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American Friends Service Committee — Part 7
Page 53
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20 THE TECHNIQUES OF SOVIET PROPAGANDA
each, those policies which avoid the appearance of being servile echoes
of the Kremlin's dictates, a much wider acceptance of Moscow's cam-
paigns is achieved than would be the case if the Communist Parties
alone were supporting them openly. Positions taken by supposedl:
independent groups are far more impressive than the “predetermined”
actions of iden! partisans, le the Communist Party would
remain isolated if it appeared under its true colors, it is able to create
the illusion that proto-Soviet policies are advocated by a vast and
genuine national movement; an illusion created by huni of trick
mirrors that reflect its orders from every point on the horizon, and at
hundreds of different angles. A thorough awareness of reality
is necessary to be protected against deception by such a mirage.
The trick consists in transposing the music of Moscow into the
several registers of trade unionists, philosophers, pacifists, Christians,
sportsmen, etc., while fostering the belief that What they play is not
transposition, but an original work. So the credulous Othello is
seduced to Iago’s designs by being uaded that these designs are
his own—to end by strangling Desdemona, whom he loves. In the
game way progressives, manipulated by parallel organizations, are
led in the end to strangle the freedom they revere.
,_ Even tiny crypto-Communist organizations play an important role
in Soviet propaganda. They can apply pressure on legislators by
enrolling flying squads of Communist-front organizations under their
banner. In receiving delegations from these committees, legislators
are often unaware that they are sent by Communist-serving puppet
groups, and dare not show them the door. In some cases, subsequent
colonization of groups, originally founded by loyal citizens, allows
the party to capitalize on the prestige and esteem they have earned
by publ ¢ service and illustrious traditions. Such is the case in
nce with respect to the League of the Rights of Man.
Parallel organizations are a leading propaganda device used in
underdeveloped and formerly colonial countries. As pro-Soviet
Propagends In these areas concentrates on the exploitation of national
and anticolonial feelings, the true face of communism is almost
completely camouflaged, and the task of corrupting minds and estab-
lishing Soviet agents is primarily entrusted to parallel organizations.
These are more easily disguised because the Afro-Asian community
is less experienced, and the atmosphere more hectic. Because of this
combination of circumstances the parallel organizations achieve the
stature of major political forces.
A few examples, selected at random, are the Association for the
Advancement of Asian Peoples, the Union of the Population of
Cameroon (UPC), the Association of Frenchmen of Tunisia, the
Study and Action Committee for Peace in Algeria, activated by the
cooperation of Communists and Christian progressives, and the Gen-
Union of Algerian Workers (UTA), whose headquarters were for
some time in Czechoslovakia. :
OCCASIONAL FRONTS AND CAMPAIGNS
1n addition to the permanent subsidiaries that the Kremlin creates
or underhandedly colonizes, all sorts of temporary movements are
organized: fronts, solidarity days, and rallies on topical issues, such
as ‘for freeing the Rosenbergs,” “against European Defense Com-
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