The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-10-31
Truman and Russia


last Saturday revived the Monroe
Doctrine although he associates It
with the Good Neighbor Policy: he
revived the Open Door Policy Of
John Hay but admits that we shall
not, In present circumstances be
able 70 do much about IL; ne
revived the Non-Recognition Policy
(Hoover.Stimson); he revived the
Nine Power Treaty policy OF the
inviolability OF territorial and ad-
ministrative integrity. He revived
the Atlantic Charter and the Four
Freedom which represent a repu.
diation OF Teheran, Yalta and Pots
dam.
To this, Mr.. Truman added an
insistence upon this country pos.
sessing the largest volume and ef-
fectiveness OF power; the largest
navy the largest airforce; the
secrecl OF the manufacturing pro
cesses OF the atomic bomb: a most
efficient army.
All this Is for what? Unless the
President is convinced that the
peace has already failed, his speech
is a purposeless threat, particularly
as at Potsdam. Mr.. Truman person
ally agreed to the destruction Of
the integrity of a number OF ma
lions. II is impossible therefore
to accept II as other than a state
ment to the American people that
this country finds itself hopeless
ly defeated In its EFFORT to find a
formula TO bring this war to a
peaceful conclusion.
II was impossible to listen to Mr..
Truman without realizing that he
was speaking as much TO the Rus
SLAMS as to the American people.
We do not need such navy or air
force OF army as he described I'M
less the target is known and
measured. Certainly, neither Ger
many nor Japan nor China nor
France. nor even Great Britain.
are likely TO be opponents OF that
caliber for decades. But this pro.
cess OF elimination, II becomes
obvious that he had Russia in
mind. This is made more emphatic
by his insistence upon non-recog-
milton OF imposed governments, for
except as the British and the Dutch
the reimposing themselves on their
erstwhile subject peoples OF Asa,
the only country that is establish
ing imposed governments any
where Is Soviet Russia.
Non-re rognition is not new poll
cy with the United States. This
country did not recognize Soviet
Russia from 1917 to 1898: II never
recognized Japan's establishment
of Manchukuo. Both countries sur
vived. although the incidence OF
Manchukuo was one OF the causes
for our mounting antagonism to-
ward Japan.
Non-recognition OF the Soviet
puppet governments in Eastern
Europe today Is altogether differ
ent. The United States is now the
only reservoir OF liquid capital for
the rebuilding OF those countries,
for food supplies and for credits.
Soviet Russia may be able to as
sist them to some extent, even with
such materials and such credits as
we have already provided or with
portions OF the Soviet share Of the
loot from Germany and Japan. But
that will hardly suffice, II Ru-
mania, Bulgaria. Yugoslavia, Hun
gary, and other countries within
the Russian orbit are to be rehabi-
litated on a modern basis. Non
recognition then means no credits.
II is very serious sanction.
II mPy be that Mr.. Truman is
using a Big Stick to convince Rus
STA that the appeasements of Teh-
eran, Yalta and Potsdam are no
more. II may be the American
reply to the failure OF the Lonuon
Conference. II may be the prelude
to a period OF toughness in our for
eign relations such as this country
has not known since Woodrow
| Wilson told the Kaiser what we
thought OF his policies.
But what next? Granted that Mr.
Humans statement OF principles
will meet with the fullest approval
OF the American people, surely
there is some way OF convincing the
Russians that we really want peace