Evening star., 1943-08-01
Where Does StuIin Stund?

Where Does StuIin Stond?
The diplomatic sensation sprung
In Moscow eleven days ago has been
intensified by the overturn in Italy
which occurred four days later. 1t
was on Wednesday, July 81, that
Pravda, the official organ of the
Russian Communist party. gave a
full-page spread to manifesto by
an organization styling itself the
Free German National Committee,
warning its compatriots that the war
was lost for them, that prolonged re-
sistance would spell the doom of Ger
many and that the only way to avert
that fate was to rise in revolt, over
throw Hitler and set up a revolu-
tionary regime. By such action, de-
clared the manifesto, the German
people would win the right to
decide their fate themselves. In this
manner it will attain peace and once
again place Germany on an equal
footing with other nations" The
manifesto was signed by a list of
names ranging from obscure war
prisoners to German Communist
leaders who fed to Russia when Hit
Ter came to power decade ago, the
most prominent being Wilhelm PECK,
former Communist party whip in the
Reichstag and subsequently secre-
tary of the Comintern until its dis
solution two months ago.
Although the Moscow authorities
pointed out to resident foreign cor
respondents that the Soviet govern
ment was not committed to, the pro-
gram outlined In the manifesto of
committee which had not been Of
ficially recognized, the event has
been generally interpreted abroad as
bearing Soviet approval and probably
Soviet inspiration. Pravda is unqueS-
tionably the mouthpiece of the Rus
sian Communist party and It's head,
Joseph Stain 1t is unlikely that such
a document would appear in Pravda
without Mr.. Stalin's appreciation.
Furthermore, the manifesto was re-
published in the Russian press gen.
orally, was broadcast repeatedly over
the Russian radio and was dropped in
leaf1et form by Soviet Army flyers
over the German lines on the eastern
front. The conclusion seems ines
capable that this official publicity
buildup denotes a well-conSidered
move in Russian foreign policy
Now this move was made suddenly,
and, as far as known, with no pre-
vious notice to Soviet Russia's Allies
and associates This is what invests
it with disquieting significance. Fur
thermore, it should be evaluated
against a background of consist
emily independent diplomatic atti-
tude. Stain has never formally
associated himself with the "uncon-
ditional surrender formula laid
down last winter at Casablanca by
President Roosevelt and Prime Min
ister Churchill, has avoided joint
conferences with them and has more
than once evinced standpoint
similar to that in the recent mani
festo, notably in a pronouncement
on November 7 of last year, when
Stain stated that Russia was not
aiming at the destruction of the
German nation or even the German
Army, but merely at the destruction
of Hitler and the Nazi regime. From
all this, the logical inference is that
a revolutionary overturn in Germany
might expect a more benevolent
attitude from Moscow than from
London or Washington.
The matter acquires heightened
significance from what is happening
in Italy. At a moment when the
Axis is shattered and the satellite or
occupied countries are seething with
diSaffection, multitudes of Germans
must see in the possibility Of
softer" peace on the terms described
in Pravda and previously indicated
by Stain himself the best way out
of an increasingly hopeless situa-
ton. Indeed. current advices from
Sweden describe revolutionary stir
rings in Berlin itself, significantly
started by italian workingmen there,
who form part of vast Italian labor
force scattered throughout the Reich.
Obviously, we stand on the thresh-
old of tremendous events. There is
a distinct likelihood that not merely
Italy but also Germany and the rest
Of sdominated Europe may flare
into radical revolution which will
look toward Moscow rather than to-
ward London or Washington. And
there is apparently no present un-
derstanding between the three capi-
tails as to how such an eventuality
would be handled.