Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

711.61/6–948

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador of the Soviet Union (Panyushkin)

The Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the Ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Embassy’s note No. 107 of June 9, 1948, bringing to the attention of this Government an article which appeared in the May 17, 1948 issue of Newsweek magazine, which the Embassy’s note characterizes as a violation of the Resolution on Measures to be taken against Propaganda and the Inciters of a New War adopted at the Second Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. The article discusses an alleged plan of defense by American air forces in the event of an attack upon the United States.

The American attitude concerning the function of the press has been made clear to the Soviet Government at numerous meetings of various agencies of the United Nations at which the question of the freedom of the press has been discussed. It is a tradition in this country that the public press shall serve as a forum for the discussion of all questions of public concern.

The Government of the United States agrees that this Government, whose representatives approved the General Assembly Resolution, should “promote, by all means of publicity and propaganda available to them, friendly relations among nations based on the Purposes and Principles of the Charter”. The Government of the United States is actively pursuing this policy. This Government, however, cannot accept the view expressed in the Embassy’s note to the effect that governments which accepted the resolution should bear responsibility for acts committed on their territories which by their nature violate the resolution. The position of the United States Government on this point was made clear in the debate on the resolution at the General Assembly last year in the following statement by Mr. Austin:¹

“The United States Delegation opposes any attempts, direct or indirect, to limit freedom of expression. We are against even setting foot upon the path leading to suppression and tyranny.”²

Any attempt on the part of the Government of the United States to control or suppress articles of this type appearing in the public press would be a violation of the right of freedom of the press which is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.³

An examination of the Newsweek article will reveal that its whole tenor was postulated on an assumed act of aggression against the United States. The greater part of the article was devoted to speculation concerning measures to which the United States might resort for its national defense if confronted with such an attack. There is no suggestion that the United States should take the initiative in attacking the Soviet Union or any other country.

It is a cause for surprise to this Government that the Soviet Government should feel called upon to protest against articles appearing in the United States where the press and other organs of information are free of governmental control in accordance with the principles of freedom of information, when in the Soviet Union where, as Premier Stalin made clear in his interview with Mr. Stassen on April 9, 1947,⁴ the government in fact controls and censors the press and other organs of information and thereby makes itself responsible for the material they publish, articles are constantly appearing which in the opinion of this Government can scarely be construed as promoting friendly relations among nations, based on the purposes and principles of the Charter.

The Government of the United States is happy to observe the statement in the Embassy’s note characterizing the charge that the Soviet Union is preparing an attack upon the United States as a libelous invention.⁵

Washington, June 28, 1948.

1. Warren R. Austin, Senator from Vermont, United States representative at the United Nations.
2. In what Ambassador Smith described in telegram 1261 from Moscow on July 6, not printed, as “a savage blast” against this note appearing in Pravda on the preceding day, he sent this gist of the attack for the information of the Department: “Typical that Department’s reply makes no attempt refute facts in Soviet note June 9. This impossible anyhow. In order exculpate warmongers caught in act Department found nothing better than reference to statements made by Austin who, in opposing adoption any measures for purpose cutting short provocative war propaganda, declared that muzzling of warmongers would be … violation freedom press. Since U.S. press is monopoly controlled, Department shows impudence assuming role of supporters freedom press.” (711.61/7–648)
3. In a letter of June 28, from Under Secretary of State Robert A. Lovett to James Forrestal, the Secretary of Defense, this remark was included: “I have read the text of General Kenney’s address. I am sure you will agree with me that speeches of this character are ill-advised in view of the international situation. I have been informed, however, that the necessary steps have been taken in the military establishment to safeguard against statements on the part of members of the armed services which would be embarrassing to this Government in its conduct of foreign affairs.” (711.61/6–948)
4. See footnote 3, p. 824.
5. By its note 128 of July 10, the Soviet Embassy had “the honor to communicate that the Soviet Government considers unsatisfactory the reply of the Government of the United States to the Embassy’s note of June 9 of this year, and reiterates its protest.” (711.61/7–1048)