Editorial Note
On July 15, Martin Merson, Special Assistant to the Administrator of the International Information Administration, read to the press the text of a statement by Robert L. Johnson, the IIA Administrator, publicly clarifying the International Information Administration’s policy for selection and retention of material in the book and library program. This public statement was accompanied by the text of instructions issued that day by the IIA further amplifying and clarifying policy in this field for members of the IIA staff. Both the text of the Johnson statement and the text of the instructions are printed in Department of State Bulletin, July 27, 1953, pages 121–124. The statement and instructions were first summarized for field personnel in circular telegram 39 dated July 15. (511.0021/7–1553) That same day,Johnson forwarded to Under Secretary of State for Administration Donold B. Lourie a “package” containing the statement and instruction along with two earlier policy statements dated July 8 and 9, 1953, and a 44–page “Report on the operations of the Book and Library Program”. A copy of this “package” is in file 511.0021/7–1553.
“Information Center Libraries” were discussed at the Cabinet meeting on July 10, 1953, President Eisenhower presiding, as follows:
“Secretary Dulles commented briefly on the recent statement of Mr. Robert Johnson[presumably that of July 8 or 9] concerning the policy on books in American Libraries abroad. He emphasized that solution of the problem will actually depend upon its administration by the person chosen to direct the new Information Agency.
“The Cabinet discussed at length what should be the purpose of American libraries abroad and what policy should govern the selection [Page 1723] of the books. Mr. Wilson suggested the possibility of getting the Government out of the business of operating these libraries. Messrs. Dulles and Stassen defended the responsibility of the Government in this respect and urged that the libraries should be allowed to contain any books deemed suitable for libraries in the United States, but that public money should not be expended to acquire books alien to the purposes of the libraries. Secretaries Hobby and Humphrey urged that the function of the libraries should be limited to presenting ‘Americana’.
“The Vice President forecast that Congress would never vote funds for general purpose libraries and that when the appropriation for Information Services came up again there would have to be a rider to the effect that any one who refused to testify before a Congressional Committee should not have his books on the shelves of U.S. libraries abroad.
“Mr. Jackson suggested that the Johnson memorandum seemed the most practical solution to the problem, for it provided that future selection of books would be in accord with existing law and it avoided ordering a screening of books already on the shelves, a practice which would lower the prestige of the United States.” (Minutes of Cabinet meeting, July 10, 1953, Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower papers, Whitman file)