Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

811.917 America/8–1347: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Moscow, August 13, 1947—noon.

2632. Culture and Life August 10 carries long article by F. Konstantinov,¹ Press Bureau, Central Committee Party attacking magazine Amerika. Entitled “Catalog of Noisy Advertisement,” article asserts illustrations and articles in magazine Amerika do not depict actual American life or show real living people who actually create wealth. Painting usual official Soviet picture of disunited country with wealth concentrated, workers oppressed, Okies wandering homeless, Indians discriminated against and Negroes lynched, article says Amerika’s editors fear drawing back curtain on these matters and instead give something like embellished operetta scenes. Points to Amerika as sample of whole American bourgeois press with amoral, commercial spirit and guiding principle “if you don’t deceive you won’t sell” cites O’Keefe[O’Keeffe] paintings as extreme degenerative art. Sees American imperialist ideas in Fosdick’s article on international wealth, and concludes that American social system cannot live without imperialist wars, without periodical re-distribution of world, without stifling freedom and independence of people. End summary.

Embassy considers mere appearance article in this authoritative journal encouraging sign that Amerika penetrating consciousness Soviet intelligentsia too deeply for comfort of party leaders. Fact that writer cannot find more specific points in Amerika magazine itself vulnerable to attack, but rather deals in generalities, is indication our method of presentation has been very successful.² Despatch and full translation follow.³

Smith

1. Fedor Vasilyevich Konstantinov, Soviet writer and lecturer.
2. Another attack on the magazine, written by David Iosifovich Zaslavsky in Culture and Life for October 10, 1947, was summarized by Chargé Elbridge Durbrow in telegram 3029 from Moscow on October 14, 4 p. m. He judged the article to be of inferior quality, a rehash of the current line against the American press, and noticeably lacking the usual amount of Zaslavsky’s vitriol. (811.917 America/10–1447)
3. Not printed.