July 29, 2017

1957. U.S. Considers Propaganda Options for the Soviet Union

Ambassador William Lacy's Propaganda Proposal
A 1950s advertisement promoting the American Crusade for Freedom propaganda campaign (source)
Columbia Broadcasting System

To: Ted Koop

From: Bill Downs

August 5, 1957

Regarding the Washington Week story on the proposed radio and TV exchanges with the Russians:

I had lunch with Ambassador William Lacy, Secretary Dulles' special assistant on the program, during which he discussed the Soviet qualified rejection—or acceptance, if you want to put it that way—of the proposal to trade broadcasts. You remember the Russian note said they were willing if the exchange program was expanded to include economic and scientific matters.

Lacy said for background that he intends to recommend that, despite the Kremlin turn-down, the US tell the Soviet government that if they want to provide English-language radio and TV material we are willing to give it a hearing anyway without the quid pro quo.

Lacy said it would be a daring and effective propaganda gesture and would expose the Communists' fear of competitive ideas. He admitted, however, that he still has to sell the idea to Dulles, who must then sell it to the White House, the CIA, the National Security Council, et al. My personal guess is that, with the present mood of "playing it safe" and the timidity in the face of most certain criticism from some sections of Congress and outside pressure groups such as the DAR, Lacy's proposition will be allowed to die.

The ambassador also mentioned that CBS would be involved since, for some reason he himself seemed unclear about, our network is the only one on which such Russian broadcasts would be used. But we did not get into much detailed and technical conversation about this.

Lacy said he would make his proposal to the Secretary of State this week.

However, whether Lacy's proposition is accepted or not, it may come up again. Dulles is once again hot on the idea of as many "people to people" exchanges with the Communist countries as possible. Lacy says the State Department has gotten such conservatives as Senator Dirksen and Representative Walter to introduce such measures as modifying the present fingerprint law. Confidentially, J. Edgar Hoover has told the State Department that the law is meaningless anyway since no foreign intelligence service would send in an agent whose fingerprints are on record. Also, the FBI can get the fingerprints of anyone if it is interested without much trouble.

Lacy has been able to "stretch" the present law with FBI approval to include small groups of doctors, scientists, artists, and technicians by classifying them as "officials" of their respective Iron Curtain governments.

During the luncheon I asked Lacy why the government did not take advantage of the International Youth Congress in Moscow and really move in on it. He said such proposals had been carefully considered at the top. Then, off the record, Lacy said that of the hundred or so students now in Moscow, "about forty of them are ours." This explains some of the strange antics of the American "youths" now making speeches on Moscow street corners, etc. Also it's interesting to note that, of all the students attending the Congress, only 46 US citizens registered with our embassy there.

Hope this background is sufficient. I'll keep an eye on the development of international exchanges and keep you informed in the future.