Russian Research Group To Aid U.S. Propaganda

The U.S. Information Agency last night announced a new cold war propaganda campaign, designed to end intellectual attachment to Communism, will include five books published under the auspices of the Russian Research Center by the Harvard University Press.

At the same time, Richard A. Humphreys, USIA librarian, stated that the 54-book list is not final and that he will be in Cambridge "in the near future" to discuss the addition of books currently under preparation by the Russian Research Center.

The Agency will deliver copies of 54 specially selected books to its foreign libraries in an attempt to educate a small group of intellectuals who otherwise might be attracted by the superficial appeal of Communism.

Fainsod's Book

Of the 54 books to be used, Humphreys last night named five published through the Research Center and indicated that since there is no limit to the number used, more may be added soon.

The books are:

"How Russia is Ruled," by Merie Fainsod, professor of Government; "Chinese Communism and the Rise of Mao," by Benjamin I. Schwartz '38, assistant professor of History; "Public Opinion in Soviet Russia," by Alex Inkeles, Senior Research Fellow in the Research Center and lecturer on Sociology; and two boks by Barrington Moore, Jr., "Soviet Politics, the Dilemma of Power," and "Terror and Progress, USSR." Moore is a lecturer on Sociology and a Senior Research Fellow in the Research Center.

One hundred and four copies of these books, all published by the University Press, will be purchased and sent to the main European libraries. The smaller "field" libraries will be given complete lists, and any book upon order.

Humphreys stated last night that this campaign is new in that unlike former attempts--primarily designed to appeal to the populace with the distribution of such anti-Communist satires as George Orwell's "Animal Farm," the new plan will be tuned towards "a restricted but heavily influential clientele.

Not for Masses

"We aren't aiming towards the tight Communist Party core which couldn't possibly be turned anyway, nor to the masses which could never understand these books even if they weren't printed in English. What we hope to appeal to is a powerful but small group of teachers, students, and professional men who might otherwise fall for the intellectual appeal of the Marxist pretensions. This is a small but important group, and the studies done at Harvard will prove invaluable for it." The libraries are located throughout Germany, as well as Rome, Paris, and Madrid and other Western European cities."

Praising the Harvard Russian Research Center, Humphreys refused to predict whether they new program will lead to any specific studies here, but added that he would visit Cambridge soon.