The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1946-02-27

Three men now in Key West,
who lived in Soviet Russia for
many years before the outbreak
of World War II, warned today
in a joint interview that mankind
is heading straight for World
War III unless the democracies,
and especially America, adopt a
realistic, firm policy toward Sow
let Russia.
The three are Eugene Lyons,
foreign correspondent and editor;
Alexander Barmine, former Brig
adler General in the. Russian Red
Army and now an American
citizen. author of the best seller
""One} Who Survived and Spen-
Ger Williams, former Moscow
representative of the American
Russian Chamber of Commerce.
IAnd CHS radio reporter iii the
Balkans. Il iefgc ~ e
/ ALI three asserted that the
dangerl does riotaIies in, the Rus
sian people, but in the Russian
regime, which is dictatorship
as ruthless in most respects as
those lin Nazi Germany and
Fascist Italy. The Russian peo-
pie, they declared, are peace-lov-
ing, admirable and deserving of
the freedom which their govern
ment denies them.
In February issue of Pageant,
Mr.. Lyons has an article entitled
world War III Has Startedl'
In it he explains that the imper-
ialist ambitions of the Soviet
dictatorship are already creating
areas of war infection in many
parts of the world. Not appease-
lnent but wise and firm use of
American prestige and economic
poWen can safeguard the peacei
be said San 4
I lManchuria, where American
and Russian interests clash to-
day, is potentially the Spain Of
World War III" according to Mr..
Lyons. Spain during its civil
war. was the proving ground for
the weapons and tactics of Nazi
aGerr1any's aggressions. Unless
the troubles IN Manehuria,, tha
Near East and other zones are
handled WISELY and f6rcefu11y by
Fbhe demoefacies, Mr.. Lyons as4
serted they may play the same
historical role as Spain. g.tS
Ta ,'Another eatastronhe can and
must be headed off," he said to-
day. "but this win not be done
by kidding ourselves that there
is no danger or by meek appease-
nent of new aggressive tenden-
eies. y
The genuine American desire
for peace, Mr.. Barmire added.
iriclines us to become connplacent
until it is too late. 1t is most
important, he warned. for AIneri-
cans to realize that in Russia
they are dealing with a brutal
totalitarian system in which the
people have no voice. All three
of the men interviewed con-
Cured that Soviet propaganda
here-fnueh of it by American
fellow travellers and muddled
liberals Ahas given ds a rofnantic
thar a realistic idea OF
the Soviet facts.
gGft' Any American nowadays who
speaks up for the Russian people
and against their dictators, Mr.
Lyons declared. His branded as
anti RUSSIAN. This is neither fair
nor true. Those misguided liber-
ais who join Communist con-
trolled pro-Soviet organizations
are not Friends of Soviet Russia
but friends of the oppressors OF
Russia.
j Personally I am convinced
that the peace of the world will
not be truly safe until Russia, too,
becomes a democracy-a real one,
not fake one. We must rip off
the veil of romanticism through
which we are inclined to regard
Russia. Honest diagnosis is the
first step to cure"
The open Communist Party in
the United States, the three men
agreed, is not as dangerous as
those who operate in the shad-
ows. '' Y -,