Evening star., 1946-09-18

economic organization. For the
first time in our history defeat
lists among us have raised the fear
of another system as successful
rival to democracy and free enter
prize in other countries and per-
haps even our own. l am convinced
that we can meet that challenge
as we have in the past by demon
strating that economic abundance
can be achieved without sacrificing
personal, political and religious
liberties. Wes cannot meet it as
Hitler tried to, by an anti-Comin-
tern alliance.
1t is perhaps too easy to forget
that despite the deep-seated differ
ences In our cultures and intensive
antiRussian propaganda of some
25 years standing. the American
people reversed their attitudes dur
ing the crisis of war. Today. under
the pressure of seemingly insoluble
international problems and con-
tinuing deadlocks, the tide of Amer
ican public opinion is again turning
against Russia. In this reaction lies
one of the dangers to which this
letter Is addressed.
FACTORS IN RUSSIAN DISTRUST
OF THE WESTERN WORLD.
I should list the factors which
make for Russian distrust of the
United States and of the western
world as follows:
The first is Russian history, which
we must take into account because
it is the setting in which Russians
see all actions and policies of the
rest of the world Russian history
for over a thousand years has been
succession of attempts, often un-
successful. to resist invasion and
conquests by the Mongols, the Turks
the SWedes, the Germans and the
Poles.
The scant 80 years Of the exist
ence of the Soviet government has
in Russian eyes been a continuation
of their historical struggle for ma
tional existence.
The first four years Of the new
regime, from 1917 through 1921, were
spent in resisting attempts at de-
struction by the japanese, the Brit.
ish and French, with some Ameri.
can assistance, and by the severa
White Russian armies encouraged
and financed by the western pow
ers. Then, in 1941, the Soviet state
was almost conquered by the Ger
! mans after period during which
the Western European powers hac
apparently acquiesced in the re.
arming of Germany in the belie1
that the Nazis would seek to ex.
pand eastward rather than west.
ward. The Russians, therefore, OBJ.
viously see themselves as fightins
for their existence in a hostile
world.
Soviet Fears Aggressive Intent.
Second, it follows that to the
Russians all of the defense anc
security measures of the western
powers seem to have an aggressive
intent. Our actions to expand oul
/ AhAAeoiy amy oy yotClil-ouSl bUSp
as extending the Monroe Doctrine
to include the arming of the West.
ern Hemisphere nations, our presen
monopoly of the atomic bomb, oul
interest in outlying bases and oul
general support of the British En-
pire-appear to them as going fal
beyond the requirements of defense
! / think we might feel the same
If the United States were the only
capitalistic country in the world
and the principal socialistic coun.
tries were creating a level Of armed
strength far exceeding anything in
their previous history From the
Russian point of view, also, the
granting of a loan to Britain anc
the lack Of tangible results on theil
request to borrow for rehabilitation
purposes may be regarded as an.
other evidence of Strengthening o.
an anti-Soviet bloc.
Finally, our resistance to her at
tempts to obtain warm water port!
and her own security system in tn,
form OF friendly" neighborins
states seems. from the Russian poin
Of view, to clinch the case After 2:
years Of isolation and after having
achieved the status OF a major
power, Russia believes that she /!
entitled to recognition of her new
status. Our interest In establishing