Evening star., 1946-08-25

IL is nara 10 DeueVe, Dut IL Is true
that within less than IL months after
the end of this last war to end all wars
American and British officers in Europe
are anxiously watching for signals
comparable to the winds messages"
which preceded the japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor.
1t Is equally hard to believe that there
are many disturbed high-ranking Off
GERS In the American and British forces
who, aware of the offensive battle order
of the Russian forces in Europe, would
like to see the nonessential civilians,
particularly the women, in the western
zones of Germany sent back to their
homeland as soon as possible
Their suggestions are falling on deaf
ears because our diplomats do not wish
further to alarm public opinion in this
country. The American people have
taken the collapse of the Axis at its face
value and still like to think that the
peace for which they have paid in
blood, toll and money is the real peace.
1t is hard to believe that within IL
months after VI day the British Medi-
terranean fleet is compelled to concen-
trate in the Eastern Mediterranean to
prevent, If possible, an unexpected raid
on the Dardanelles or the Persian Gulf
and that the largest American aircraft
carrier, the Franklin D. Roosevelt, is to
be sent to the same waters to show the
nag and possibly be on hand in the
event the Yugoslav puppet government
OF Marshal Tito rushes the weak Ameri-
can-British forces on the Morgan Line.
Polftbureau Rules.
Neither the appeasement policies of
the American and British governments,
which sacrificed in their entirety the
provisions of the Atlantic Charter and
particularly the rights of self-deter-
mination of the small nations of East
ern Europe; nor the firm stand adopted
recently by the representatives of these
governments, nor the prospect of wide
economic advantages to be extended to
the U. S. S. r. if she were willing to
play along in the international game,
have made any impression on the IA
members of the Soviet Politbureau in
Moscow. These men, who now hold in
their hands the destiny not only of their
own country but also of the entire world.
appear to have adopted the slogan,
What We want we must have, or
else 40
careful and considered analysis,
made on the basis of the scant available
reports, shows that the situation is far
from satisfactory in Russia. The bulk
OF the Russian people are thirsting for
peace as much as are the peoples in
other sections of the world. Western
Russia has suffered much from the Ger
man invasion and, despite the boasts of
the Soviet government about the enor-
nous progress made by the Soviet in
dustry and the rapidity with which the
war wounds are being healed, not one
tenth OF what is being advertised Is
actually occurring.
Even today there are reports of thou
sands Of Red soldiers deserting. The
interesting thing is that all these
deserters have been ordered home, but
they declare that they do not wish to
return because they have nowhere to 20
and there is nothing to eat. The crops
in Russia's breadbasket, the Ukraine,
have failed those in the Volga River
area were seriously threatened when be-
lated but still timely rains began to fall.
Consumer goods, such as clothing,
food and other essentials, are still as
rare as nylon stockings were in this
country two years ago. They are avail
able in large quantities for the COM
missars and the few privileged in the
ruling class of Russia-some 100000
to 100000 individuals. But the rest
OF the people are about as bad off as
they were in the dark days between
1912 and 1914.
The Russian people, however, have
little to say about their country and how
it should be run. 1t is true that men,
bership In the Communist party u re-