Evening star., 1945-06-17

the common desire to see the Amer
lean forces in Europe withdraw at the
earliest possible moment In order to
achieve this aim, Premier Stain is re-
ported to have decided to turn another
page of his diplomatic manual and live
up to all the agreements reached at
Yalta and which were thrown into dis
card short time afterward.
Moreover, because of the recent feeling
OF distrust held by many Americans
toward Russia and because he realizes
how important the Far Eastern problems
are to the American people, the Soviet
Premier is said to be willing to adopt
compromising attitude toward all the
Chinese problems.
So far as the American Government
is concerned, it is obvious to its main
policy-framers that the presence of
American forces in Europe can accom-
plish nothing constructive.
BY heavy sacrifices in blood and
money, We were chiefly instrumental in
the defeat of Hitler and Mussolini. Our
armies have covered themselves with
glory and have shown what civilians in
uniform" can do when they belong to an
enlightened democracy. Our amateur
generals have proven their mettle as
strategists and tacticians. After having
obtained superb victory in short order,
they have nothing more to say. The
diplomats are being handed over the
fruits of the sacrifices of the military
men.
Russia's Influence Spreads.
The political outlook in Europe is now
very clear. We have destroyed Hitler S
and Mussolini's legions The enormous
mass OF Russian forces, whose diplomatic
leadership was more realistic than ours,
are encamped solidly in Eastern Europe
to the Elbe River and beyond The
Russian doctrine of totalitarianism-
nationalism is spreading rapidly
throughout Europe, not only in the
areas occupied by the 100000 Red
soldiers, but even farther to the west.
While the American generalship was
based merely on the military principle
OF winning the war on the battlefield,
the Russian strategy was POLITICAL
military. In all the areas liberated by
the Russian armies, tools of the Polit-
bureau in Moscow appeared to take over
the regions which had collapsed. There
are puppets of Moscow in Bulgaria
Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Austria
Poland and very soon it is expected that
they will come forth in Germany and
possibly Norway and Denmark
While We were satisfied to liberate the
countries which had been overrun by
the Nazis and place them temporarily
under Allied Military Government Con-
troll, the Russians placed Moscow
educated and trained nationals in the
areas they liberated and Immediately
formed what might be described as
stable governments In order to live up
to certain principles Of the much-scarred
Atlantic Charter, elections" and pleb-
escites unquestionably will be held but
only after Moscow's puppets have been
solidly entrenched in their respective
countries and a first-class secret police
organization has been established so
that there will be no surprises" at the
polls.
100000 in Area.
The zone of influence of Russia ex-
tends today from Petsamo in Finland
and the northernmost tip of Norway to
the Mediterranean and includes large
and important section of the former
Reich beyond the Elbe River.
In the areas west of that immense
region inhabited by about 100000 ,O0O
persons, there are American, British and
French armies.
These are forces of occupation in
the strictest sense Of the word, without
any political aims or objectives. The
American soldiers who are occupying the
scenic portion of the Reich-the south
western end-are looking longingly to-
ward the Channel ports and Antwerp
where, they hope, ships will be sent as
quickly as possible to take them home
or to the Pacific, where there is still
some unfinished business to be done
The British and French armies of occu-
patton may have some political mo-
tives, but there is little they can do to
stem the theological tide of the rule
of the few over many.
Throughout Western Europe the Rus
sian theology is said to be spreading
rapidly. 1t is not difficult to understand
the reason why. Some of the govern
ments. aware of the fact that the
United States has no intention of stay
ing in Europe any longer than is neces-
sary, look to Russia for support in the
future. The political men throughout
Western Europe are mostly old-time
politicians representing political parties
which have handled the situation in
their respective countries so badly that
they are mostly discredited. The
younger men, particularly those who
stayed behind and formed the resistance
movements, wish to try something new
and communism in its new form of ma
tionalism and territorial expansion
appeals to them.
Communist Party Gains.
Hence, the minority Communist par
ties throughout Western Europe, with
few exceptions are swinging upward at
the expense Of the former democratic
organizations led by old or weak men
The national Communist parties in
most Of the Western European coun-
tries know that they will always be
supported by Moscow not only morally
but also by direct assistance. To these
Western European people communism
might be a new experience which will
bring power to individuals who in the
past were unknown and who might get
their country out Of the awful mess in
which they now find themselves.