Evening star., 1943-11-21

since the world learned of the Moscow
agreements-and the news Of the pacts
have been described as the most mo-
mentous since the start of the war
In this cooling -off period the various
agreements signed in the Soviet capital
have been carefully examined along
with Secretary Hull's assurance that
there were no secret" understandings.
They provide comfort to us from the
military point of view and for the i'm
mediate future. But they suggest many
questions for which only the future can
provide an answer. The nature of these
questions should be examined, and to
do so does not detract from the value
Of the Moscow conference.
Americas neutrality ended in March,
194l, when Congress passed the Lease
Lend Act empowering the President to
lease-lend or give to the nations opposing
aggression all they needed to bring their
fight to a successful conclusion.
At that time we regarded as the foes
of democracy all the nations fighting the
countries which at least on the surface
had subscribed to preserve democratic
principles. These four nations were Ger
many, italy, Japan and Russia. BY some
unfortunate trick of fate the Russians,
who today are fighting more brilliantly
than any other nation to destroy Hitler
ism, were on the side of our enemies. and
we have to be thankful that Hitler was so
blinded that he decided to turn against
Premier Stain, the leader of his most
powerful associate in the early days of
the war.
Had Feared Peace Move.
For several months prior to the
Moscow conference OF the representa-
tives of the United States, Britain and
Russia there had been discussion in
Washington and London Of the possibil-
ity that the Russians might make a
separate peace with the Germans if the
Germans agreed to certain terms which
were said to include the surrender of all
occupied territories as far as the Rus
sian-German border of 1941 was con-
cerned and the expulsion of Hitler and
his Nazi gang from control of German
affairs
1t is impossible to ascertain how we'll
founded this possibility was. 1t was, at
least, a possible contingency which re-
quired study. We do not know whether
this contingency was supported by any
actual intentions in that field by the
Russians. Until the history of the war is
written many years hence we shall re-
main in the dark as far as this phase
Is concerned.
But the fact remains that the question
was seriously discussed by the American
and British leaders at various meetings
and it was decided to hold the Moscow
meeting to learn what was going on and
to get Russia's point of view on this and
other matters in connection with the
war and the peace which will follow
the war.
At any rate. the conversations, super
intended by Premier Marshal Stain,
ended with complete agreement on a
point OF supreme Importance to us-the
Russians will continue to fight until the
unconditional surrender of the Nazis.
whether their continuation in the war
~AA NC Pic0iCdtcu OIl ali AllleQ OI1eIlSlVe
across the channel next spring is not
yet clear. 1t is assumed that the promise
for such an offensive has been reiterated
in Moscow.
The Russian press, which is the best
mouthpiece for the Soviet government,
has ceased its daily demands for an
offensive and is now recognizing that
the air activities of the Allied air forces
in the west and the operations of our
forces in Italy are a valuable contribu-
ton to final victory in Europe.
Some of the Questions.
The rest of the agreements reached
IN Moscow were taken at their face
value. They are highly encouraging
although they are silent on great many
things we would like to know. We have,
for instance, given expression more than
once to the thought that the smaller
nations, whose independence has been
destroyed by the totalitarians that their
political and territorial sovereignty will
be safeguarded. How much will a new
working alliance with Russia change our
views on the self-determination of the
smaller nations.
No news has yet come out of Moscow
as to what will happen to all those king