Reed Harris, acting chief of the Voice of America, yesterday defended his action in eliminating Hebrew language broadcasts in a clash with Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy at the McCarthy inquiry into the Voice of America.
“I am sure the Israelis need nothing from us to make them anti-Soviet,” Mr. Harris said. He explained he had recommended eliminating the Hebrew broadcasts because they were found “least effective.”
Mr. Harris said that even in December, when Soviet anti-Semitism reached a high point, he got only 16 letters from Israel as a response to the Voice Hebrew operations. The American Embassy in Israel reported on January 9 that the Hebrew broadcasts failed to arouse interest, he stated.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
