The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-19
|Merry-G

EDITORS NOTE-This is the second column in Drew Pearson's series on the clouds gathering over Eastern Europe)
 WASHINGTON, Auf. 19-To evaluate the factors behind the present massing of Soviet airborne dyi- sons along the Black Sea and the dangerous jockey ing of RussianBritsh forces in the Near East, it's necessary to scrutinize certain captured documents which have come into the hands of the American Army in Germany
 The U. s. Army has got hold of the minutes of extremely important conversations between Hit ler's Foregin Minister Ribbentrop and Stalins For eign Minister Molotov in which the Russians debated entering the the side of Germany-if the price was high enough. The Germans are most methodical record keepers, and the complete history of these diplomatic conversations was faithfully re- corded
 Hitler doube-crossed Staln by invading Russia, Mol otov to Berlin and discussed with Ribbentrop the terms Germany was willing to pay to secure Rus sa's entrance into the war to crush England.
 Significant fact is that the Russian price was almost identical with the goals Moscow has set for itself today: sphere of influence in Bulgaria. also in Roumania; control of the Dardanelles domination of Iran Iraq and the Gulf of Persia; base in Saudi Arabia; and of the Baltic States and onehalf of Poland which, in 1e40, already had been given Russia.
 The Dardanelles and the Near East were the easiest problems Mootov and Rbbentrop had solve. Hitler quite willing to give this area to Russia, but not Bulgaria and Roumania Germany wanted to expand in the Balkans herself. That was where the negotiations foundered Hitler by that time sdered the Allies virtually defeated, and finally Mol otoy went home without signing up Nazi ally.
 Importance of these captured documents is the fact that Russian ambitions have not changed. De- spite the fact that have established United Ma tons to safeguard the world, Moscow remains the same in negotiating with the allies today in 1940 when negotiating with the worlds bloodest cutthroat Hitler.
 Big question which MoscoWs former allies face is: Will the Russians risk to get control of the Near East? Actually that is the question behind all the trouble in Palestine That is also the question behind all the trouble in Palestine That is also the question behind mobilization of the British Navy in the Near East and the senidng of three crack British divisions to the Gulf of Persia It is the question which could plunge Europe into another
 To the question it is necessary to know something of what goes inside the Soviet Union. There appear to be two schools of thought in Moscow one for war and against The former group is headed by Marshal Beriya, Georgian who is close friend of Stalins and is former chief of the NKVD (Secret police). This group believes that is the time to strike at Turkey and Trieste even if it war with the United States and Great Britain. This group believes that with the U. s. Army de- mobilized and the American people sick of war, the United States would not to Britains support far away the Near East The Red Army therefore should move immediately regardless of the conse- quences.
 The other group of Russian leaders is opposes to any showdown now. They believe Russia should wait year or two-even more if necessary-until