Evening star., 1944-03-19


The charter was accepted without
restriction by all the members of the
United Nations. including Russia
When it was signed in Washington
by the representatives of the states
belonging to what we hoped would
be the new family Of nations, not a
single representative of these powers
made any reservations.
A few months later Premier Stain
himself. when suspicious European
allies such as the Poles began to
wonder about his aims regarding
their country, said We have not
and cannot have any such war aims
as the imposing of our will and
regime upon. the Slavonic or any
other enslaved nations of Europe &C
cepting our help. Our aim is to help
the nations = and then to leave it
to them quite freely to organize
their own lives and their land. There
must be no interference in the in
ternal affairs of other people"
Change in Tone.
This was the picture in the fall
OF 1912 when Russia was hard
pressed by the Nazi hordes and her
ability to continue her valiant re-
sistance was dependent almost ex-
clusively on how much and how
quickly American and British sup
plies could reach her.
Since the resounding victory at
Stalingrad and particularly since
the Red armies approached their
old boundaries there has been a
definite change in the lofty ideals
expressed so vigorously by Russia S
premier and commander in chief
Until the tables were turned on the
Nazis the Russians were fighting a
military battle exclusively. Stains
statement, quotes from which were
taken from the official Soviet organ
Pravda, proved conclusively that
Russia like ourselves and the British
was interested in merely freeing
Nazi-subjected nations.
But since the fortunes of war and
the assistance Of America and Brit
ain turned the tide of the war in
favor Of the Red armies, political
motives began to enter into Moscow s
calculations. There have been such
statements as "the constitution of
Russia is the basic law of our
country"
Secret Treaties Denied.
Everything that was discussed at
the Moscow conference has not been
disclosed to the public. We were
given the text of the agreements
signed and were assured that signi-
lures had been affixed to no secret
treaties. But while no secret agree
ments were signed, according to
Secretary of State Hull and British
Foreign Foreign Secretary Anthony
Eden, there Is more than one way
OF discussing and agreeing on
troublesome questions.
However, it appears that the
change Of the British governments s
attitude toward Poland and Yugo-
slavia is the ohshot of some com
promise which may have been
reached at Moscow. BY the terms
OF the Atlantic Charter, Poland and
Yugoslavia should be privileged
after they have been liberated, to
settle all domestic questions in what
ever manner their own people de-
sire. But until such time as the
Nazis are expelled from their terri
tories and their former governmental
have returned and submitted them
selves to the verdict Of their own
citizens, 1t would be unjust and
against the principles indorsed by
the American people to have any
other situation.
| Yet the Russian government has
decided arbitrarily and unilaterally
that the border between Poland and
Russia Is to be the Curzon line
And what is still more important
Moscow has decided that the Polish
government in exile is composed OF
bunch of reactionaries and has
indicated that it wants to establish
government of its own liking in
Warsaw.
| No Statements Issued.
When Poles in London and Wash
lngton ask desperately what is hap
pening to the high principles of the
Atlantic Charter they are con-
fronted with a shrug of shoulders
and are told that talking too much
about that document is tantamoupt
to blocking the Allied war effort at
a critical time.
This at least is what can be gath
cred by observers in reading be-
tween the lines of various news re-
ports OF diplomatic character. Nc
official statement is made from
those responsible for the politica,
conduct of the war. Any insistance
on finding out the truth is brushec
aside with a confidential whisper
that we must first win the war ano
that the Russians are killing many
Germans. Hence. it would be pool
IpOllcy to annOy the executioners oI