Plain Speaking At UNO on War Propaganda

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 October 1947, Page 8

Plain Speaking At UNO on War Propaganda

NEW YORK, Oct. 22. Mr Vyshinsky (Russia) today added two members of Mr Truman’s Cabinet—the Secretary of Defence (Mr James Forrestal) and the Secretary of Commerce (Mr Averell Harriman)—to his list of war-mongers, and declared that the new book by the former Secretary of State, Mr James Byrnes, was “a call for war against Russia. . , Mr Vyshinsky was making a speecn of 8500 words before the Political Committee of the United Nations General Assembly to support the Soviet proposal that the United Nations should act to curb alleged war-mon-gering in the United States, Turkey, and Greece. . Mr Byrnes, he said, was ‘ trying to break the record in producing slanderous fabrications against the Soviet.”

Attack On Churchill

Mr Vyshinsky, attacking Mr •Churchill, said: “He cannot conceal his impatience in waiting for the time when the United Nations will at last burst, with two worlds emerging.” He added that Mr Churchill, like Mr Byrnes, “blabs war propaganda.” Dr H. V. Evatt (Australia), making a spirited defence of Mr-Churchill and Mr Byrnes, said: “Mr Churchill’s name will live in history evermore. Never has there been a greater wartime leader. As to Mr Vyshinsky’s attack on Mr Byrnes, it is false and outrageous. Nobody since the war has tried harder to live in peace with the Soviet. Calling Mr Byrnes a warmonger is about as true as calling Hitler an angel of peace.”

Dr Evatt added that the Australian delegation favoured part of the Soviet resolution on war-mongering, but was completely opposed to certain important parts. One of the features which was doing so much to encourage a worldwide fear of war, and even to encourage war itself, was the persistent attack on the United States being waged by the Soviet press and radio. The Soviet press also helped to inspire fear among the Russians by omitting to publish adequate news of friendly acts by other Powers toward Russia. The part played by the Western Powers in the fighting in Europe and the enormous aid given in LendLease and other ways had never been sufficiently well known to the Russian people.

Japan’s Defeat

The Russian radio, press, and cinema had told the fantastic story that the defeat of 'Japan had been primarily a Russian operation. “Indeed, Australia’s part in the war against Japan has been incomparably greater and more decisive than that of the Soviet,” Dr Evatt said. Australia believed that censorship and criminal penalties were an inadmissable way to prevent war propaganda. The most effective way to handle war-mongers was not to suppress them but to expose them. The committee adjourned until tomorrow.

“It is understood,” says Reuters, “that the United States will oppose the Australian resolution proposing that the United Nations should act to curb propaganda falsely accusing national officials or other responsible persons of war-mongering. “The United States delegation is reported to be embarrassed by Dr Evatt’s proposal, which he submitted as an amendment to the Soviet’s bitter resolution demanding the suppression of ‘war-mongering propaganda;' particularly in the United -States.

“The United States is anxious that the Assembly should reject the Soviet resolution unequivocally, without amendment or compromise and it feels that it must oppose any suggestion of interference with the right of free speech.”