Detroit evening times., 1945-02-19
The WORLD
IN REVIEW
BY Maj. Gen.
D. P. BarroWs
THE statement Of agreements

Feb. u.
II is a momentouS document
but this Is not 10 say ii is es-
sentially a good one.
The agreement pays lip Serv-
ice TO the Atlantic Charter,
though plainly the principles of
that charter are violated. The
one clear. patent result Of the
conference is that on all points
OF controversy, and they were
very important differences,
Stain won.
A CCORDING TO the state
"A ment of James r. Byrnes,
who attended the conference.
the status Of the republics Of
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
was not even discussed.
Eastern Poland becomes Rus
sian, thereby ratifying Stains
agreement with Hitler in 1899.
How can the Russian ag-
grandizements. affecting four
states, created by the sacrifices
of the first World War. be
reconcilcd with the Atlantic
Charter
The attempt to make us be-
lieve this settlement Is based
on that famous agreement be-
tween Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr..
Churchill is mere political de-
ception.
There are two agreements
that are commendable, at least
in some degree.
One is the statement of terms
for Germany.
These terms are hard, but
they could not be otherwise.
Again the terms indicate a
victory for Stalin's ideas, but his
ideas are distinctly better than
those .proponnded by Sumner
Welles or by Henry Morgenthau.
o The latter has demanded that
ait German industrial production
be razed and the people confined
to agricultural production.
Thus there is craftsmanship
and humanity in limiting the
destruction of German industry
Ito those branches which supply
the arsenals of war, and there
is practical sense in Stains
position that German factories
+ must continue 10 operate in
order to contribute to Russia's
economic restoration.
Excess production in Ger
many, formerly sold abroad in
exchange for food and raw mate
rialS. will be delivered 10 Russia.
Moscow is 10 be the seat of
the future committee of repara-
tions."
MO COUNTRY has suffered
~ such wide destruction and
pillage as has Russia, and it
seems just that so far as eco
nomically possible, German in
dustry should contribute to its
reparation.
But there Is one phase of Rus
sian rehabilitation by German
labor that is less pleasing. It
is the proposed transfer to Rus
sia OF millions of German labor
erS.
From what we know of the
inhumane and terrible methods
employed by the Soviet state in
the exile and destruction of mil
lions of its own people in the
forests of Siberia or the Kara
Sea. this employment of Ger
man labor must be safeguarded
by the Allies.
The other point which seems
10 me satisfactory and may
have amounted 10 concession
by Stain himself. is the agree
ment for co-ordinated admin.
istration and control of the
military government Of Ger
many by a commission consist
ing Of the ranking commanders
of the American, British, Rus
sian armies.
Germany apparently will not
be divided into independent
military zones. each separately
administered by an Allied army
4 Their provision. IL
"A carried out, is of the same
pattern.
1t is an agreement for Joint
Allied consultation on the con-
diions in liberated states and
former Axis satellite states, for
the discharge Of Joint respon-
sibilities."
Peoples which Soviet Russia
has already annexed are OBJ
viously not included.
Rumania, Bulgaria and Hun
gary are not specifically men
toned, but Poland and Yugo-
slavia are.
The statement is made that
there was a general review of
other Balkan questions.
The provision to include the
French republic in future juriS-
diction of the Allies over Europe
also seems wise.
The republic is still far from
stability and restoration, but
the intelligence and strong
moral feelings of the French
nation should bring support TO
sound and just principles for
alleviating the fearful misery
and debility of Europe.
The strategic considerations
that entered into this confer
ence doubtless we're important,
though we do not yet know
what they added TO the plans
of the military alliance against