Evening star., 1945-10-21


really became somebody" and there was
no more 'tovarichness" between the en-
listed and the commissioned men.
Military Caste Developing.
An example of this relationship is
illustrated in report from one of ouI
military men in Berlin, who said q
Russian enlisted man took refuge one
night in our zone. He was trembling
and lost. When questioned by the
American officer in charge he said he
was afraid to return to the officer whose
striker" he was because he had beer
sent out on foraging expedition ano
had to return empty-handed, and he
feared the consequences.
This incident. one of the many re-
ported by Americans who happen te
be in contact with the Russians, Is
trivial. So may be considered the recent
decree of Premier Stain granting to
the Red officers special privileges they
had not enjoyed even in the "palmy
days" of czarism.
The significance-which has not how
ever, escaped our military and political
mems that the Russian Premier has
slowly created military caste in Russia
as does not exist either in America OF
in Britain, but existed in Germany and
Japan.
The suggestion that the professional
fighting men are placed far above the
ordinary citizens must necessarily bring
about a certain psychology on the part
of these privileged individuals. Stain
wants powerful army. The new, COL
orful and gold-braided uniforms, which
are usually appealing to youngsters. and
the promise of life full of special
advantages. will bring the best brains
in Russia into the ranks of the Soviet
officers corps.
Pay Small But Glamour Great.
This is how the penurious Frederick
the Great. King of Prussia, operated
in order to establish the one-time for
midable Prussian Army, and is the
method used by the Kaiser to attract
Germany's best young men. The pay
of the old German army officer was
small, but the glitter and the special
advantages offered him were such that
men rushed to obtain at least reserve
commission in the imperial army when
they could not qualify for the regular
officers corps.
It is not without misgiving that
American and British observers notice
the creation of this military caste at a
time when everything is being done in
the western democracies to discourage
the existence of any kind of caste. and
particularly in the military line
The difficulties which we have en-
countered at all our meetings with the
Russian representatives-and the peo-
pie of the United States have had only
a very limited glimpse of them-are
far more serious than they appear on
the surface. These difficulties were not
caused so much by our hesitancy to
break solemn promises given to the
small nations as by lack of similarity
of thought between the Russian rer-e-
sentatives and those of the wes l
democracies.
Reds Lean 10 big Stick"
The Russians have insisted at Teheran,
Yalta, Potsdam and London that they
believed in a lasting peace. But while
We desired the formation of an organ
ization in which all the nations of the
world would be represented, Moscow
thought that at least in its initial post
war stage the world should be run only
by the big powers which were able to
WELD big stick.
In London, at the first postwar con-
ference of the same group of men who
will play decisive role in the United
Nations Organization because they
possess the veto power, it was obvious
that the western democracies and Russia
did not speak the same language"
Russia was determined to obtain every
thing its geopoliticians had set out to
get for their country and eliminate
politically the powers which could not
boast of the same military strength as
the Big Three.
The American Government desired to
put an end to all "land grabs" and, to-
gether with the British, insisted that
international cooperation does not
mean rule over the world by the ma
tions which are strongest militarily.
No one knows what the next step will
be and who will make the first move to
recover from the blows of the past secret
conferences.
AS after World War I. the people of
the United States are inclined to feel
that the war is over and we must get
back to business, rehabilitation and
recreation.
After the cease-fire signal was given
on November IL, 1918, the people
throughout the world were entitled to
give sigh of relief. The war was
actually over and the business of max
ing peace appeared easy. There were
differences of opinion between the Allies,
but there were no theological differences
The world thought that the breakers of
peace had been put in their place and
the victors proceeded to divide the spoils
of war as had been done for centuries.
The land grabs were. the business Of the
governments. They involved no danger
of another world conflict.
The end of this war has none of the
characteristics of World War I. A battle
of words as to what democracy means
is making deep inroads in every country
all over the globe. Although the peace
breakers of World War II have been
completely annihilated and cannot hope
to recover for at least half century,
the expression that Fascism and Naziism
still exists in many countries is being
flung over the radio and in newspapers
against those who want the democratic
ideals enforced. Tens of millions of in