Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 2

511.4321/6–1853: Telegram

The Consul General at Sydney (Smith) to the Department of State¹

confidential
priority

Sydney, June 18, 1953—8 p.m.

412. Re Deptel 239, June 17.² Evans’ statement press unauthorized and in my opinion entirely unwarranted as I have expressly directed all members my staff issue no statements without prior clearance which definitely not given this case. When matter came my notice I called for file and directed his attention to April 30 OM which he drafted and I initialed and which he had apparently overlooked. Action taken in referenced OM was in accordance with USIS interpretation Department’s directives of circular No. 25, March 7, 1952, circular 42, May 21, 1952 and unnumbered circular dated July 31, 1952.³ Latter specifically instructed “disposal” of certain books.

To best my knowledge, no books burned or otherwise destroyed recent months. I believe it was reputed statement of Department’s spokesman to effect USIS Sydney had burned books about eight weeks ago as result Senate Committee investigations to which Evans’ statement directed.

For Department’s information, there follows verbatim text UP sent New York which quotes Evans’ actual statement:

“I am puzzled by the remarks attributed to the Department of State as quoted by AAP. We prefer to make no comments before receiving clarification from the Department. We feel certain that some misinterpretation is involved.

However, I think we can properly state that no USIS library books have been burned or otherwise destroyed by, at the instruction of, or with the knowledge of any officer of USIS in either Sydney or Melbourne during the year 1953”.

Evans’ statement and explanation follows by mail.⁴

Smith

1. Pouched to Canberra.
2. Supra.
3. Circular 25, Mar. 7, 1952, entitled “Use of Books by Howard Fast in United States Information Center Book Collections”, directs the immediate removal of all of the author’s works but two which “may be continued whenever in the judgement of the post it is desirable.” Department of State records indicate that circular 25 is in file 511.0021, but it has not been found. The above summary of the telegram was provided by Gillespie Evans in Enclosure “G” to his “Report on ‘Book Burning’ Statements” discussed in footnote 4 below. Circular 42, May 21, 1952, entitled “Removal of Paul Robeson, Citizen of the World by Shirley Graham from United States Information Center Book Collections” directs all posts to remove the book, which implies in its account of Robeson’s initial visit to the Soviet Union that communism should be embraced by black Americans. (511.001/5–2152) No record of the unnumbered circular of July 31, 1952, under reference has been found.
4. Gillespie S. Evans’ 13–page “Report on ‘Book Burning’ Statements” with 9 enclosures was forwarded in despatch 518 from Sydney, June 24, 1953, a copy of which is in file 511.4321/6–2453. Telegram 8 to Sydney of July 14 commenting on despatch 518 stipulated, inter alia, that no further press release on the subject of bookburning should be “made by post.” However, “should subject again enter public discussion, it is possible IIA may issue statement saying original field report in error.” (511.4321/6–2453) Airgram 9 to Sydney, July 31, reminded the Consulate “that withdrawal from the library and destruction of all publications issued by organizations on the Attorney General’s list of subversive organizations was directed by the Department’s Circular Airgram of February 28, 1951, provisions of which are still in force. Destroy by pulping.” (511.4321/6–2453)