"The general world shortage of dollars not only limits the importation of books, but places all American books entering 'soft currency' countries in an extremely unfortunate position. Such books are scarce, and the demand often causes a title that was imported for $2 to retail at the equivalent of upward of $50. The result is that the books reach an extremely limited group of readers, a group which, on the whole, already has a better conception of what America is and what she is trying to do than the average man on the street. The situation can only be corrected by increasing the overseas dissemination of the American books to the point where the supply equals the demand." The population of the occupied areas and of the United States zone to which American books have been denied except through such outlets as United States information centers, is as follows: There follows a break-down of books, periodicals, and newspapers, documents, pamphlets, etc., ordered during fiscal year 1947 and fiscal year 1948 for United States information centers, textbook centers, and other military government agencies in the occupied areas. No books have been procured from appropriated funds and shipped directly to local libraries not under the control of United States military government. Information centers and other military government agencies have, however, donated quantities of books procured from various sources to local schools, universities, and libraries. Such gifts are largely in the form of surplus and donated materials, although some have been procured specifically for this purpose in Germany, Austria, and Korea. 3 Includes 48,100 subscriptions to My Weekly Reader for Department of Education. Mr. STEFAN. And I would like to have you tell us why you cannot buy through one organization instead of two purchasing agenices, for the same thing, for the same books, same magazines, the same newspapers, and so on. DUTIES OF FIELD OFFICE PERSONNEL Now I assume that in this field office the duties are broken down. Will you give me the number of people who are employed in each of these activities; the number that handle the motion pictures, the number who work on the radio, the number in the library, and also give us the category of work that the field office does? Colonel BINNS. I will be glad to do that. (The information requested follows:) OVERT PUBLICATIONS IN OCCUPIED AREAS GERMANY Newspaper. Die Neue Zeitung, published twice weekly in Munich; circulation 1,750,000. Magazine. Heute, published semimonthly in Munich; circulation 500,000. A picture magazine similar in content and make-up to Life. Magazine. Die Amerikanische Rundschau, published bimonthly in Munich; circulation 120,000. A magazine for the literary and intellectual type reader similar to the Atlantic Monthly. Magazine. Neue Auslese published monthly in Munich; circulation 260,000. A magazine for the average educated German reader, similar to the Reader's Digest. AUSTRIA Newspaper.-Wiener Kurier, published daily except Sunday in Vienna; circulation 300,000. Magazine.-Erziehung, published monthly in Vienna; circulation 27,000. A magazine for Austrian teachers. JAFAN No overt newspapers or magazines are published in Japan. KOREA Newspaper.-Farmers Weekly, published in Seoul; circulation 300,000. Newspaper.-World News, published weekly in Seoul; circulation 300,000. Magazine.-Korea Pictorial Poster, published monthly in Seoul; circulation 12,000. Magazine.-Culture and Customs, published monthly in Seoul; circulation 30,000. Articles. US Information, 3 at 90,000 weekly; Adult Education, 3 at 50,000 weekly; published in Seoul. PUBLICATIONS Mr. STEFAN. What else besides the library work is done? Do you disseminate newspapers of some kind or publications of some kind, out of that office? Colonel BINNS. Yes; we do. Mr. STEFAN. Is there a news service going out? Colonel BINNS. Yes, and the overt magazines. The field of reeducation and reorientation, within the occupied areas, is comprised of the following general coverage: Periodicals and newspapers, printed for the distribution of people outside the United States; the production to support the overt newspapers within the occupied areas; and third, the overt magazines within Germany and Austria. Mr. STEFAN. Are they published in German? Colonel BINNS. They are in German; the material is prepared here in the United States in the New York field office. Mr. STEFAN. Will you furnish the committee with copies of all of those publications? Colonel BINNS. Yes. Mr. STEFAN. Of the material that is gotten out in the office at New York? Colonel BINNS. Yes. Mr. STEFAN. With the translation in each instance? Colonel BINNS. Yes. Mr. STEFAN. Do you get out any daily news? Colonel BINNS. They are semimonthly. Mr. STEFAN. Semimonthly. Are there any weeklies? Colonel BINNS. No weeklies; there is a newspaper, daily. Mr. STEFAN. Do you have any daily news over there sent from this office? Colonel BINNS. They have a daily newspaper. Mr. STEFAN. A paper? Colonel BINNS. Yes; no magazine. Mr. STEFAN. What is it; a daily news service? Colonel BINNS. A daily news service sent to the area; the overt German language magazines, newspapers in Germany; and the Wiener Kurier in Austria. Mr. STEFAN. How many words a day are sent? Colonel BINNS. It is a four-page newspaper on week days; it has eight pages on Saturday with an editorial supplement, for a total of 16 pages Saturday. It has a circulation of 360,000. Mr. STEFAN. How does it get over there; by radio? Colonel BINNS. No; it is distributed by automobile. Mr. STEFAN. I mean how does the news get over there from here? Colonel BINNS. The United Press, the Associated Press, and the International News Service furnish us the information. Mr. STEFAN. That is what I am getting at; how many words are cabled by radio? Is that sent over for reediting? Colonel BINNS. Yes-no, it is not reedited. That would be considered an infringement of the privilege of the press. Mr. STEFAN. In other words you deliver and they receive the copy as it comes to you, by radio? Colonel BINNS. Yes. Mr. STEFAN. From the UP, the AP Colonel BINNS. And the International News Service. Mr. STEFAN. You get the AP, UP, and INS? Colonel BINNS. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. And that is delivered to you how? Colonel BINNS. By radio from the United States to London, redistributed from London through Berlin. Mr. STEFAN. Do you carry the cost of that service? Mr. STEFAN. You get that free? Colonel BINNS. Yes. Mr. STEFAN. Who pays for the telegraph charges? Mr. STEFAN. They pay all the telegraph charges? Colonel BINNS. Yes. They will get some relief under the Economic Cooperation Act; there is something like $15,000,000 set up for that. Mr. STEFAN. How many words are contained in the service? Colonel BINNS. I do not have that information; I would have to check for that. Mr. STEFAN. What time do they start sending the messages to you, the press dispatches, what time of day are they sent to you? Colonel BINNS. I believe they are on a 24-hour basis, we are on the regular circuit. Mr. STEFAN. And all three of them give you that service free of charge? Colonel BINNS. Yes. Mr. STEFAN. Do you get the Army news service by cable from this office? Colonel BINNS. No. Mr. STEFAN. Does that office, the New York field office, cable any newspaper service? Colonel BINNS. Not to my knowledge. I know that every week there is a summary of the news, giving the high points, which is condensed by the New York field office and cabled over. Mr. STEFAN. That is what I am referring to. That comes to you by radio? Colonel BINNS. By radio. Mr. STEFAN. Who sends that? Colonel BINNS. That comes from the New York office. Mr. STEFAN. Do you know how many words? Colonel BINNS. No, but I could get that. Mr. STEFAN. Will you put that in the record? (The information is as follows:) PRESS SECTION, REORIENTATION BRANCH, CIVIL AFFAIRS DIVISION Statistics on Press Section output, 4-week period April 19 to May 14, 1948. 1. Cable newsfile, sent via Army Signal Corps radio-teletype: Total wordage for 20 working days in this period (not including (Break-down of typical week, showing wordage sent daily to each 2. Mail-Feature Service: Staff-written Americana feature articles mailed to all points in Photographs mailed to illustrate staff-written articles. An additional 7 staff-written articles, totaling 3,050 words, had In addition, the American Education group of stories written by Photographs of great United States journalists, for Munich 3. Policy guidance: Semiweekly operational policy guidance transmissions, sent to Wordage. 4. London coverage of Deputy Foreign Ministers for Austria: 126, 250 187 12 Break-down of wordage sent via Signal Corps radio-teletype to individual points overseas during week of Apr. 19–23, inclusive, 1948 |