Evening star., 1943-01-31
Fears of Russian Domination
OF Europe Subsiding Here
North Africa Political Dispute Token of What
May Greet United States if 1t Tries
to Settle All Rows
BY Constantine Byou,u.

casian republic of Georgia It fought
Finland to regain some strategic portions
OF that republic. 1t took over the Baltic
states which are now under Nazi dom
nation and it intends to take them back
as soon as Hitler's troops are chased to
the old border of the Reich.
But it would not be surprising if the
Moscow government wished to straighten
out its borders in Central and Southern
Europe to include parts of Poland, Bess-
arabia and Moravia to the Carpathian
Mountains and Dobruja on the Black
Sea. Bulgaria herself will ask for the
privilege Of being Incorporated into the
U. 5. S. R. should the Russians, after
the collapse Of Nazi power, succeed in
establishing common boundary bv the
annexation of the former Turkish prov
lnce OF Dobruja, which has been in Ru-
manian hands for less than so years.
Nobody here would be surprised If
Moscow insisted on extending its in
Huence through Iran to the Persian Gulf
IN order to gain access to the Indian
Ocean. Nor is it certain that the people
OF Yugoslavia will not be induced to ask
Tor a union with the great Slav power
Russia-thus giving that empire an out
let to the Mediterranean Sea.
We are told these are matters which
should not be discussed publicly but are
possibilities in view of conditions in
Europe today. The people of the Bal
kans have undergone unbelievable hard
shlps under the Nazi domination. The
prestige of the Russians has deservedlv
gone up by leaps and bounds ever since
the Reds began to roll back Hitler's
powerful and hitherto invincible armies
we are a kind nation as far as these
countries are concerned because we ran
supply them with food and clothing hit
there is mighty little in common between
the people OF the United States-even
though some of our citizens come from
1hose portions OF Europe-and the people
OF the countries which may wish or be
forced to join the U. S. S. R, Hence
the Russians may tell us in all sincerity
that while Europe chopped up in MANY
weak independent states will continue
TO remain extremely explosive, a Europe
IN which Russian influence and power
are predominant is the only guarantee
that there will be no repitition of 1914
and 1889,
1nere was time until quite recently
"hen the bulk of the people in this
country and many Of our leaders were
scared at the prospect of a Soviet
dominated Europe. This idea still wor-
ries number of political men in Wash
lngton, but there are others even in the
ranks OF our most conservative circles
who are now of the opinion that after
all this may be the best solution if we
wish to avoid being drawn into Euro
pean turmoil every quarter of a century.
Ihe state OF European political in
trlgues which We have had since we en-
tered North Africa has been enough to
cure some of the inveterate interven-
tionists in European affairs. Our Army
and diplomatic officers who enjoyed the
1uil confidence Of the people OF this
country and of their Commander in
Chief have been criticized,
If the Russians feel that they could
bring peace to a continent which has
been at war periodically for centuries, so
much the better for all concerned.
Recent developments have shown that
we can deal with the Russians in
friendly manner even more successfully
than with other Of our close friends and
associates. One thing appears certain:
We shall have no major disputes with
Moscow over economic zones of influence
or the air routes of the world.