Evening star., 1945-04-28
Cropping for Position
At Conference Is Seen

SsSs
At Conference Is Seen
New Realism in Molotov Tactics
Frausht With Peril, Says Writer
By David Laurence
SAN FRANCISCO. April 28.-Exter.
nally there Is harmony and progress but
behind the scenes Of this United Nations
Conference there is q sort of cropping
for position which in sense reflects
the momentous consequences OF the
European war itself.
For Russia has brought here through
Foreign Commissar Molotov a new real
ism which can be interpreted variously
but which tends to outline for a long
time to come the way world powers are
going to operate.
To understand the Russian attitude,
one must realize that the Soviet gov
ernment considers this a conference
managed by four nations which have
made the major sacrifices in this war
Russia, Great Britain, the United States
and China. The other nations are here,
presumably, to listen and cooperate
but not to manage.
From the viewpoint of the United
States and Britain, such a conception is
fraught with much danger OF misunder-
standing and may breed friction be-
tween large and small powers. But the
Russian concept is not to be modified by
open debate. Mr.. Molotov's tactics may
change SO as to achieve outward har-
mony but basically he reflects the view
of Marshal Stain that Russia is en-
titled to free hand and wide sphere
OF influence in Europe and that the
word security" must be construed so as
to give Russia a dominating position in
Europe.
Pinprick to Soviets.
Thus the Polish question becomes a
pinprick to the Soviets and all the criti-
cism of Russian domination of Romania,
Bulgaria and Yugoslavia becomes Sec
ondary to the Russian view, which Is
that the Big Four should run this world
with each domain of its own.
This Is not new concept but it runs
counter to the collective security ideas
of Britain, the United States and China.
There ought really to have been some
way by which the leaders of these four
countries could have sat down together
long before the big conference started.
Maybe they could have arrived at un-
derstandings to avoid the conflict here.
Unfortunately, the State Department
comes into this delicate situation un-
prepared. The late President Roosevelt
and Harry Hopkins handled foreign
affairs, and there was no opportunity
in the State Department to build up
staff or program that could pave the
way for conference of such impor-
tance as that being held here now.
The appeasement policy, moreover,
which Mr.. Roosevelt has pursued toward
Russia has not led to spirit of COM
promise but of more and more demands
by Russia. Thus the three votes in the
assembly is minimum The other l6
republics of Russia soon will seek more
places. All this is disappointing but it
should not be surprising. The Yalta
Conference was a secret affair and
much of what happened there is not
known
Policies Need Defining.
The situation is by no means dead
locked nor is there any justification for
believing that Russia and the United
States cannot learn to see eye to eye
on major problems On the contrary,
what is needed is clear-cut definition
OF Russian policy and of American
policy so that both nations will under
stand the limits within which nation
can go without endangering collective
security. Unhappily there has been too
much CLOSING over and excusing of
unilateral action by Russia. Also the
Russians have infltrated politically into
various European governments which
traditionally would stand with Britain
and the United States but which find
themselves, due to "left wing" pressures
at home, compelled now to 60 along
with Russia.
The prestige of the United States
has suffered somewhat by the bad start,
whereas Mr.. Molotov has assumed a
position of apparent domination here
which is beginning to be the subject of
some concern. To well-informed diplo-
mats, however, who have observed Rus
sian tactics in other international con-
ferences the strategy of moving in and
demanding things is quite natural
One thing is clear-the delegations
of the United States, China and Great
Britain stand together, and Russia is
the big question mark always.
Power politics has produced an un-
fortunate dilemma and the way out
lies in f1rmness in dealing with Russia
and in an end to the policy of yielding
on every point in the interests of outer
harmony. Fundamentals cannot be dealt
with by postponement or attempts at
avoidance. Sooner or later basic issues
have to be tackled and then the whole
atmosphere becomes clear.
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