As an adjunct to Cold War fears of nuclear obliteration also came very loud and pronounced saber rattling from the more conservative quarters of Washington and the Press Corps. Contrary to what people say about the news media being the sole property of the Left Wing, the Right Wing had it's champions in plentiful supply covering the airwaves ever since broadcasting came into existence. One such figure, and a notable one at that, was Fulton Lewis Jr. whose outspoken criticism of anything remotely sniffing of leftist leanings brought a verbal blast, for sometimes weeks at a stretch.
And it was during the Cold War period of the 1950's that blasts were many and frequent, such as this tirade towards the government of India's Nehru and the subject of U.S. aid on the heels of the Bandung Conference.
Fulton Lewis Jr.: “ But then, if you please, there is another item of almost as much, $85 million, and that goes to India of all places. The India of Prime Minister Nehru who has just gotten through a full and lusty week of trying to slit our throats at the Bandung Conference in favor of Red China. This is the sort of thing that shakes you, you know, with the people in control here in Washington at the present time. Here is a government, Nehru’s government, that has an unbroken and systematic record of insulting us, teaming against us at every possible turn in favor of Communists Russia and Communist China. Conspiring against us in so-called “neutral commissions” of one kind or another. Giving aid and comfort to the Communists at every turn. Supporting the Red Chinese in the contention that we should sell out Chiang-Kai Shek to the Reds. And we propose to give them $85 million just out of the goodness of our hearts and the generosity of our pocketbooks. Are you able to understand just why we should give anything to India? Has India done anything to justify any friendship or gratitude or appreciation on our part?”
And this rant came in the direction of policy made by the Eisenhower Administration. So at least in fairness to Mr. Lewis, his anti-communist mania knew no party allegiance - so you couldn't exactly label him a lock-step hypocrite. Which, when you think about it is probably refreshing.
And so it sounded this way on May 3rd in1955 with Fulton Lewis Jr. on the Mutual Network.
