Evening star., 1943-11-08
StuIin's Address


Not since the day when Hitler's
legions first brought death and de-
Struction to Russian soil has Premier
Stain spoken SO reaSsuringly and SO
eloquently as in his weekend ad-
dress marking the twenty sixth an
niverSary of the October Revolu-
tion." In the past his infrequent
public statements usually have been
blunt and matter-of fact almost to
the point of being pedestrian, but
now his words ring differently. They
have fire in them, and they radiate
warmth that adds much to the
atmosphere of mutual understand
ing and good will generated by the
momentous Eden Hull -Molotoff con-
ference at Moscow.
Thus, after reviewing the Red
Army's magnificent victories during
the past year and after eulogizing
the Russian workers and the accom-
pllShmentS of the Socialist state, Mr.
Stain makes a special point of en-
phaslzing that the successes of our
troops" have been rendered con
siderably easier" as result of lend
lease supplies and British and Amer
lean military operations in North
Africa, the Mediterranean, Italy and
the skies over Western Europe. Of
course, he says, this is not quite like
a second front, but it is something
like it," and anyhow the opening of
one is not far off, and when it de-
velopS it will do great deal to speed
up the day of final conclusive
victory for the United Nations. In
other words. as the declarations of
MOSCOW strongly suggested the
Premier of Russia appears to be well
satisfied with what we have done in
the past and with what we plan to
do in the future. The issue on this
score now seems dead.
AS for the coming peace, Mr.. Stain
strengthens the work of the Moscow
conference by asserting that to-
gether with Britain and the United
States, Russia must see to it that
the liberated peoples are restored to
freedom and independence, with the
full right to choose their own form
or government, and that economic.
political and cultural collaboration
must be established in Europe on the
basis Of mutual trust and assist
ance.' In this connection, in his
peroration, perhaps with more than
passing significance, he speaks spe-
officially of liberating the peoples of
Llthuania, Latvia, Estonia and the
Finnish republic, thus suggesting
that there is at least a possibility of
solving the problem of the Baltic
States in manner satisfactory to
all parties concerned.
In respect to the war itself, prob
ably no passage in Premier Stains
anniversary address is more signifi-
cant than that aimed at Hitler's
satellites. They once thought, he
says, that they would get cakes and
buns" by allying themselves with
the Nazis, but instead they are now
getting only Bumps and bruises"
and they realize that the longer they
delay in breaking the alliance, the
more devastation is awaiting their
countries, the greater the sufferings
of their peoples" This sounds very
much like the opening shot in an
Allied offensive to detach Finland.
Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria
from Germany. And it is full of i'm
mense potentialities, for if these
junior members of the Axis should
ever break with Hitler-as they have
good reason to-the whole eastern
wall Of Fortress Europe" would go
down with crash heard round the
world
The Fortress is cracking in any
event. AS Mr. Stain makes clear
Hltler'S defeat is as certain as the
coming of tomorrow, assuming that
there is no relaxation on any of the
Allied home fronts or battle fronts
And if words mean anything. he
looks forward to postwar period in
which Russia, far from isolating it.
self behind imperialiStic outposts in
Europe and Asia will uyOrk for q
world and an era of good neighbors.
He thus speaks in the spirit of the
declarations of Moscow, which in
turn are in keeping with the spirit
OF the Atlantic Charter, and if this
spirit can be made mutual and last
ing among all the United Nations,
the problems Of tomorrow will not be
msurmountable and the next peace,
unlike the last, will be bright and
hopeful one.