaching of Negroes. ..." (in English to
North America, 2 June 1949)
ZAjv" Q brows quite well what the Mvmhnlic America fre2dom truly means:
the?Now York Statue of Liberty or the small boards posted up in Washington on which
the words, 'for whits only', are written. It is obvious that the U.S. Congressmen
are very little i afssedd by the foot that the American Negro oiti~ease'ere treated.
as an irfsrrior r*ese, that they have to live segregated in ghettos:. The
reactionary circles of the U.S. do not in .the least intend' to change these condi-
tiona, ..." (S:.vt.et woine Service, in Polish, and Turkish, 6 Time 1949)
"In the.c?apitalint countries, equality of races is impossible. ... in the. Soviet,
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" .. The Ciy.i; RLahts Gcmurees conounced the xarrants which the U.S. Courts
issued on May 17th a PI7Ist Elder as constitut.; ig another illegal 'outrageous
exemple of pctl.itioal peaascution.' ..." (TABS, in English Morse to the Far
East, 20 Vey 1949?
"Over 500 people demmatrtted before Federal Prison demanding the release of the
three Communist Party lea''aas Crates, Winston, and Hall, who had been imprisoned
for alleged 'contempt of court.' ... Children's placards declaredt 'Our fathers
fought Fascism. Yrso them now:'" (TASS, in Englieb Morse to North America,
6 June 1949)
"The DAtrX WC reported that at the National. Confonanoe of Youth it was decided
to create a?Law,y t_c organization whose goal in the education of American youth
in accordance with the principles of scientific socialism: 110 delegates of the
Conference approved the declaration on principles, which said that the new
organization 'considers the working class as the source of progress in the modern
world and the defender of demoora to traditions of our country, and the power
capable of asaur?l W a durable'peace.? The organization will aid in stimulating
an interest tows- r! Maniacs. ..." (TASS, to the MM provincial press, 31 May
1949)
"Broad circles of the mGsititi ,?.1 rya w tnL t>'R A icon Q.rmaraaa f=
Peace. The Congress showed that failure awaited the attempt to represent the
present resifite of the defense of peace as 'another propaganda move to Moscow.' ..."
(from a PRAV5DA $:ticle by Pavlenko, TASS, in English Morse to North America,
12 May 1949)
"Naturally, = .a3Aik@.p QP).P. ~n a American trade maim movement and in trade
unions elsewhere ?_r the world are indignant over M rray's splinter tactics, and
are -? a ,Q a r~ tra*a d aig~,Qg of the CIO union clique.
the Commas A nunber of progressive unions of America have do-
the this treac'r_e~;ro :s policy, and declta-o coat it has nothing in coon with the
real intereatn and desires of the American working class. ..." (in English to
North A rica, 24 May 19..9)
Current broadcasts rarely discussion detail the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government;
attacks on the 81st Congress are more frequent, emphasizing that the President and the
Democratic Party defrauded the ,voters and protect Wall Street. Comment on the Judiciary,
which appears more frequently in Home Service broadcasts than in foreign, emphasizes--
without doc>mnantatiom that the system is "anti-democratic." No discussion of the
"anti-democratic" electoral system has appeared sianaa the 1948 elections:
"Almst a year has elapsed since the Democrats, with an eye on the votes-of in-
dustrial workers, included in their election platform the promise to do away with
the much hated anti-labor law if elected. Now the Democrats did win the elections,
with a majority in the House and Senate. ... The debates (o- the Wood bill) have
made it perfectly clear that the Z=n Go..mroman: dies naijUtc to keen {ti....
eIootjMLpZ=jvft_to work for unconditional rescindment of the Taft4btrtley Act.:..
The Wood bill retans all the main provisions of the anti-labar'act...... Zven
before the 81st, C.ongreas convened the press of the monopolies... began... to
persuade public opinion that it was supposedly inexpedient to"rescind the,-
g. `Ihe voice of America, for instance, quoted competent business circles
as saying that t.e TrsftJartiey Act had allegedly opened a new era in relations
between labor end capital. ... Chairman of the Democratic Party )i ath and
Secretary of 14'6:+r Tobin said that certain provisions of the Taft-Hartley act
should remain In force. For one thing, as Tobin explained..., the Goverment
tS, ht it na^.,ssar to retain the provisions that fetid t~[8if ~minst3MwMri~e
to be, Ccame+mistrr, and which give the Goverment the right to regulate strikes.
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". (But) wham it exam t matters S, _ziiitArv ,"ealr?+-oB, C ee
ppy, and there was no ~rp9^2'lous dobatirs about the military budget, the
Marshall Flan app : riati 'ne, tend the many other bills.,. connected with the
implementation of the ngp.reee:.ve "croign policy- pursued by U.S. ruling circles
today. But wheue-a^e: rA -ieoision hod to be tal.9r on some problem of really vital
interests to the mil-lions of U.S. workere, rrh se labor legislation, the housing
problem, social ana%rity, qt-,-, the Congressman pigeon holed (them) with general
accord,-or a. bast pawed bills so thcrorxgbly amended th'.t little more than the
n?me remained. ? he Wood Bali iiffere from th-- Taft-Eartley Aot in nam only. ..."
(commentary by Viadtmirov, in Thrush to North America, 5 May 1949)
Trirvrvn prance: every Ame: iaa:. peace, jobs, the repeal of the anti-labor Taft-
Hartley Act, oiesoninz up of the slums, increases in minimum wages, social insurance,
and improvement in a?lucation and medictl services. ... (But) Oo r s and the
government have been giving their chief attention to the further militarization
of the country. tThe) beget of 1949 (charges) thre*-quarters of (the total)
directly or indirectly for military purpos ea. . .. The re-
jected the offer of a negotiated peace pact with the ttSSR. ... The ruling
circles of the Uni tad Stated ai : '?4-ID9k~ t? an .0 e f'rcmt Texas or
Missouri and the workers fro San Francisco and C iioago 1xy 4a their 'liana far
AmarIc&a_V Jd ,mot +'t;J,QZ, . ` uab is the truth about the foreign policy of the
American governmont and the Cornrees, in which the Demcrats have a majority. ..."
(in English to North Anric.a, 1 April 1949)
"What is the United States gcnm,taA Court? The United States Supreme Court Judges
are ueuafl r appointed from em r? the must reactlanary bourgeois laryers. Many of
them are ah-reho:ldsre and the agents of some of the largest capitalist bodies. ...
The Court is the cou tx7'e supreme judicial body It is the final place for
hearing cesss... and is the place of the first hearing of certain particularly
important cases. The scope of the supreme Cart: t, however, in fact reaches outside
the framework of le tl :matters. JJ_Jas annraori a ?e he right: of decidim dLther
or not m giyFn ac 4_ S Sao?#tc,t.f mai; Reactionaries use this right to repeal any
law which they c,%.tk1i.!Ser unprofitable. .. On rare occasions Congress is forced
to 'peas rel.atiweely -P:- r.'.'eeeive acts. The Sup--ems Court, however, usually declares
suOa tots unccnatiThe Supremz SQ3 ?o =R= J Qua din riminatto?
in the United States. ..." (Soe'iet Home S4rri e, 7 June 1949)
V1. WALL STRF
The assumption which ndmrl:tes all Soviet coxaoznt about the United State,--that an in-
describably evil minority of "monopolists" exereicos absolute control of the country,
and of the other covctriea "enslaved" by it--is not often discussed in detail, nor
does the Radio attempt, as a general rule, to prove this assumption. Rather it conveys
the idea of Wall Street dumization by use of word symbols, such as "monopolist,"
"imperialist," "rcl.ine? circles," and by a,+ta::l.:, on ii iividuals, such as Bernard Baruch
and the late Jones poi este- Reg&rrl.ing the latter, it may be noted that Moscow
publicized his "mean ty " but ,.ei`ralnod from extensive comment (it monitored broad-
casts).. The folloarir bszotdcaet Vividly ifustrates the propaganda connotations of
Wan Street, ze vvll a the ?a4io's 'typical avoidance of concrete analysis of its
claimr,d coat;rvl
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consider Bruentir to be xn idee:i. candide :~,:... Hewing penetrated into Europe in
the wake of U.S. forces, to Amerl::nn Catholic circle are helping the U.S. to
unite local reectionar^,j f or cee, , ? The Cath.~llc Ca ur3h serves as one of the
leaders of American trper-ia11sm in Its ag reaetve pc,iicy...." (from an article
in 7RUI); TASS, in Ruaaistxa Tiellgclxeiber to ft.^,,-pe, 27 April 1949)
"The Soeriet Academy of S,?ienasa h 4e pabl1ahed the book by Prof. Baskin entitled
AMUM-A RICAN SCCTOI.Cb2Y IN u' E SERVICE OF .ZA1.Iy1i. In this book, the author
coaisincingly ohoee 1h-et itr aim of mode L? r.aeois e:~,iologists is the defence of
the. idea of. imperialie in feign and dczsstic po;.icsy, .. Especially popular
(in Amaariaa) is tho boe+b wrritt#mL-b h,1 g-eateat eneay o! ~eoeialism and the ceraatriee
of Peoples Demacxacies, iioever, titled AWa ICAN L TMUALIg(. Hoover end the
peendo-scientist sociologists of the U.S.A. declare that juUmLa a to And the x2gleI
. P are the highest princlplee of life, and io not conceal that racial theory is
the ideology of the ruling oireles. Developing the idea of a rtrecrs individualism,
Baskin writes that American sociologists are Coming to recognize the Chicago criminal
Al Capone as a per-hum being. - .,." (Soviet Rome Service, 4 May 1949)
"Contemporary idealism in the U.S. has developed quite openly into a typical clerical
doctrine, whose sole aim it is to justify the polities of the i=porialiete, ... tine
of the branches of idealism in the U.S. It Ipareone1ism'. It derives from phrases
about human liberty and dignity %and holds) that God's will ie merely ths_'avatiaal
description' of the will of the finance magnates.... g Der lIsts are
sk fives oZ 2 c1 t, ;~g, are opposing rational sovereignty.... The clerical
doctrine can be seen Just as clearly in the tea:chine,-s of Santayana. ... This
obscurantist... I& supporting everything reactionary,, decaying, and medieval,...
R atigm is easy iGl7rry ~,bRa~Ct{qe tdei73:1 ~ of the contemporary
bourgeois philosophy, proclaiming the capitaiiat'e advantage'ae the onlv criterion
of truth. Thle'philosophy denieex ob,',ective scientific truth.., (and is morally
corrupting, ,,," %Moscow, in German, 29 April 1949)
Ix. THE SOVIET Fl~R. ALttE ICA't b'YSTE3.L
Contrasts between life in the Soviet Union and in the United States are a regular feature
of propaganda regarding the United States, althc?gh these direct comparisons of the two
systems are not as frequent an are wholeetle denunciations of conditions in the United
States, without reterenas to the TSL'i'R, The format of this type of broadcast does not
vary; the claimed benefits of ~,.hea Soviet State are contrasted with the claimed evils in
the Test, and the economic evidence offered is typically incomplete-
It thus appears that while the economy in capitalist ,ountries remained more
,or leas at a standstill., the Soviet Sooialieit economy advanced with huge strides.
Thee has not been a single year (since the 19201x) that the Soviet national econoay
has not climbed to a new high level, It )iespe developing steadily. During the
whole period of its ,a:a-istrince, it has not r~+r1.?aced a single crisis or depression.
The capitalist system of coonomy, howevz--. lurtired three dw*vastating the 20 years preceding the Second Worii W.ai " crises during
Continuing,, thin broadcast r~rl.t.sra~tee Marxist theory yegaarlin the "inherent contra-
dictionee of rnpi.twiliem." This type of refers r.s to official dogma has not been a usual
feature of moritorol, S riot brcadoesty. It bar, appeared recently in oonn. ction with
growing &'rtet rallro Interest in the U.S, "oricis"o
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" . The inevitability of cute' a:.e to o-rarp:vduction is rooted in the very
essence of the :sapital,iot ystem.. It eri3es from the inby:+nt contradiction of
capitalism, the conflict between the public ~?x social nature of the prodVition
process, and the capitalist, or pri:rate fora of eppropriation of the results of
production. .,~" (In F.rgliah to North America, 29 ti=e 19L9)
X. SIS CLL7.ANEO10: `ice "ARVA&NZu RACE"; C'UB TC ' CASE.; MOSCOW NATLBAG"
Sweeping and tndocumtentsd referanoee to the "&znAzen to race" are typified in the
following excerpts. The theme of "railitsri.era~" no longer appears as the chief subject
of eingle.broadoeits, but the idea is r. tined and emphasized in other contexts as if
it required no proof':
"Th* Ut bal f':. ,_n owes its origin to a con,!ider able extent to the endeavor of
U.S. monopolists to find acas'6u.tlet for zurplus production and therefore postpone
the criseis of overproduction- . - Another means of postpor.ing the onset of the
crisis is the arz&s* to race. The view that this race ghee a fillip to business
activities is widely hold by hc:.rgeoii ec.c o~aiats, i:,duetrial kings, and the top
bin?eauczats of the United States. Using aretbcds of intimidation and fanning
war peychosie a'n' the people, -the U.S militate are presenting every year
increasing demende for mi.li taxy credits. .., . Hnge etc are being spent by the
U.S. Army on the isp1ementirt3 of the so-called Truman Doctrine. . However, as
demonstrated by the results of 1948 and the ftirrt months of 1949, the artificial
prdmirg of the s.S. irui:tstrtes 4++ not SUOCeed in !Wing the ecanossq out of its
difficulties.. The e, ssam:ta ro a a,-?d the mad ts.,,',emes of world domination
hatched by U.S. expensionieta are bringing t:nsmployent and want to U.S. workers."
:949)
(Soviet Home Sergi' ?e, 24 Uay
The arrest and pending trial of Valentin Cuhritch-: iisa ciloited very little monitored
comment thus farr; and wheat hoe appeared follows the pattern of Soviet cement on the
Kaaenkina case, in that no inkling of the cir .:mstenoes or ohargss against the ASSR,
is given the listener ca ready::
"New York-Cm April 14, +s court session was held to determine the date of the
hearing of the case lawlessly brought against the Soviet diplomat Gubitchev, who,
as is known, was arrested in violation of international' law and international
customs by the American intslli.ge ce service. In coat,, s bitehev declared: 'I
have already said before that I was seized in'the street mad arrested in violation
of the International iassrmity of the diplomat. Therefore, when I was brought to
court for the 'fi?et time, I declared to the Judge that, sop' diplomatic immunity had
been violated. ...I" ' (TAM, in Russian Aelischr4 i'ber, Abroad, and in English
parse to North Asrzsrict, 16 April 1949)
The "Moscow lead' g" is another fea1rn'e of Sovi,st *. -,;adcastss, In this case of those
broadcasts which are beamad to North Americts. Tn.;vntrast to the aggressive style
which is typical in other b,?oadir,astey the radio, in "mailbag" pro=ems, graciously
invites its 1irterers"' ct wrt . and enawar?a ltstsn[w_3" questions In a chatty, friendly
style:
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"And now we want to eey 'Ha o' end QThanka?;'iar your le
_ liet~nera in
Sterling, 'Mansidbuii ,ttay Ps,a' dsnae, Rhode 3b]xnd Yaviogatoim, Ohio, and Now
York City. IYonr de lsdarptioa rspurte $re a hand;" d we should hi y ry
glad to hear loam you again, with what&Ter sngg.etions- you may have ae ~eq~arde
tutors proga~ammr, I. t ua 1 what aepeat of life iri the Soviet Union inteieete
you moat, and we aha11 bef .ry glad to anaw?ryour requests in future program.
....=at
(in English t iNorthF
I ca, 14 *r 1949)
FAMOrl
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