Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Western Europe, Volume III

811.911/1–2848

The Chargé in Italy (Byington) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Rome, January 28, 1948.

No. 139

Subject: Italian Language Daily Newspapers in the United States

Sir: I have the honor to submit, for the Department’s consideration, an idea suggested by several Americans in Italy who are not connected with the Government, with the view to make available to the Italian people one more channel through which they can learn of the tremendous American efforts to help Italy rehabilitate herself without cost to her sovereignty or rights as a free nation.

We have been told that Italian language daily newspapers in America have devoted a good deal of space to the subject. The stories in these papers are described as being full, factual, and pregnant with good will toward Italy and with appreciation of America’s unselfish motives.

It has been suggested that the editors of these papers should be requested by the Department to recommend to their readers the practice of clipping stories describing American aid to Italy and sending them to their friends and relatives in Italy. The attached list of Italian language dailies in America is submitted as a working basis should the Department find the idea feasible. Since the reference books in our OIE Library are not current the list may not be complete or entirely accurate. Some consideration might be given to Italian language weekly papers. However, we have been warned that some weekly papers have editorial policies which are critical of American policy of aid to Europe and therefore should not be approached with any plan such as this.

If the Department views this suggestion favorably some value might be obtained from the enclosed sample letter which was drafted as one which might influence the editors of Italian language newspapers to co-operate.¹

Respectfully yours,

For the Ambassador:

Homer M. Byington, Jr.

Counselor of Embassy

Enclosure 1

List of Italian Dailies Printed in the United States

• L’Italia-Voce—San Francisco, California, L’Italia Press Co., Publishers; Ettore Patrizi, Editor; 1500 Stockton Street.
• La Notizia—Boston, Mass., G. N. Longarini, Publishers; L. Z. Lo Presti, Editor; 34 Battery Street.
• Il Progresso—New York City; Generoso Pope, Publisher; I. C. Falbe, Editor; 42 Elk Street.
• Il Popolo Italiano—Philadelphia, Pa.; Remo Zuecca, Editor and Publisher; 1012 Catherine Street.
• L’Opinione Progresso—Philadelphia, Pa.; Constintino Costantini, Editor and Publisher; 8th and Christian Streets.

Enclosure 2

Draft

Dear————: A number of Americans who have visited Italy in recent weeks have suggested that the following idea should be submitted for your consideration as an excellent means of providing the Italian People with information about the extent and nature of American efforts to help Italy’s recovery.

Your newspaper has devoted a good deal of space to factual accounts and comment about the various programs of American aid during the past five years. Your interest in American aid to Italy can be of special service in helping the Italian people in Italy to learn the facts.

The suggestion is that you recommend to your readers, many of whom are of Italian origin, that they clip stories and editorials on American aid and send them to their friends and relatives in Italy. This source of information should prove very helpful in complementing the information distributed in Italy by our various American news agencies and the State Department’s Office of Information and Cultural Exchange.

I would appreciate your thought on this matter as well as any criticism or advice you may wish to offer.

Sincerely,

1. In telegram 474 of February 4, not printed, Ambassador Dunn urged that the Department give attention to this despatch (811.911/2–448). In telegram 573 of March 3, not printed, the Secretary informed Dunn that the suggestion was under consideration (811.911/2–248).