Evening star., 1946-03-15
Russia Seen Losing
Friends in America
Writer Says Pressure Methods
Little Understood in u. S.
BY Dapid Laurence

BY Dapid Laurence
The American people will have to get
used to frequent crises in world affairs
and particularly to the devious ways of
power politics.
The assumption of the man on the
street is that when two powerful ma
tions happen to differ and there are
big headlines about 1t In the press. 1t
is an occasion for alarm or apprehen-
sion and that war is in the ofang.
Actually, the situation precipitated by
Russia Is the direct result of the en-
trance of the United States into Euro
pean affairs as pledged in the famous
Yalta Conference in 1945. When the
United States Government, through
the action Of the late President Roose-
welt, promised to underwrite the peace
of Europe and to engage in separate
agreements with Britain and Russia
relative to the setting up Of new gov
ernments in the Balkans and the Near
East, this country acquired responsible
tiles 1t never before had to discharge.
The late President felt that, in the
interest of preventing another world
war, American participation in Euro
pean matters was imperative. He hoped,
Of course, that the power politics of
Big Three setup would be superseded
by the proceedings of the United Ma
tions, but, unfortunately, Russias in
sistence on the exercise of veto power
in the Security Council threw the
whole problem back on the Big Three.
Struggle for Mastery.
So today Great Britain, the United
States and Russia are engaged in a
long grange discussion of how to re-
adjust the power of the world Tho
British have specific interests in pre-
serving their empire and its lifeline to
India through Southern Europe and
the Suez Canal. The Russians feel
their newly won power and prestige and
see no reason why Russia should not
dominate Europe and the approaches
to her territory in Asia. 4
Hitler had hoped to dominate Eu-
rope and failed. He thought Britain
the real barrier to Germany's ambi-
tions and he hoped to put Russia out
OF the way as he fought. But when
Hitlers efforts failed, this left Russia
and Britain to struggle for the mastery
of Europe.
America, as the single mediating In
fuence without any direct interest in
European territory, can perhaps hold
the scales even. But many Of the
Soviet's actions are inscrutable and the
United States Government Is finding 1t
increasingly difficult to reconcile Rus
sia' professed interest in the peaceful
methods of the United Nations organi-
cation with the troop movements that
always seem to precede her use of mill
tary pressure upon sovereign nations.
The reason why the Red armies
aren't being withdrawn on time from
Iran probably is related to the Russian
desire to place her troops strategically
on the Turkish border so as to coerce
Turkey. 1t is the Dardanelles and the
Mediterranean which Russia is aiming
at. rather than domination of Iran
alone.
Russia wants control of as much ter
ritory and resources as she can get.
She knows Britain today is powerless
to stop her. Hence Moscow is quick to
accuse Britain of being desirous Of lin
ing up America on the side Of the Brit
ish. That is why Churchills speech was
so bitterly denounced by the controlled
press of Russia
Same Warning Issued.
A comparison of what Churchill really
said about Russia with what Secretary
Byrnes said in his address in New York
few days earlier indicates that the
two men issued much the same warning
about Russia's aggressive tendencies.
Mr.. Byrnes wasn't attacked by Moscow,
| though it is significant an effort is be-
ing made inside the United States
/ possibly traceable to certain left-wing-
! ers-to undermine the secretary by put
ting out frequent rumors about his
| resignation which are absolutely with
| out foundation.
| Russia plays peculiar game but the
American people will have to get ac-
customed to the Russian propaganda
methods and the use of force and pres
sure against weaker countries.
Sooner or later the opportunity to deny
Russia things she most needs will
come to the United States Government
as trading point There isn't a re-
mote chance Russia viii ever get the
atom bomb secret from us. She will
fnd 1t increasingly difficult to rehabili-
tate her own country, because she will
have alienated the American people
who could be very helpful to her. Russia
is losing friends inside America very
rapidly and it may be that before long
she will come to realize it and execute
a complete reversal. Such somersaults
also are to be expected as part of the
devices Of the communistic school Of