Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-07
BY WALTER DIRA\TY

BY WALTER DURANTY.
NEW YORK, Feb. s tN.ANAD.-
Joseph Stain is fighting his own
war, RusSla'S war the war he fore
saW-perhaps before anyone else
and for which he prepared his coun-
try.
On two occasions l have talked
with Stain. for more than an houl
each time, In addition l have read
his writings and studied his charac-
ter closely. His outstanding quality
Is perseverance and tenaCity OF
purpose, man of ruthless will and
cold judgment who never forgets a
friend nor forgiveS foe. A hard
man trained by the life he has led
TO be suspicious and to show no
mercy. who is playing his own hand
-Russla's hand-in his own way.
Like the Car Alexander I. in
whose kremlin palace he now sits,
Stain shocked the conscience of the
world by making a deal with the
enemy. I refer to the Soviet -Nazi
pact Of August. 1889. and to the
treaty between the Car Alexander
I and Napoleon.
Knew Hitler Was Foe.
This is the best and most remark
able of all historical parallels. be-
cause In both cases a Russian ruler
made deal with man whom he
knew TO be his destined aSsilant,
Tor the same two reasons. Firstly.
10 gam time for his own preparation
OF defense: secondly, because he had
no confidence in his Allies or poten-
tlal Allies. Stain gained % months
by his pact with Hitler, and used it
TO the best advantage. building So
Wet strength for the coming struggle.
The first time I talked with
Stain, I wrote that he was ''the
inhertor Of Lenin's mantle" He
uld not like the phrase, and changed
1t to: "Lenin's most faithful disciple
and the prolonger Of his work" Is
that the key, perhaps. to Stains
mysterious character? If it is a KEY.
It's key because Lenin, don't for
get. was revolutionary. Is Stain
revolutionary? Does he want to
~Bolshevize' Europe, or are his ewes
fixed upon Asia?
Looks at East and West.
Bolshevlsm, it has been said. is
new religion, fanatical and
lconoclastic. Such a view would
present Stain as Khaled. the sue
cessor of Mohammed, the prophet
OF God. Personally I doubt this. I
see Stain as the minded
statesman who looks at east and
west. He has not and cannot vet
have the vast industrial strength
OF the United States. He has not the
naval power and experience in
statecraft which the English pos
sess. But he sits between east and
west, to look both ways at once.
Will Russia drive into Germany
and raise the Red flag in Europe?
1T may. 1t may, because the atroci-
ties committed by the Nazis in the
Ukraine and other parts of occu-
pied Russia have been so hoyrid
and frlghtful that blood must be
paid by blood. I mean that it all
will depend upon how and where,
rather than when, the war ends.
II Germany breaks before the
American and British Armies have
gotten deep into Europe, the Rus
slams may be unable to resist the
temptation of rushing on to Ber-
lin. which once they took. please
don't forget, in 1850. as once also
they went to Paris after Napoleon's
downfall, with the possible tempta-
ton to Stain, disciple of Lenin, of
making all Europe Red under one
Soviet flag. He might want no part
IN Germany. Indeed. l am told he
has SAID that he wants no part in
Germany, because he is afraid that
the methodical German tail might
wag the huge Russian dog.
Goals Are Elsewhere.
II, on the other hand. the war
'nds with our armies fairly deep
In Europe, there won't be any diff
fculty. We shall have to feed Eu-
rope and provide it with fuel and