Evening star., 1945-12-29
Step Toward Ideals
Is Taken at Moscow
Observer Sees Only Forms, Not
Substance Settled by Accord
By David Laurence

Observer Sees Only Forms, Not
Substance Settled by Accord
By David Laurence
Maybe the British and American gov
ernments have learned at last how to
deal with the Russians. It's a very
simple formula and the pattern which
was set at Teheran, Yalta San Fran
cisco and Potsdam should have been
grasped long before this.
In brief, the Russians like procedure
and form. This must appear to be DEM
ocratic in the sense that all the partici-
pants must retain at all times a free
hand to disagree and must not be COM
mitted in advance to anything except
procedure.
AS for the substance-when the pro-
cedures are put to work-the deciding
nations must be only the victors, the
ones which actively waged war with
substantial military force against enemy
states"
Nothing, it appears, must be decided
by majority vote, because sovereign VIC
tors cannot be coerced or committed by
eAie ao1Aou vi otilel FlCtOTlouS powers.
Veto in Reverse.
With this background in mind the
new agreements reached at Moscow can
be understood. Actually the so-called
veto power which the Russians insist on
has now been granted in reverse, so
that it can be applied by either the
| United States or Great Britain with re-
spect not only to European peace settle
ments but Far Eastern adjustments as
we'll.
Russia has won an equal voice in what
happens in the Far East. The United
States ever since Yalta has stood COM
mitted to the exercise of a power and
influence equal to that of any other
nation in the settlement of the Balkan
and other European problems
| The procedure announced in the
| Moscow communique represents no VIC
tory for any nation, for it settles nothing
of substance. One might well ask what
| happens later if Russia or Britain or
the United States stands out against
| some provisions or proposed treaties.
The answer is that the world must wait
then for reason to operate again, even
If it takes months. That's what hap
pened when the council of five adjourned
in a stalemate in London last Septem-
Der, only to bring a renewal of discus
sions after a period for reflection and
the ingenious development of new de-
vices and procedures.
Russian Sense of Power.
Nc ;o+a &a
everything-from Japan and Korea to
the questions of the Balkans and West
ern Europe. They have been contin-
uously suspicious that Great Britain and
the United States, by reason of their
close friendship and blood ties, would
wish to dominate or dictate the form
and substance of all settlements.
The Russians have emerged from the
war with new sense of power and
pride. After long period in which the
European nations regarded the Soviets
as secondary-a period in which Russia
herself is thought to have developed
bit of an inferiority complex-the
tables have been turned. Russia feels
a superiority now and is inclined to ex-
hibit her new position rather zealously
in all international conferences. The
triumphs of the Red Army have con-
tributed much to the psychology of su-
periority
1t has been suggested that the Rus
slams raise new issues and demand a
| voice in many questions not because of
an adamant desire to carry through on
each, but to have supply of cards in
her hand with which to trade at the
appropriate moment.
Only Forms Settled.
1t remains to be seen how far Russia
will 60 before her position will appear
to be clearly one of obstruction or CO.
operation, and it remains also to be
determined how helpful and far-reach-
ing are the debates and discussions in
democratic countries with respect to
Russia's shortcomings
The processes of reason are powerful
and, despite the totalitarian discipline
which excludes outside opinion and out
side influence, such as the churches can
exert for the Strengthening of the will
OF peace, those same moral forces man.
age somehow to surmount or infiIrrate
eventually all barriers. Hence every
settlement, however tentative or narrow,
affords an opportunity for revision and
amplifcation, provided that a spade is
called a spade and exuberant and ex-
aggerated claims of triumph or vague
prophecies of future achievements are
not read into the words of a COM
munique which has settled not the sub
stance but only the forms.
The Moscow agreement represents de-
sirable progress, but not the consum-
nation as yet of those ideals which
were proclaimed in the Atlantic Charter