Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-05
7hree-Power Control
Seen as Charter Base

Oeen as NnQTter Dose
Russians Are Not Obstructionists,
But Realists, Says Observer
By David Laurence
SAN FRANCISCO, May 5.-To un-
derstand what Is going on here and to
prevent establishment when the char
ter finally is written, it is necessary to
realize that in reality the clock has been
turned back.
The idea of a universal organization
to preserve peace-the concept of coll
lective security maintained by sovereign
nations-has come into stark conflict
with the theory that three big powers
have won this war and must continue
to rule the world.
Hence the League of Nations covenant,
tive security, will seem strong in COM
parison to the charter finally drafted
at this conference. And yet to say this,
is not to make invidious comparisons or
to dlSparage what is to be formulated
her. Rather it means that the San
Francisco charter will be based on a
three-power control because nothing
else can win the approval of Russia.
The Russians are not obstructionists,
but realists. They are, in fact, strong
nationalist and, giving them credit for
sincerity of purpose, it must be con-
coded that they respect power and
potentially and have a contempt for
what they call the "decadence" of
democracies. Hence, the world will be
lucky to get anything out of the San
Francisco Conference which even re-
motley approximates the collective-se-
curlty idea of the League of Nations,
but the world can continue to hope that
by the process of amendment and
change over period of years progress
VIII be made toward collective security
In fact as we'll as in name.
No Sinister Motives.
There is no use attributing sinister
motives to the Russians. In their own
way, they mean what they say when
they argue for unity among the Allies
and means of preserving peace by an
international organization. But their
idea is that such an organization must
be dominated by the mighty, and that
might really makes right.
The smaller nations are naturally dis
appointed at this turn of events but
they are helpless They can only hope
that the United States and Britain will
not give up the struggle for an ultimate
organization of collective security In
Which the voice of the small nations
Will be as much respected as the voice
OF the large countries.
Similarly. it is to be hoped that the
small nations do not feel that their own
recourse is to form small blocs and
groups OF powers with ample armament
10 gam the respect of the larger powers.
such trend can only lead to serious
friction.
It's time for patience and forebear-
ance and especially for care in exam
ming the Russian viewpoint. A diplomat
highly experienced in Russian affairs
expressed to me the idea that the Rus
SLAMS like America and respect our
power, but that if, when we know we
are right, we appear to concede points
just 10 get compromise, the Russians
WILL lose respect for us and press their
advantage by further demands.
18th Century Diplomacy.
The advice to our Government from
all sides is to be firm" which doesn't
mean to be threatening or irritated or
emoIlonal ABOUT the many pending con-
troversies but simply to be insistert and
use the same methods of bargaining
that the Russians do. It's throw-back
TO 18th century diplomacy, but the whole
World mas been pushed back by the
primitive nature of the struggle for
survival which has characterized World
War II.
Thus it may be expected that II the
Russians want our economic cooperation
ana our lease-lend money they will have
10 respect certain Of our requests in the
political field. The Russians maintain,
Tor instance, that Czechoslovakia, Aus
ira, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland are
still within military zones and they have
excluded American officials, military
and diplomatic. They are taking their
time about fulfilling the specific stipula-
tons in the Yalta agreement about
lnter-Allied consultations These will
come but only when the Russians feel
the time is opportune to take their
| Allies into their confidence
Senator Ferguson of Michigan was
entirely right when he called attention
TO the fact that the Russians had ex-
cluded Americans, including all press
representatives. from the countries under
her control. These things are properly
brought out into the open now. Ulti-
mately Moscow will begin to realize that
Russian-American friendship is being
subjected to unnecessary handicaps and
strains