Fulbright Urges Ban on U.S.I.A. Film
Date: 30 March 1972
By RICHARD L. MADDENSpecial to The New York Times
Richard MADDENSpecial
Sen Foreign Relations Com Chmn Fulbright asks Justice Dept to restrain 'forthwith' use of USIA film Czechoslovakia 1968 on Sen Buckley's monthly TV program to be shown on 12 NYS stations, lr to Acting Atty Gen Kleindienst; says film 'appears to involve intent to violate provisions' of '48 law that created agency 'for purpose of dissemination abroad of information about US'; says agency 'was not created for dissemination of information in US'; Justice Dept spokesman says Fulbright will be notified of any action taken; Sen Buckley bars comment, saying he has not read Fulbright lr; Buckley's tape-recorded program includes film and int with B Herschensohn, dir of USIA motion picture and TV service div, during which Herschensohn accuses Fulbright of having 'very simplistic, very naive and stupid' view of effect of US propaganda; Fulbright lr does not mention this remark; USIA Dir Shakespeare reptdly sent lr to Fulbright apologizing for remark and saying that in retrospect he doubted 'propriety' of making film available to 'pol figure' for use on domestic TV; after film is shown to newsmen on Mar 27, Fulbright says he will propose ban on domestic use of USIA's material when Foreign Relations Com meets in Apr to consider legis authorizing agency's $200-million budget for next yr; Buckley aides say Fulbright originally tried to get copy of film from USIA but was told that in line with its policy and Cong intent it could not be provided; say Fulbright was referred to Natl Audio Visual Center in Natl Archives; say that USIA Gen Counsel C Ablard sent lr to Fulbright explaining that USIA recently made arrangement that center could distribute agency's films domestically for educ purposes only; say center gave copy of film to Buckley, accompanied by similar lr from Ablard