Evening star., 1945-05-13
Relations With Russiu

s&SIaAtShS w lNI NNSSl0
1t is perfectly evident that rela-
tions with Russia have gone from
bad to worse since the Crimean con-
ference. At that meeting Winston
Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt
sat down with Marshal Stain to dis
cuss their common problems, some
of which had assumed controversial
proportions. Certain agreements
were reached, and these were an
nounced to the world in what has
become known as the Yalta COM
munique-a document which raised
the strong hope that the Allied ma
tionS would work together in peace
as we'll as they had done in war.
When Mr.. Roosevelt returned to
the United States, one of his first
acts was to report to Congress on
the meeting. He said that he had
come away from the Crimean con-
ference with the firm belief that
we have made good start on the
road to a world of peace" At Yalta,
days were spent discussing such
problems as the occupation of Ger
many, the settlement of differences
concerning the international secu-
rity organization, general political
and economic problems in the lib
Grated areas and such special prob
lens as those pertaining to Poland
and YugoSlavia. But" Mr.. Roose-
welt said, at the end, on every point,
unanimous agreement was reached"
And, he added, more important
even than the agreement of words,
I may say we achieved unity of
thought and a way of getting along
together"
That report was made on March
l. Now, ten weeks later, there is
disturbingly little evidence of either
unity or agreement on the points
which we're discussed and supposedly
settled at Yalta. The way of
getting along together" which the
late President thought had been
achieved, seems almost to have been
supplanted by a genius for disagree
ment. Yet the fact remains-and it
is a fact of paramount Importance
that satisfactory means of get
ting along" with Russia must be
found, for unless this is done the
world of the future can hardly. be
better than an armed camp.
The critical need today is for un-
derstanding and patience and toler-
ance. These are the absolutely
essential bases of working ar
rangement with Russia, and yet
these are the very things that are
being whitfield down and Clipped
away by the rumors and the half
truths and the fabrications that are
being spread throughout the world.
Except for few top officials, no one
in this country knows what is true
and what is false, but the tendency
and it will be a progressive tend
ency-is to believe the worst when
the facts cannot be ascertained.
In a situation of this kind the
truth can hardly be more dangerous
than the doubts and the suspicious
which feed on ignorance. And since
this Government, in dealing with
Russia, must depend on the support
of public opinion, it seems eminently
desirable that the President or some
other responsible official should
make comprehensive, factual and
objective report to the Nation on
the state of our relations with the
Soviet Union. This should not be
done with any thought of criticizing
or defending anything which has
occurred. The sole purpose should
be to inform the American people
to give them the facts upon which
they can form an intelligent judg-
ment in matter which, for better
or worse, will profoundly affect the
future of every one of us.