AMERICAN REPUBLIC AREA

Senator KILGORE. Let us go to the American Republic area which involves a cut of $290,200. What will be the effect of that cut upon your operation?

EFFECT OF REDUCTION

Mr. STREIBERT. The principal effect, sir, would be to reduce the expansion that we had planned in the binational centers where we have very successful operations carried on by the countries where English language is taught and libraries are maintained by joint committees.

There is a tremendous increase in interest in learning the English language in Latin America. I visited a large number of these binational centers and they all are crowded for space and expanding and looking for new quarters.

We want to capitalize on that. We want to open them in additional

areas.

In Brazil, alone, the Ambassador told me that they could well see an expansion of 30 to 35 new binational centers in that area.

We do not plan a fast expansion, but these need support. We support them by giving a grant for a director and by supplying books and English-teaching materials.

ABSENCE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Senator KILGORE. Is it not a fact that in most of those countries there is really no public-school system at all as we visualize it? Mr. STREIBERT. Not as we understand it, no, sir.

Senator KILGORE. In other words, the schools are run by the church; is that not right?

Mr. STREIBERT. Yes, sir.

EMBASSY SCHOOL IN ECUADOR

Senator KILGORE. I found that at the outbreak of World War I, and in fact I helped get some money to set up a school at the Embassy in Ecuador and in 1 or 2 other countries there and found that we got tremendous results out of those schools, in which we endeavored to give basic education to the native people along with our own employees. The official purpose of the school was that we discovered that the Germans had that system going.

Mr. STREIBERT. The French got in there, too, to some degree.

Senator KILGORE. I think it acted a great deal for the rather friendly feeling we have had with Ecuador ever since. That would break up your system of education which you have there in which they participate.

Mr. STREIBERT. Yes, sir.

Senator KILGORE. How much money do they put in compared to our contribution?

Mr. STREIBERT. We do not know their expenses because they are all independent organizations, but as I say, we supply from 1 to 3 of the staff in the large ones, but not over 3.

The remaining staff is all hired locally and we supply books for the library and English-teaching materials.

There is a need for this expansion.

Senator KILGORE. In other words, you contemplate an expansion in the American Republic area, making your 1956 estimate $4,706,000, which is $1,115,000 more than your 1955 allotment?

Mr. STREIBERT. Yes, sir, of which $824,800 was approved by the House. And we are seeking the restoration of the additional $290,200.

EUROPEAN PROGRAM

JUSTIFICATIONS AND SUMMARY TABLES

Senator KILGORE. The next item under USIS overseas programs is a request of $19,066,000 for the European program. We will insert the area justifications and summary tables for this activity into the record.

(The information referred to follows:)

Not

The European area remains the heart of the free world's security system. counting the United States, our European allies have most of the industrial power now available to the free world. Allied bases in the European area are closer to the centers of Soviet power than any other. Moreover, several European nations still exercise a great deal of influence in Asia and Africa, and have made a substantial contribution to resisting the penetration of communism into these areas. The loss of our European allies would mean an uphill battle for survival and might leave the United States no effective means of stopping Communist imperialism until a mutually devastating atomic war was forced upon us. The maintenance of unity depends upon the attitudes of whole populations.

Cominform agitation and propaganda constantly tend to weaken the European will for unity and peace. Communist propaganda is particularly dangerous in France and Italy. An important element of this propaganda is an appeal to neutralism. Finland has shown strength throughout a period marked by alternating Soviet pressure and gestures of friendship. Italy's internal problems continue to provide opportunities for the largest Communist Party outside the Soviet orbit. Yugoslavia is now being wooed by the Soviet and satellite governments; East Germany and a large part of Austria are occupied by the Red Army. The U. S. S. R. is purposefully unwilling to conclude an Austrian state treaty or agree to reunification of Germany on a free basis.

The

To meet such threats from a position of unified strength full ratification and implementation of the London-Paris accords have become primary objectives of the member countries of NATO. The violent reaction of the U. S. S. R. to rearming the Federal Republic of Germany has played on the fears of Western European nations, especially France, of revival of German militarism. Saar question is still a source of friction between France and Germany. The possibility of reunifying Germany is being used by the Soviets to influence both the French and the West Germans. To the French the Russians present a rearmed Germany as a renewed threat to French safety; to the Germans the hope of reunification is held out as an inducement to block rearmament.

For these reasons, the anticipated policies and programs of the United States will require maximum USIS support. Particularly USIS should help development of all appropriate support for Franco-German reconciliation.

The job of persuasion in Europe is made complicated and expensive by the high educational and cultural level of the audiences we need to convince, and the wide variety of languages and national traditions. To be effective in Belgium, for instance, it is necessary for us to work in two languages-French and Flemish. Including Icelandic, Finnish, and Serbo-Croat, United States Information Service output for Europe must be produced in 15 languages.

The United States Information Agency task is to present clearly United States policies, to convince Europeans of the compatability of United States policies with their own legitimate aspirations; to emphasize the stubborn facts that make vital a European defense unity including a German contribution; and to expose the nature and intent of Soviet communism. As Europe was the cradle of our

common heritage of Western civilization, the important aspects of American life and culture that link us together and tend to confirm our national stability and maturity form a major aspect of our message to Europeans.

To continue and improve our effectiveness in carrying out our difficult task in Europe, we must:

1. Stimulate greater cooperative efforts for free world objectives, especially European unity for peace.

2. Initiate pilot projects looking toward grassroots impact in selected areas. 3. Intensify our efforts to present_American civilization and culture showing how much of it is flowering from European roots. We neither boast of nor minimize our achievements in scholarship and the arts. While bringing to the hypercritical European audience the finest examples of American scholarship, music, drama, and the other arts we continue to stress the unprecedented Americam democratic participation in both the creation and the appreciation of the products of a mature, orderly civilization. Careful planning and rigorous selection, with the help of top American non-Government authorities in the cultural field, are demanded in order to meet the massive and snowballing Soviet cultural offensive with its dangerous penetration power and its all-too-successful fostering of European complacency toward the nature of the Eastern menace.

The United States Information Agency effort in Europe is currently conducted by 72 posts in 20 countries with first emphasis in the following priority countries: Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Great Britain, Spain, Yugoslavia, Finland, and Iceland.

The estimates for 1956 do not reflect any increase in funds required to run the USIS programs in Europe except for television program materials. The approach and techniques used during the past several years have been adapted to the changing role of the United States in Europe. The approach to be taken by USIS in Europe in 1956 has been geared to several major program shifts now under way to intensify our efforts in key NATO countries. Certain direct efforts will be deemphasized or curtailed. Examples are: (1) the United States published newspaper Wiener Kurier has been converted from a daily to a weekly edition in Vienna effective October 29, 1954, and (2) the elimination of the German language daily newspaper Die Neue Zeitung in Germany on January 31, 1955. Available resources will be redirected in 1956 to permit concentration

on the following:

Intensified personal contacts made possible by increased man-years of employment at the posts;

A significant buildup in France and Italy using mass approach techniques in selected areas directed at crucial target groups;

Increased cultural output in all countries to counter the stepped-up cultural offensive of the Soviets in Europe;

Expanded programs in Yugoslavia and Spain;

Redirecting more effort through local organizations; and

More emphasis on USIS television materials in order to capitalize on this expanding medium in Europe during the initial stages of growth.

Accordingly the budget estimates for 1956 provide for an area level of $19,587,000 for direct USIS mission expenses, $1,649,900 for direct media support, and $3,340,700 for administrative support for a total of $24,577,600 for direct costs of the United States information programs in Europe. The total requested is $40,000 above the 1955 level but $4,391,184 below the 1954 level. Major changes reflected in the 1956 estimates are as follows:

USIS expenses budgeted by country

1. A net decrease in Austria in the amount of $215,900 primarily by changing the United States published newspaper from a daily to a weekly edition.

2. A net decrease of $40,000 for Belgium since atomic energy exhibit will not be repeated.

3. An increase of $784,300 providing for an expanded program for France. 4. A net decrease of $841,800 for Germany primarily due to the elimination of the newspaper Die Neue Zeitung and the elimination of 6 information centers. 5. An increase in mission programs for Italy requiring $326,200 for buildup of the southern Italy USIS programs.

6. Decrease of $30,000 in the Netherlands since the atomic energy exhibit will not be repeated.

7. Increased programs for Spain will require $50,000 additional for mission

expenses.