SOVIET SELECTIVE JAMMING OF BBC RUSSIAN BROADCASTS OF JUNE 21-JUNE 30, 1960
Document Type:
Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP80B01676R003700060030-5
Release Decision:
RIPPUB
Original Classification:
K
Document Page Count:
25
Document Creation Date:
December 14, 2016
Document Release Date:
April 29, 2003
Sequence Number:
30
Case Number:
Publication Date:
August 9, 1960
Content Type:
MEMO
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Attachment | Size |
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CIA-RDP80B01676R003700060030-5.pdf | 1.46 MB |
Body:
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August
TO: The President
FROM: Adviser for Radio Programming Policy
SUBJECT: Soviet Selective Jamming of BBC Russian
Broadcasts of June 21-June 30, 1960
This analysis of Soviet selective Jamming of approxim te-
ly nine hours of BBC broadcasts to the Soviet Union from tune
21 through June 30, 1960 - a period marked by considerable
post-summit tension in East-West relationships - affords pos-
sible insights into what the Soviet regime tries to keep Its
citizens from hearing, and what it is willing to let them
hear.
The analysis is based on the daily 6:45-7:15 AM and 6-
6:30 PM (Moscow time) BBC broadcasts in the Russian language,
as monitored and taped in Munich. Some parts, totalling about
one hour of the ten on the Munich tapes, were unintelligible
because of poor reception. Two powerful skywave Jammers,
interfering with these BBC broadcasts and identifying them-
selves as IG-IG and DB-DB, may, according to the Radio Liberty
Network Division, be the reverse call letters of skywave jam-
mers BD and GI, located in Simferopol and Kazan respectively.
There is also evidence of groundwave jamming on these tapes
but the signals are too weak to be identified.
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Some Tentative Conclusions
To the extent that the Munich tapes of the June 21
through June 30, 1960 BBC broadcasts are a fair sampling of
current Soviet content jamming policy - and perhaps BBC
officials in London can be queried on this point - the
following emerges:
1. News and commentaries that deal directly and openly
with current disputes between the Soviet leadership and the
West are generally, but not always, jammed. News headlines
on the same subjects are generally, but not always, permitted
to come through free and clear of jamming.
2. Certain color words and phrases with clear anti-Soviet
or anti-Communist implications, such as "Soviet refusal;"
"Communist aggression;" "subversive activity;" 11interna.ti:)na1
Communism;" "Eisenhower (or Macmillan) accuse (or blame) the
Soviet Union (or Communist);" are nearly always promptly
followed by jamming.
3. Items dealing with the relationship between the Soviet
Communist Party and the satellite parties are generally jam-
med.
4. Items dealing with internal developments in the stteI-
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lites that could be construed as unfavorable news (e.g.
the Polish decision to put more effort into capital in-
vestment, rather than consumer goods) are generally Lam-
med.
5. Policy on items dealing with Chinese Communist
aggression seems to be somewhat ambivalent. Thus, on
June 24, the jamming of an item from the organ of the
Czechoslovak Communist Party abated to allow the audience
to hear criticism of a Peiping newspaper for saying that
armed might is the only effective way of dealing with
capitalists. Items on Chinese military aggression are
generally jammed, but on June 24 a report of remarks by
Nehru on India's military preparedness to meet Chinese
troop concentrations was not Jammed. These remarks, how-
ever, came at the conclusion of Nehru's favorable reaction
to Soviet disarmament proposals and his approval of the
Soviet demand for the removal of foreign bases.
6. Whether through inefficiency or failure to under-
stand the context in time, the same subject matter that
is jammed in one program sometimes comes through with full
force, free of jamming, in another. A good example is thf+
summary of Selwyn Lloyd's remarks on coexistence in the
broadcast of June 25. Here the major substance of the
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West's case against Soviet foreign policy came through
before jamming started. The following day, his remarks
are effectively jammed.
7... The time-lag between remarks that are promptly
followed by the jamming signal and the actual start of
jamming, often results in failure to drown out the
objectionable matter. Moreover, there is often spill-over
jamming into subject matter that is either neutral or
actually favorable from the Soviet standpoint. A good
example is spill-over jamming on June 27 that interfered
with British praise of the Bolshoi Ballet.
8. A diligent listener of average intelligence would
have little difficulty spotting what the Soviet jammers
don't want him to hear, because an item jammed in one
transmission often comes through, in whole or part, in an
earlier or later broadcast. This, combined with. spill-
over jamming of favorable items, as well as the jammers'
dilemma on news of Chinese Communist aggressions, makes
selective jamming a two-edged weapon from the Soviet
standpoint.
9. The vagaries of Soviet selective jamming certainly
do not convey a sense of self-assurance, acute perception.,
or split-second efficiency. On the contrary, the effect
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is often ridiculous, and must seem so to many Soviet
listeners. Moreover, the drowning out of significant
Western policy statements, such as the Macmillan reply
to Khrushchev's post-Geneva declaration, must be
profoundly irritating to Soviet listeners of BBC, and
must suggest to many of them that Khrush.chev has a
great deal to hide.
10. Perhaps more significant than the factors out-
lined in 1-9 above, is the broad area of BBC broadcasts
with which Soviet jammers do not seem to interfere at
the present time. Such unjammed features during the June
21-June 30, 1960 period as the BBC correspondent's des-
cription of the United States; the House of Lords debate
on the press; the feature on the problems of the affluent
society; the family budget of a London bus driver; as
well as many other news items and features on various
aspects of life in the non-Soviet world are widely at
variance with the picture carried by Soviet mass media.
Yet these clear, informative end urbane BBC broadcasts,
communicating without propaganda oversimplifications or
slogans, the actual moral, intellectual, social and materi-
al advantages of democracy, were not jammed at all.
If the Munich tapes are a fair example of Soviet select-
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ive jamming policy, the larger implications of the jam-
free BBC broadcasts deserve the most careful study, both
from the standpoint of VOA and Radio Liberty broadcastinpr
policies in the future, and as a possible clue to long-
range intellectual and political trends within the Soviet
Union.
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J A M M E D
(in part or whole)
June 21:
1. A report on French-Senegalese relations, with a
solution indicated on the basis of self-determination.
Partly jammed.
2. The Congo. The start of this feature was not
jammed. Jamming commenced when the broadcast said that
the Communists regarded the Congo, with its resources,
including cobalt deposits, and its importance in Africa,
as a key to "world revolution."
3. A feature on American and Soviet espionage, peg-
ged to the B-2, was heavily jammed.
4. A report on the Congress of the Rumanian Communist
Party was jammed moderately heavy; poor reception made it
largely unintelligible.
June 22:
1. A review of the Rumanian Communist Party Congres,
including Khrushchev's statement of Soviet foreign policy.
Jamming was heavy enough to make only isolated words and
phrases intelligible.
2. That portion of the newscast which discussed dif-
ferences within the British Labor Party on nuclear weapozi
and NATO. The Jamming lasted about three minutes and
effectively drowned out the contents.
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June 23:
1. A news review on British Labor's view of nuclear
policy, NATO, German reunification and Communist China was
only sporadically jammed. What came through fairly clear
was that British Labor wanted Germany united, but did not
want it to produce or possess nuclear weapons; that it
favored the admission of Communist China to the United
Nations; that it believes the United States carries the
main responsibility for the nuclear defense of the West,
but that the atomic deterrent should be under stricter
allied control; that NATO should be so armed as not to
depend in the first instance on atomic weapons.
2. The Japanese situation. The start of the news
item, reporting ratification of the U.S.- Japanese treaty
and the impending Kishi resignation, was not jammed. Jam-
ming started as soon as BBC quoted Kishi as blaming "inter-
national Communism" for the disorders. The remainder of
the newscast was effectively drowned out.
3. British Press Review,. Discussion of British Labor
Party's defense program. The jamming here is sporadic.
After the Manchester Guardian says much of the Labor pro-
gram is sound, jaammiing - lasting only a few seconds -
breaks into the Telegra hh's statement that Labor wants
Britain to keep her atomic defenses. There is no jamming
of the Tele rash's charge that in some ways Labor's defense
program, s impractical and dangerous; if Britain were to
give up her atomic arsenal, she would lose an effective
diplomatic weapon in talks with the Soviet Union on dis-
armament. Labor's program would also require a larger
conventional military establishment. The Times echoes thf
Telegraph's skepticism regarding British La or s realism
and this too is not jammed.
June 2k:
1. Khrushchev in Bucharest. The start of the item,
reporting that "Khrushchev again held forth on the possi-
bility of peace in the world before Communist victory"
was not jammed. Jamming commenced immediately after BBC
commented that in Tibet, meanwhile, Chinese Communist troops
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"demonstrated the opposite, namely that Communist victory
withoutwar is impossible".
2. Eisenhower in Honolulu. He will address the
American public Monday. Heavy jamming starts.
3. The situation in the Congo. Jamming abates, then
increases.
4. UN on Eichmann. The start is jammed, apparently
a spill-over from the preceding item, because it is shut
off abruptly leaving the body of the item clear.
5. Poland increases capital goods investment and cu-,.s
expenditures to raise living standards. The jamming com-
mences as soon as the content of the item from Warsaw is
established. The jamming spills over into the next item,
making it unintelligible.
6. A new item that begins "the organ of the Czecho-
slovak Communist Party writes" is promptly and heavily
jammed, but the jamming abates considerably as the Czech
paper criticizes the Chinese Communist newspaper for saying
that armed might is the only effective way of dealing with
the capitalists. Jamming decreases further as the Czech
Communist Party paper states an optimistic view of coex-
istence.
June 25:
1. In the news review, the British Foreign Minister
sets forth his views of how tae West understands coexisterae.
He is sharply critical of Soviet foreign policy, but the
jammers are slow to zero in, so that highly critical remarks
are clearly heard before jamming makes the contents unintE>l-
ligible. The jamming then spills over to interfere with
friendly remarks on Western-Soviet cultural contacts.
2. The breakdown of the Geneva disarmament conference.
Heavily and effectively jammed.
3. Mikoyan opens Soviet exhibition in Oslo. Moderate
jamming starts when BBC says that Mikoyan "renewed his attacks
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on the United States." Jamming diminishes when Mikoyan
says that peaceful coexistence remains the foundation of
Soviet policy. The remainder of the Oslo item, including
a polite rebuke by the Norwegian Foreign Minister of
Mikoyan for criticizing Norway's allies, comes through
free and clear of jamming.
4. U.S. delegate to Geneva visits British Foreign
office to discuss West's disarmament position. He says
Anglo-U.S. agreement is complete. The jamming is only
moderate.
5. Gaitskell on Labor's defense policy. The jamminj
is only slight at the start. It increases as Gaitskell
says that Labor's policy will not satisfy those who want
Britain out of the Western alliance. Jamming increases a:;
Gaitskell stresses the need for retaining the atomic deter-
rent.
6. Khrushchev to speak in Bucharest. Rumania a.pproir-
ed a 15-year plan of economic development. Moderate jamrn'.ng.
7. British Somaliland to become independent tomorrov.
Moderate jamming.
8. Commentary: Selwyn Lloyd's visit to Austria.
Before jamming starts, the following is heard free and
clear of interference: Lloyd understands peaceful coexistence
to mean not only the absence of war, but the renunciation
of subversive activity, interference in the affairs of otter
countries, non-use of economic aid to establish political
control over other countries. If the great powers want ptao?.
they must agree to refrain.from certain acts toward each
other and toward small states as well, a kind of moral code.
BBC continues: "Khrushchev has his opinion of capitalism,
we have our opinion of communism?" says Loyd, "we are
completely against a system that deprives people of freedom
of speech and assembly. But we have no intention," says
the Foreign Minister, "of trying to change that system by
force."
It is only at this point, 'ter all of the above has been
heard without interference, that jamming starts. Heavy
jamming blots out the rest of the news review, until a firLal
item on India, which is heard without interference, although
it includes such information as the fact that India has more
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railroad tracks per square mile than the Soviet Unions
June 26:
1. Review of the week repeats Lloyd's views on
coexistence. Heavy jamming starts as soon as Lloyd
speaks of non-interference in the internal affairs of
other countries, blotting out what had been heard free
of jamming the previous day.
June 27:
1. News report on the Geneva disarmament conference
break-up. Most of this report is effectively drowned out.
Jamming diminishes as BBC quotes UN General Secretary
calling for a larger UN role in view of the great power
conflict.
2. U.S. delegate to Geneva says that "it is now
clear that the Soviet delegation did not intend ---".
On the word "intend" heavy jamming starts, blotting out
the rest. In the jamming spill-over, about 20 seconds on
the Bolshoi Ballet in London is unintelligible.
June 28:
1. Eisenhower reports to American public over TV on
his Far Eastern trip. Jamming is only moderate and Eisen--
hower's criticism of Communist behavior comes through fairly
clear.
2. Soviet departure from Geneva. Heavily jammed ano
unintelligible.
3. Khrushchev note to the West on the Geneva break-a.p.
Heavy jamming blots this out.
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June 29:
1. Review of Geneva disarmament conference collapse
is effectively jammed. Only isolated individual words come
through.
2. Moderate jamming of news headlines on Sino-Nepalese
border clash; Algerian-French talks; the Congo; Labor MPs
accept Gaitskell defense program.
3. In the main body of the news, jamming on the 3ino-
Nepalese situation dies down as it is reported that Chinese
troops will be withdrawn when the current revolt in Tibet
is crushed.
4. New Soviet rocket test in Pacific. Jamming starts
when Australian comment comes in.
5. Macmillan reply to Khrushchev. Heavily and effective-
ly jammed.
June 30:
1. Macmillan reply to Khrushchev. Heavily and effective-
ly jammed.
2. News from the Congo. Moderate jamming.
3. New U.S. anti-rocket defenses to be tested in
Pacific. Moderate jamming which increases to heavy.
ress review contrasting Khrushchev's le,-ter
itish
B
4
p
r
,
to Macmillan reply, which the Yorkshire Post calls "wise
and constructive." Here jamming starts a~ nd. increases in
intensity as Macmillan speaks of "certain Soviet circles" who
show aggressive intentions.
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1. A review of the Algerian-French situation.
Communist commentators in France, says BBC, say that
de Gaulle offers nothing new. "Less prejudiced observers,"
the station adds, see progress. A detailed account of
the Algerian situation follows, with the conclusion that
de Gaulle enjoys the support of most of French public
opinion.
1. News headlines, consisting of (a) British Labor
adopts new defense policy; (b) the Geneva disarmament
conference; (c) French-Algerian negogiations; (d) Soviet
citizen in Denmark arrested for espionage; (e) ratification
of U.S.- Japanese treaty expected today; demonstrations i:i
Japan continue; (f) U.S. fires twin satellites; (g) Fichmann
to be tried for mass extermination of Jews; Israel denies
UN has jurisdiction; Frondizi and Ben Gurion expected to
meet; (h) Negotiations for formation of government in the
Congo.
2. A talk on Algeria.
3. Interview with Mme Pandit, former Indian envoy to
Soviet Union. Her remarks are friendly toward the Russia::
people.
4. Feature on automation, including Soviet-British
exchange in this field.
5. A feature on India and its problems.
6. Work of British atomic power plans described,
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June 23:
1. News headlines, including (a) ratification of U.3.-
Japanese treaty; (b) Eichmann case in UN; (c) Chinese troops
concentrate on Indian borders; (d) sale of British cars
abroad; (e) Algerian delegation expected in Paris; (d.)
British Foreign Minister in Vienna.
2. Feature on the British family budget. This is part
of a regular series on the subject. This one describes bow
a London bus driver budgets for himself and his family.
June 24 (6:45 - 7:15 Am):
1. A review of the Japanese situation, following the
pact ratification. BBC qiiotes Kishi as saying his resig-
nation is necessary to restore party and national unity, and
to convince the United States that Japan will fulfill her
treaty obligations. He says he cannot be certain that di,:;-
orders won't recur, but the quick end to the riots is a sign
of general respect in Japan for order, democracy and parlia-
mentary government.
2. BBC correspondent visits the United States. This is
a report by Patrick Gordon Walker, regular BBC commentator
on the British parliament, describing his impressions of
America after an absence of 18 months. Walker describes he
swiftness of change on the U.B. scene. In New York, the
sudden proliferation of glass-dominated skyscrapers and
removal of buildings still in excellent condition to make
way for ultra-modern structures; the rapidly changing con-
tours of Manhattan as seen from a boat trip around the
island; changes in Atlanta, Georgia, with the shrinking of
slums in Negro neighborhoods, some improvement in race re-
lations and Negro employment opportunities. He notes, too,
that the tempo of American political change is just as raTlid.
He finds Americans shocked at the Japanese situation; thinks
the present tide favors the Democrats; notes that Americax_
make mistakes in secondary matters, but sooner or later make
sound decisions on basic issues. In all, this jam-free BlC
feature is a far cry from the image of America conveyed by
Soviet propaganda. The effect is of a dynamic, self-critical
society, moving forward in the field (race relations) that
has caused greatest criticism abroad.
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15
3. House of Lords debate on the British Press.
This unjammed feature starts with the following statement:
"Although freedom of the press is said to go to the
heart of the difference between democracy and totalitarian
rule, sometimes it is useful to repeat the most elementary
truths."
The debate, as reported by BBC, centered around the
proposal that the British press create a body similar to
the British Medical Association with disciplinary powers
against members of the profession guilty of unprofessional
conduct. A speaker criticized the British press for (a)
moving in the direction of monopoly control; (b) an un-
satisfactory personnel policy (12 unions are represented is
the British press industry); and (c) poor reporting, with
too much prying into private lives and a tendency toward
pornography.
BBC noted that Britain has strict libel laws against
false and malicious reporting. The Archbishop of Canterbury
quoted, as an example of what he considered good journalism,
a Canadian newspaper headline on the appointment of a new
church head which read "New Head, Same God". This was the
Archbishop's reply to a House of Lord critic who thought
the British press was too irreverent. The Archbishop voiced
opposition to any form of press control, even by a voluntary
press association, suggesting merely that the press might
concern itself more with quality than quantity. In such
matters, he said, as in cooking "better less, but better."
He warned against any restriction on press freedom, remind-
ing the House that a free press remains the cornerstone of
a liberal and civilized society. Another member of the
House of Lords, long in the foreign service, said the press
would do a better job in its coverage of international
affairs if the government supplied more precise diplomatic
information. He also criticized the Western press for allot-
ting so much space to all of Khrushchev's utterances. 7i.zi
must we furnish him with. so much. propaganda, he asked.
A spokesman for the government said that the government
carried no responsibility for the press and was firmly
opposed to any form of regulation, by government or by a
press association. He said the British press was not ideal,
but that it gave good information and commentary of good
quality. It could only fulfill its role in the life of the
country by remaining free from all government control.
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This broadcast amounts to a lucid seminar or,
the meaning of a free press, and the intimate re-
lationship between such a press and a civilized
democratic society. The Archbishop is not only a
witty champion of freedom of the press, but of its
right to what many Russians might consider to be
irreverence toward authority as a whole. Broadcasts
of this type suggest that BBC's reputation in the
Soviet Union is based on more than its record of
objective news reporting.
June 24 (6 - 6:30 PM):
1. News headlines. These include (a) Nehru supports
Soviet demand for end of foreign bases; (b) new Japanese
demonstrations; (c) Eisenhower will report to the U.S.
public on. Monday; (d.) Congo Premier chosen; (e) Poland in-
creases capital investments, cuts down on expenditures to
raise living standards; (f) Britain will review budget.
2. In the unjammed part. of the newscast itself, Nehru
is quoted as finding Soviet disarmament proposals good and
sincerely responsive to Western criticism.. He supports the
Soviet demand for the elimination of foreign bases. He also
speaks of the concentration of Chinese forces on the Indian
frontier and says Indian foreces are adequate to meet the
situation.
British Cultural Feature.
subject is a modern British painter, Graham
Th
e
(a)
Sutherland. BBC quotes Churchill's dislike of Sutherland's
portrait of him, and Sutherland's reply that he doesn't paint
for admirers of the beautiful. "I painted Churchill as I
saw 'him." Here the Soviet audience is reminded, without 'beir g
told, that a politician's views on art (even one as cu tu-Te
as Churchill, a good amateur painter and winner of the Nobel
Prize in Literature) are of no concern to the artist, for whom
there can be no authority other than his own creative talent.
For intelligent listeners, this broadcast makes Soviet of='icaat
pronouncements on art and literature seem ludicrous.
(b) A veteran British dance critic speaks on the
Russian ballet on the basis of his visit to the Soviet
The author has been a student of the ballet for 50 years
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starts with his recollections of the pre-revolutionary
Russian ballet. Clearly the voice of a man who knows .is
subject, speaking with depth and perception on a matter
close to the heart of the Russian public.
June 25:
1. News headlines, consisting of (a) Franco-Algerian
negotiations; (b) British Foreign Minister believes it
would be a mistake to count too much on Sino-Soviet dif-
ferences; (c) Mikoyan in Oslo says peaceful coexistence
remains the foundation of Soviet policy; (d) U.S. delegate
to Geneva discusses West's disarmament policy with London;
(e) Khrushchev to address mass meeting in Bucharest; (f)
British Exhibition in New York a great success; (g) American
Negro sets new high jump record.
2. Feature: Polemics in British Labor Party Ranks.
This broadcast uses the crisis caused by three successive
Labor electoral defeats as a peg to discuss the nature of
modern industrial society. The crisis in the Labor Party,
says BBC, is the result of the deep social change that has
taken place in the West since 1945. Contemporary Western
society is so far removed from the capitalism of Marx's day
that many economists and sociologists find it necessary tc
formulate new principle to describe it. In recent times,
the term "affluent society" invented by the American
Galbraith is increasingly used. British Socialist Richard
Crossman calls his recent work The Labor Movement in An
Affluent Society. BBC notes that neither Ga raith nor
-rossman uses tie term in a positive sense, but both agree
that the old premises concerning the so-called "basic con-
tradictions of capitalism" have long since lost their validi-
ty. The seemingly immutable :Laws of cycles of crisis, caused
by overproduction bringing mass unemployment and a mass
decline in consumption, the relative and absolute impoverish-
ment of the working class -- a law which, according to BBC,
remains the basic thesis of "Orthodox Marxism" -- dont apply
to today's Britain, United States or any other advanced
country.
BBC argues that in Western Europe, North America and
such countries as Australia and New Zealand, pauperdom ha-,-,
been reduced to a relative handful of people, who because of
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age, disease, etc. aren't in a position to earn a living
and must depend entirely on state or private aid. But
even this small minority doesn't suffer absolute poverty.
Through a broad social security system and pensions from
private enterprise, even this impoverished residue is
declining. In Britain such pensions reach nearly half
the population. The overwhelming majority,, especially
the industrial workers, continue to raise their living
standards and their capacity to buy more and more consumer
goods, including those that in more backward countries are
still luxuries. The almost complete disappearance of fear
of mass unemployment in the 7 ,Test, has produced the "af-
fluent society." The present differences in the ranks of
the British Labor Party, says BBC, must be examined from
this viewpoint.
As all socialist parties, BBC continues, the British
Labor Party was the expression of protest against conditions
under which a large part of the population, particularly
workers, had to live. Labor proposed the end of poverty k?T
two means:
First, the broad extension of social security.
Second, a planned economy, free of crisis, on the
basis of the common ownership of the main means of production+
distribution and exchange.
The first of these methods has largely been translated
into reality. This is no longer an issue as between the
parties. The Conservatives and Liberals accept this princi-
ple. The system always needs improvement, of course, but
the people feel that social security is guaranteed and no
longer identify this policy with the Labor Party.
Thus, for the broad public, the only important difference
between Labor and the other parties is the question of commor.
ownership of the means of production, i.e. nationalization.
For various reasons, continues BBC, nationalization n
Britain is becoming less and less popular. More and more
people question whether this is the way to solve the prob-L_emt
of the second half of the century.
Under these conditions, says BBC, the British Labor
Party must either accept the idea that it may never return
to power or else re-examine its program. This is bow so-
called revisionists in the Labor Party formulate the prob3_em.
says BBC. Gaitskell and such Labor economists as Anthony
Crossland and Jenkins suggest that Labor should abandon
further nationalization, or at least limit it to several
special branches of industry, and concentrate on a more real-
istic program of further reforms. Crossland, for example.
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suggests concentrating on better pensions for the aged and
a broader system of social insurance as well as educational
reform to achieve greater equality for various strata of
the population. He also suggests heavier capital investme_tt
for social security to establish a better balance between
governmental and private expenditures.
Arguing against this view is Crossman's The Labor
Movement in An Affluent Society. Crossman agrees that the
affluent society is a real factor today. He concedes there
is no mass unemployment, but he sees a new danger in the
increase of private consumption and the constant pressures
of the consumer, the producer and the advertiser. This,
according to Crossman, is already resulting in the inadequ==te
use of public funds for public needs and will ultimately
lead to economic stagnation and even to a decline in livin?g
standards.
This prospect, says Crossman, is not only bad in itse-f;
it also makes it more difficult for the West to compete si .-
cessfully with the Communist countries and to retain its
influence in countries whose economies are not yet developed
and who belong to no bloc. Crossman says that these countries
will support the side which promotes the swiftest nmoderniz:tion
of life. The West cannot allow itself to be defeated in to is
contest, because that would result in the further spread o
the totalitarian system.
The power of the democracies, says Crossman, lies in
the fact that civil and political liberties are an organic
part of the entire state structure; their weakness is that
they don't subject irresponsible economic forces to control and
establish the primacy of the public economy over the private.
Only thus, Crossman believes, is it possible to use the state
budget for the proper balance between production and con-
sumption and for the supremacy of the public good over selfish
individual interest.
Crossman,_ comments BBC, recognizes that his ideas aren't
popular at present and understands that they may long bar
Labor's return to power. But he is convinced that the time
will come when British voters will recognize that the only
realistic alternative for the world lies between democratic
and totalitarian socialism.
BBC comments that at present probably only a minority in
the Labor movement support Crossman's ideas. The outcome or
the struggle between Crossman and the Laborite revisionists,
concludes BBC, will be decisive for the future of the British
Labor Party.
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This unjammed BBC broadcast covers a whole
range of basic contemporary social and economic
problems. Through the debate in Labor ranks, BBC
tells the Soviet audience how much has changed in
the West; how the Soviet doctrine of "relative
impoverishment of the working class", under condi-
tions of~prosperity, doesn't hold water; how non-
socialist parties have come to accept the idea of
a broad system of social security; how democratic
socialists of the Crossman type look beyond the
creature comforts of the affluent society in their
search for better answers to public needs; how the
revisionist in Labor's ranks address themselves to
the problem of the conflict between individual
interest and the public good; and how the basic
civil liberties are regarded by all concerned as
indispensable for progress. After this analysis,
what Soviet propaganda call "socialism" and "capi-
talism" bears little resemblance to reality.
3. A program of light classical music, with orchestra
and piano playing Chopin.
4. Feature on India. An interview with an Indi aecorko-
mist, with a frank, clear and detailed account of India's
many problems, as well as areas of progress in public and
private enterprise. India's continued need for foreign capi-
tal is discussed, together with the role the Soviet Union acid
Western nations are playing in building Indianheavy industry.
June 26:
1. A feature on Chile-Argentina border dispute, in which
Queen Elizabeth is the arbitrator.
2. A humorous feature on Stonehenge, describing the
tribulations of a sect of modern sun-worshippers who claim
descent from the ancient Druids. Their annual pilgrimage to
Stonehenge was ruined by an invasion of jam-session teenagers
who mocked their "religion."
3. A feature describing competition between Leningrad
and London water sport teams.
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June 27
1a News headlines, consisting of (a) Soviet refusal
to participate any further in the Geneva disarmament
talks; (b) U.S. delegate to Geneva says the Soviet goverl-
ment never wanted an agreement; (c) British delegate to
Geneva says the intended Western reply was constructive,
but the Soviet delegation didn't remain to hear it; (d)
Khrushchev back in Moscow from Bucharest; (e) Peiping
spokesman denies Chinese don't want peaceful coexistence;
(f) Harry Pollitt, former Secretary of British Communist
Party, dead; (g) Algerian-French talks; (h) Belgian. King
on Con o independence; (h) less radiation in Britain last
year; i) Bolshoi Theatre in London.
2. In the body of the newscasts Truman speaks of the
positive role of UN in the ps+st 15 years, when more than
half of mankind was liberated from foreign rule. He ex-
presses belief that without the UN, these changes would
have been marked by much graver disturbance.
3. Orbituary on Harry Pollitt, British Communist
Party Secretary for almost a. quarter of a century, who was
forced out by Stalin in September 1939 when Pollitt an-
nounced that the war against Hitler was a just war that had
the support of the entire working class and all friends of
democracy. After Pollitt admitted his "mistake" he was
restored to his post. But, comments BBC, Khrushchev's
exposure of Stalin at the 20th Party Congress was too much
for Stalin's life-long British supporter. He could not
bring himself to follow suit and, in the summer of 1956, he
was kicked upstairs to an honorary but insignificant post,
4. A taped interview with the chief trainer of the
Soviet tennis team in Britain gives a detailed report to
the Soviet public of their team's victories and defeats ir
competition with British, West European, Australian and
American tennis players..
5. Musical program by Royal Marines Band.
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1. The news headlines, including
(a)
Eisenhower says
Communists want to divide free world;
(b)
break-up of
Geneva conference;
armament.
(c) Khrue;hchev note
to
West on dis-
2. A feature on British Somaliland as an example
of further peaceful transition from colonial rule to inde-
pendence.
June 29:
1. A portion of the news headlines, consisting of
(a) new rocket test in the Pacific; (b) Macmillan reply to
Khrushchev reaches Moscow; (c) Belgian-Congo agreement.
2. A comprehensive feature on British, American and
West German paperback books. A description of Felican?s
pioneering, and recent expansion through various publishers,
including Oxford and Cambridge, to cover virtually the full
range of world literature, science, etc, Soviet authors
represented in English-language paperbacks are also mention-
ed, together with many others.
A lucid and impressive account of what the
open society offers to the general public at
prices almost everyone can afford, The idea that
literature, science and education recognize no
frontiers emerges very clearly,
3. A feature on the latest sputniks. From this absorb
ing science thriller, it is fairly clear that the entire
planet is becoming an easy mark for candid camera shots From
above.
June 30:
1. News headlines, including (a) Congo; (b) Somali
Republic; (c) Khrushchev in Vienna; (d) New U. S. anti-rocket
tests; (e) Shell Oil?s quarrel with Castro; (f) Soviet oil
specialists in India; (g) leader of Algerian rebel government:
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refuses to go to Paris; (h) Laborite MPs approve their
party's defense program.
2. A feature on English towns, including London,
Oxford and Greenwich as seen through the eyes of a
British university instructor of Russian extraction. He
notes certain picturesque resemblances between Greenwich
and Leningrad, and quotes a nineteenth century Russian
writer's description of Oxford. The effect is to evoke,
in the Soviet listener's mind, an intimate picture of
Russia's close ties with West European culture and
civilization.
3. A feature on the new nations of Africa, concrete- y
and simply describing their economic, social and cultural
development, and effectively combatting Soviet stereo-
types on Western colonialism without referring to them,
4. A feature in the series on how a relatively
prosperous British family budgets its income, packed with
information.
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/~ P~6~d I CIO F~'-$~(~3~2$'~' ~ ! r
UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL SECRET
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE: AGENCY
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP
TO
NAME AND ADDRESS
INITIALS
DATE
C/I0
2
--- -
3
Ass't. to the DC
4
(For Exec. Re r. Files
5
6
ACTION
DIRECT REPLY
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APPROVAL
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COMMENT
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INFORMATION
SI6NATURE
Remarks :
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brought to your attention on your
return. office was
notified by telephone on 28 November
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spr.
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
FROM: NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NO.
DATE
Apiar
C DEN
FORM APR N O. 237 Replaces Form 30-4
which may be be used.
TIO
SENDE IL C~EC_K CI,1 I~
P T
/
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP
TO
NAME AND ADDRESS
INITIALS
DATE
1
Cord Meyer, Chief/IO Divisi
n W
2
3
YA6,
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4
4, A 16A
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6
ACTION
DIRECT REPLY
PREPARE REPLY
APPROVAL
DISPATCH _
RECOMMENDATION
COMMENT
FILE
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Remarks :
Cord: The Director asked that I send the
attached to you and ask you if it requires any
action.
SUSPENSE: 29 Nov 60
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
"FROW: NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NO. DATE
Asst. to the DCI 22 40V 1960
F ea a 29 700060030-5
FORM Replaces Form 30-4
I AR 55 237 Which may be used. U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFF'