511.6121/4–1950: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union
345. Embtels 1021, Apr 3; 1031, 1032, 1033, Apr 4; 1153, Apr 17; and 1170, Apr 19.1 Dept considers continued circulation Amerika valuable even if well below present levels, and desires maintain stubborn front against obvious Sov plan kill off magazine quietly.
Therefore proposes immediate notification price cut to Soyuzpechat, as outlined below, accompanying heavy domestic and worldwide publicization Sov and satellite restrictions against freedom of info.
[Page 1161]Dept fully recognizes firm intent and probable eventual success Sov effort choke off magazine, but determined make this costly as possible in terms delay and world publicity. Believe fuller record must be built up and attention focussed on struggle while still continuing.
Re coordination with Brit, Dept believes this wld not strengthen publicity materially and conversely might give appearance calculated propaganda move. Therefore propose you inform Brit Emb above views and propose they act similarly but not simultaneously.
Fol steps with Soyuzpechat proposed for ur immediate action unless you prefer further discussion or alternative proposals:
Emb officer to deliver fol terms in writing to appropriate Soyuzpechat official, but avoid immediate discussion:
- 1.
- Emb is not satisfied that Amerika magazine is being effectively circulated to Russian people.
- 2.
- Meanwhile it assumes SovGov and Soyuzpechat are interested in continuing distribution of 50,000 copies’ per month of Amerika which Foreign Ministry and Soyuzpechat have undertaken to perform. Correspondingly, Emb wishes to cooperate by removing any possible obstacle to Amerika sales.
- 3.
- Therefore, effective immed, retail price of all future issues of Amerika or unsold copies of past issues, is cut to three rubles, in recognition of past observations of Soyuzpechat officials on price of Amerika, Of this price, it is proposed that Soyuzpechat retain one ruble.
- 4.
- Soyuzpechat is hereby authorized to overprint new price on issues 39, 40 and 41, and on any unsold copies of earlier issues, expense of this overprinting to be credited to its account with Emb. USGov will undertake print or overprint new price on all later issues before delivery.
- 5.
- It is assumed that Soyuzpechat will make magazine widely available throughout Sov Union, and will consider redistribution of older copies which it has reported to be unsaleable at old price.
- 6.
- In view of unsold copies involved, and expense to Soyuzpechat of overprinting, question of payments due Emb on issues 36 through 41 will be deferred until Sep 1, 1950. End submission to Soyuzpechat.
Payment negots reported Embtel 1153, Apr 172 may require modification point six above.3
Dept recognizes price cut may appear weak move some respects. It favors move nevertheless as means confusing and delaying Soyuzpechat strategy and thwarting immediate return unsold copies, also as helping build record US willingness cooperate. Will also forestall Sov claim price impossibly high under new exchange rate although [Page 1162] Amerika price cut shld not be tied in any way to current issue of ruble-dollar relationship.
Will appreciate advice Emb reaction and proposed action soonest.
- Only telegrams 1032 and 1033 are printed. The other telegrams covered Embassy comments on the difficulties encountered in the distribution of Amerika and on arrangements concerning payments for issues with Soyuzpechat.↩
- Not printed.↩
- As a result of further consideration of the question of payments due, when the letter to Soyuzpechat was transmitted on May 26, point six was somewhat modified. The Embassy reported in telegram 1486 from Moscow on May 26, not printed, that paragraph six read: “Payments on issues 36 through 39 will be deferred until September 1, 1950.” (511.6121/5–2650) For other changes proposed in the final wording, see telegram 426 to Moscow on May 18, p. 1196.↩