Evening star., 1943-02-21
Events Viewed as Justifying
Soft Pedal on Postwar Talk
Storm Over Article Is Seen to Strengthen 'Realiss'
Argument That United States Aims
Must Await Victory
BY Constantine BrO,cu.

union with the U. S, s. r. seems thus to be
officially disregarded in Washington. The
representatives of these three republics
maintain that the elections took place a
month after Soviet troops had entered
their country ito preserve law and
order" and the elections, consequently,
were held under duress.
The fact that the republics continue
to have diplomatic status in Washington
would indicate that the American Gov
ernment shares their point of view. The
mixture of races, interests and ideologies
IN their section of Europe makes it diff
flcult for the average American to take
sides one way or the other. But it must
be assumed that in view of the splendid
contr!butlon of Russia in the present
war. the Allied governments will not
make major question of whether
Latvia, EStonia and Lithuania in the fu-
ture Will be independent states as they
have been for some 25 years or whether
they will become national entities within
the Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics.
This. of course, is again a realistic
point of view. If we were to accept lit
orally the Atlantic Charter, these three
republics should be restored to their
complete independence regardless of
Russia's contention that since 1899 they
nave been an integral part of the Soviet
Union.
In such an event, we might look to
major row with the U. S. S. r. No man
IN his proper senses would advocate such
policy. Whatever Moscow's motives
may have been in becoming the partner
OF Hitler and Mussoliri in 1899. and
Whatever considerations may have
brought about the break in le41. is no
business of ours.
Cites U. S. S. RS Victories.
The only fact in which we are inter-
ested is that the Russian armies have
1ought and are still fighting a magnifi-
cent battle against the best army the
| world has ever seen and have succeeded
IN becoming the first of the United
Nations to wallop Hitler's heretofore
mvlnclble men. Britain managed to
mold her own against the air armadas
OF the Reich. Russia has done much
more than that. 1t inflicted such losses
on the Wehrmacht that it made possible
the British victories against Field Mar
shal Erwin Rommel in North Africa.
Had it not been for the fact that
Hitler felt compelled to rush the best of
| what he had against the Russians, the
Afrlka Korps would have been greatly
strengthened after the fall of Tobruk
and instead of digging in, breathless, at
| al ,;,t+
Alexandria, the Suez Canal and prob
ably the Middle East. These facts must
be taken into consideration when the
Russians speak strongly about what "the
constitution of the U. S. S. r. has fixed"
In order that the Atlantic Charter
should not share the fate of President
wilson's IA points, some members of
Congress are of the opinion it must be-
come an official document of national
postwar policies AS it stands today it
| is only the expression of the views of
President Roosevelt and Prime Minister
| Churchill and their respective govern
ments. But there is no guarantee that
when the war is over the same govern
mental setup will prevail.
In Washington and London there NAV
be other men at the head of national
affairs, and they may say that they do
not agree with the Atlantic Charter,
which in any case is elastic. In order
to avoid this, number of Senators have
devised the idea that q more definite
document should be negotiated at the
earliest possible moment by President
Roosevelt and submitted to the Senate
for approval.
Holds Gillette Idea Sound.
! 1t is evident that new charter must be
much more precise than the existing one
| The idea embodied in a resolution pre-
sented at the end of January by Senator
Gillette OF Iowa seemed admirable. But
in the light of the clear warning we
received from Moscow when the matter
OF the Baltic states and the still-less-
important Bessarabian question was
| speculatively approached, it is question:
able whether President Roosevelt will be
in position to negotiate another
| Magma Charta for the postwar world
| which would meet the approval of the
| Allies or the Senate.
If it is too definite, the principal Allies
may decide that it is not compatible with
the national interests of their own coun-
tries; if it is too elastic-like the exist
ing one-the Senate will not approve it.
In this latter case the academic inter-
est which It now arouses, and which en-
ables the leaders of the United Nations
to refer to it as the great document of
peace for the future, would be completely
nullified. A document of this type which
has been turned down by the same body
which rejected the League of Nations
and the Versailles Treaty would become
dangerous, empty shell and would
greatly weaken the political gelatin"
which keeps the framework of the United
Nations together,
We have ahead of us many months Of
the most bitter fighting this Nation has
ever dreamed Of. The contour of victory
is, Of course, noticeable for the first time
since we entered the war. AL those who
six months ago were saying we could
lose the war have changed their point of
view. There is no question that the
enemy will be defeated militarily. But
1t would be indulging in optimism far
more dangerous than our past pessimism
If we thought that we already have
brought the enemy to his knees.
Japan Viewed as Still Strong.
Japan suffered not more than major
reverse in the Southeast Pasific when
u