740.00119 Control (Germany)/2–1846: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy)
503. Urtel 549 Feb 18. Dept is concerned lest a program for suppression of allegedly noxious printed material lead to grave abuses reminiscent of Nazi book burnings and similar acts of violence to the intellect. It wishes therefore to study text of subcommittee’s paper before final concurrence of OMGUS. Dept is prepared to endorse a reasoned proposal to give more precision to Control Council Law 8 as law envisages restraint on active propagation of Nazi and militarist ideas but fears that the present law is unnecessarily sweeping and unduly restrictive. While recognizing need for carefully weighed measures to prevent literary campaigns for revival of National Socialism and militarism, Dept is persuaded that fundamental change of German outlook must come from positive program of democratic teaching and democratic example rather than from attempting to suppress the extended categories of materials described in the information control paper. As Dept understands this program it appears to be not only impossible of enforcement without excessive police methods but also psychologically unsound.