U.S. INFORMATION SERVICES

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25227, 4 July 1947, Page 7

U.S. INFORMATION SERVICES

PROJECTS SEEN AS VITAL AID

(Rec. 9 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 2. The Secretary of State (General Marshall) appeared before a Congressional committee again to-day to urge legislative authorisation for the State Department’s information programme. This was General Marshall’s fourth attempt to persuade Congress that it was “vital to the success of American foreign policy” that the department should be permitted to project to the rest of the world the truth about America.

Specifically addressing his testimony to an omnibus bill which is now before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and which would authorise the permanent establishment of short-wave broadcasts, information libraries, and exchanges of technicians, professors, and students, General Marshall said: “It seems to me almost self-evident that we are engaged in a world-wide struggle, and that, in a sense, we are almost disarmed in our means of representation abroad if the information programme is discontinued.”

Reuters says that the House of Representatives has already passed an authorising bill, but so far has declined to make any appropriation for the information programme. On the other hand, the Senate has appropriated 13.500,000 dollars to conduct the programme on a skeleton basis, but, because of the legislative rush before the adjournment, it is doubtful whether the Sehate will act on the authorising bill this session.