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Stevenson . . . ranks among America's
greatest sons, such as Lincoln and
F. D. Roosevelt . . . He is the very
incarnation of America's highest aspirations . . . Within less than a year he
rose from obscurity to the pinnacle of
American leadership."
The record of Radio Free Europe's
programs is full of unfavorable remarks about those great Americans
who have steadfastly opposed the
Communist menace. A flood of vituperation was poured on General Douglas MacArthur upon his dismissal from
the Far Eastern scene. His speeches,
which have moved the truly anti-
Communist refugees from eastern
Europe, have been consistently withheld from RFE's programs.
It was the same with the great and
honorable Senator Robert A. Taft, on
the occasion of his campaign for the
Republican nomination in 1952. After
"Mr. Republican's" defeat at the Chicago Convention, "Our New York Correspondent Reports," on August 7,
1952, at 10:05 a.m., rejoiced: "For
Europe it is decisive that the last remainders of isolationism have been
removed, and that a sound policy has
been carried to victory."
Ferdinand Peroutka, in one of his
interminable "Sunday Comments," on
August 3, 1952, at 12:15 p.m., pontificated: "Taft was the proponent of a
policy which can never settle anything, as his adversaries have always
pointed out."
"Our New York Correspondent Reports," on July 9, 1952, at 8:05 p.m.,
had this to say: "The opinions of [Herbert] Hoover and [Douglas] Mac-
Arthur represent the viewpoint of a
minority; these men want to confine
themselves to the [exclusive] defense
of the American continent. The majority [of Americans], though, have dismissed this attitude and are conscious
of America's global role."
"A Program of Novelties," referring
Page 46
The late Senator Robert A. Taft I left I whose
defeat for nomination as presidential candidate at
the 1952 Republican convention drew the RFE
comment: ". . . the last remains of isolationism
have been removed. . . ." Former President Herbert Hoover (lower) also mentioned by RFE as
"interested only in the defense of the American
continent."
WIM WORLD PHOTO
to the passing of two famous American journalists — Pulitzer and Bert
McCormick — on April 3, 1955, at 3
p.m., called Pulitzer tlie "son of an
Hungarian immigrant, an outstanding
American journalist," but criticized
Colonel McCormick as a "controversial, reactionary isolationist" who "opposed progress." The Kremlin must
have been satisfied with that incisive
observation.
GENERAL IMPRESSION CREATED BY
RADIO FREE EUROPE
What, then, is the general impression which Radio Free Europe has
made, behind the Iron Curtain as well
as among the millions of anti-Communists in Western Europe? It is, besides
the impression of full sabotage, the impression of half-heartedness, indecision, artificiality, and downright
clowning.
When RFE's broadcasters, directly
addressing some poor wretch or some
swineherd in some forlorn little hamlet in Slovakia or Bohemia, lower their
voices to terrify him, anti-Communist
refugees merely laugh. Alas, the farce
tastes bitter, because of the lost opportunities, the stupidity, the feeling of
treason, and the unconscionably low
moral standard.
Next, there is the strong impression
of cliche journalism, occupying itself
with superficialities — cars, houses,
etc. — and largely avoiding verbatim
quotations. Instead, they impose their
propaganda by means of slogans.
Real opinions of the refugees and of
the people at home are disregarded by
the RUE propaganda. Real anti-Communists are never allowed to get their
messages across the Curtain. Real anti-
Communists, including the repenting
National Fronters, are social outcasts.
But the collaborators of the National
Front, who even today maintain that
the National Front was all right, si'
at the big desks and cash their substantial checks, in compensation fol
their shadow boxing.
Then there is the distinct impression
of coolness, impersonality and anonymity. Since the well-known anti-Corn-
Willi-; wniti.Ii I
The late Col. Robert McCormick, former edJ*J
and publisher of the Chicago Tribune, referred .
on RFE's program at about the time of his ecu
as a "controversial, reactionary isolationist
"opposed progress."
munists of long standing have bef
barred from RFE, there are no nafl>\
to inspire the listeners. Yes, some i*
do speak under their own nan*
These include the left-winger Dr. W
eph Lettrich, the Marxist Y;'el;j.
Majer, and such Socialists as Fef
nand Peroutka, Dr. Petr Zenkl and *£
Jaroslav Stransky. However, tin
are known to be weaklings, r/1
fronts for more powerful personal'11
They are recognized to be gener-'
useless; they won't stir the imagina"
ol anyone.
As to the known former champV.
of the- Communist causes, transit
tain listeners would simply shut
the radio if thev knew who was *
ing to them. Therefore, Milos va»jjl
now calls himself Pravdomil $^M
and FranrJsek Listopad goes by m
name of Jan Ctvrtek. Similarly A
leftist Socialist Dr. Miloslav £°L
has become Vitezslav Fram; Otto1^
hides his pro-Communist past •'%
the pseudonym of Franta Tabor, j,
Kami Belak-Berger has conveniePj
turned into one Jan Lehota. "Wn°j
these fellows anyhow?" the listc f,<
behind the Curtain must wondefj ^
the-v have never heard of theiu. Hj
Facts Forum News, March-
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