Evening star., 1943-10-10

terms contain substantial concessions tn
all Russias problems. One concession
would be the disappearance of the pres
ent Nazi regime.
Willing to Delay.
In recent weeks some well-informed
Americans have come out of Russia.
They, too, have heard these rumblings
and believe there may be some truth
In them. But all appear to believe that
whatever thought of peace may be in
Stains mind will disappear if the Allies
begin an offensive across the English
Channel next spring
The Russians, the most authorita tive
American sources say, are willing to wait
for another six months for the American
and British forces to start their Oft
promised offensive. If by next Nav the
Allies have not begun to pour into West
ern Europe, these Americans have little
doubt that the Russians will make their
own peace.
Such action would place the Allies
IN Europe, and particularly the Ameri-
can-British troops in Italy, in most
precarious position since the Germans
could throw about 300 diyisions-nore
than 100000 men-against our numert-
cally inferior forces.
Stain and his generals realize this
threat and the Premier intends to utilize
1t both to force an Allied operation in
Western Europe and to obtain as manv
political concessions as possible from
the British and American governments
at the forthcoming conference in Mos
cow and also at the possible conference
with President Roosevelt and Prime Min.
lister Churchill
But If We were to overlook the inme-
dlate dangers to our forces, in the event
OF Russian-German peace, 1t is obvious
that Mr. Hull has some powerful cards
to use in trumping the Russian aces.
And these cards are the American no.
tential in the reconstruction of Russia.
Require U. S. Help.
The Soviet can recover from the war
only with Americas help. The devasta-
t1ons caused by the war on Russia's ter
ritories cannot be calculated vet In term,
OF dollars and cents. But a very rough
estimate places them at 5000 0o0, 900 900
The scorched-land strategy was adopted
by the Russian armies when they Welded
before the powerful blows of the Nazi
armies. Everything in the path of the
enemy was destroyed. The Germans
found only ruins in the occupied areas.
Mining equipment, houses, industrial
establishments, dams and watervorks
on which the Soviet government had
spent years Of work and hundreds of
millions Of dollars, all were DESTROYED.
Inc rich industrial metropolis Of
Stallngrad, the most advanced post of
the German penetration in Russia, has
oeeh reduced to shambles,
When the Germans began to be pushed
back they applied the scorched-esrth
pohcy. the few industrial esta blishments
needed by the German Army which had
been created since l94l were DESTROYED
ana whatever had escaped the torch
when the Russians Withdrew was utterly
destroyed this year by the more SLOWLY
retreating Nazis.
1ne richest section of Russia. the area
between the Polish border and the Volya
is nothing but mass of r1Iin The berds
OF cattle, focks OF sheep and droves OF
horses which at one time were so pier
tl1ul IN the rich valleys of the Don aid
the ukraine have been DESTROYED,
wheat and corn will grow again on that
Vandalzed territory. But where will tire
Russians be able to get the necessary
machinery and draft animals to harvest
and transport their crops? Certainly
not from an Impoverished and eco
nomlcally bankrupt Europe.
Russia Would Be Strong.
Should the Germans peace nronosi- :
tlons be sympathetically received hy
Stain, there is no question that Russia
would emerge from the war politica Ilv
a first-class power. The whole Of Europe
would fall into her lap.
The Reich itself would undergo a great
change and the so-called German mill
itary democratic government which is
no" frequently mentioned in Europe will
eventually undergo transforma tions
which will make 1t look more like the
Russian government of today than any,
thing else.
Today Russia is obtaining as much
food and clothing from the United States
as war materials. The civilian population
IN Russia is feeding on a very scant
diet. The large consignments of food are
about enough to keep well-fed the fight.
ing forces and some of the workers in
the war industries:
If we were to shut off that source n,
supplies it is doubtful that the whole
Russian population, including the armed
forces. could get enough to keep BODY
and soul together.
Hull Holds Good Cards.
And although no American diplomat
here or in Moscow is known to have
brought out this point. there is no doubt
that Stain is fully aware of what would
happen to his people should the food
sources from the United States be cut eff
He also knows that even the closest
cooperation between non-Nazi Ger
many and Russia would not help much
to reconstruct his country. The Germans
have fine technicians. Some of the sub
jected nations of Europe could be or
dered to send labor to Russia to help
out but technical men and labor are
not enough to reconstruct a country.
Russia was overwhelmingly an aRri-
cultural state until the advent of the
Communist regime. The Soviet govern
ment has made gigantic efforts and has
succeeded in industrializing the country
during the last 20 years All this has