The Wilmington morning star., 1944-03-10
Should We FearRussia?
BY ROSCOE DRUMMOND

By ROSCOE DRUNMOND
The purpose Of this i. is to report the con-
sensus OF high American and British officials
in Washington on the two questions which
most persistently haunt Allied diplomacy. The
question are:
Will the Soviet Union be a source OF fear
or source OF strength in the postwar world?
What is the principal threat to full Anglo
American-Soviet collaboration in the peace?
There is such substantial agreement between
American and British officials that their con-
illusions can be intermeshed, and the following
views come from persons in both governments
who have access to the fullest lntormatlon:
Axis Trap: The German Nation knows full
well that the dream of making Berlin the
capital of enslaved Europe is over noW-and
forever, unless it can achieve military stale
mate and then divide the Western democracies
from their Eastern partner by exploiting the
'Bolshevik DOGGY London and Washington will
not fall into that obvious trap"
Communism Goes Russian: Russia, once
a nation of illiterate peasants, was transform
ed into a mighty industrialized State which,
when the test came, withstood the onslaughts
of the then strongest military Power in the
world That astonishing achievement is great
lily accelerating the movement, led by Stain,
which trusts national pride and loyalty in the
Soviet republics instead of an ambiguous
world revolution-to guarantee the security Of
apitalist State 1t feels sufficiently sure
Of itself to reward Individual proves with
privilege, and to recognize the Christian church
which demands loyalty to faith transcending
loyalty to the tempora al State. The Communist
Party is so sure Of its future that it has be-
come Russian.
"If Communism does, in fact spread
through devastated Europe, the cause will not
be sinister plottings in Moscow, but the bank
ruptcy of democratic capitalism - of which
the United States and the British Common
wealth are the trustees Our major task will
only begin after the Anglo-American armies
have triumphed on the European battlefields.
Let it not be said of us, The fault, dear
Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves,
that we underlings'."
Russas Role in Europe: IF Russia were to
attempt to dominate Europe, she would at
once soGdify united European opposition
against her under German leadership - and
so hand to Germany her only possible chance
of resuning her old game. The Kremlin is
well aware that such an attempt would amount
to choosing the lesser for the greater objective,
for the latter-a commanding position in world
affairs-requires Anglo-American cooperation,
which would be denied if Stain were foolish
enough to ape Hitler.
What would be the material incentives?
Land. natural resources, manpoWer? Russia
already has them in superabundance. She is
not a national State hungry for expansion,
but an enormous Empire, with huge tasks and
opportunities to develop within her borders
That is not to say that the Soviet Union does
not intend to WELD very great influence in
postwar Europe. She does and will"
The Path Ahead: Under such conditions
with Anglo-American co-operation-somet imes,
perhaps friendly restraint-need the nations
of Western Europe fear for the future? May
| it not, indeed, be that this new phenomenon
of a mighty European and Asiatic stabilizer
Kidding Europe of the bug-bear of Teutonic
aggression forever, and working, for wider
purposes, with the British Commonwealth and
the United States, will open and happier
epoch7
by continuing the sincere and realistic
partnership with the Soviet Union which Brit
sh and American leaders have established,
we can make essential contribution to that
end. If, on the other hand, prejudice and mis-
conceived self-interest. cause us to draw back,
we will play right into the hands of some
| probably yet unborn-Muscovite Charlema gne,
and the fault will lie not in the stars or in
immutable destiny but in ourselves, that we
are underlings''
Weight At The Peace Table: 1T seems clear
that the reasons for recent Soviet constitu-
external advantages are also, no doubt, an
lticipated. In large measure. local autonomy
is probably expected to make the incorpora.
ton of the Baltic States in the Union more
palatable. But the idea that the Russions ex-
pect that solid phalanx of II Soviet dele
gates would be able to vote down opposition
lat an international conference does not bear
examination. international conferences are
governed by the weight of the Powers repre-
scented, and not by a process of counting
heads"
| The American and British officials whom
. have interviewed join in rejecting alarnist
attitudes toward Russia, and despite surface
Invitations and disagreements are convinced
that the prospects are good for an Anglo
5 American-Soviet postwar collaboration, capa.
BILE of preserving the peace for many genera
tons. Christian Science Monitor
. In describing the world after the war, a
Tokyo broadcast said trains will speed along
a new railroad and pass through tunnel
under the Sea OF japan. Down where the
Japs will be.