Evening star., 1946-10-06
Spiritual Revival Is Held
Vital to Stem Communism
Democracy on Defensive as Discord at Home
Grows in Seriousness as Reds Con.
By Philip Marshall Brovn, LII. D.
Vice President, American Peace Society.

Qegeneratlng INTO vulgar farce pelOIe
Il becomes q tragedy. Through the foul
fog of propaganda, determinations and
recriminations we can begin to discern
the main issues. This is not conflict
Of ideologies; 1t is q tragic crisis Of
civilization.
The truculent, belligerent and arro-
CANT attitude of the Soviet Union is an
open challenge to the economic, social,
political and ethical systems Of the rest
Of the world. Karl Marx has won
significant victories. Capitalism and
democracy are bewildered and on the
defensive.
Since the beginnings Of recorded
history the organization of society on
the cultivation of the soil-what has
been termed the peasant or farmer
civilization-is fast being transformed
into q mechanical and industrialized
civilization. The "megalopolitan" civili-
zation gloonily prophecied by Spengler
Is imposing itself on the countryside.
American elections of late have been
determined largely by the votes OF q
few big cities.
Freedom Seriously Menaced.
An artificial soulless system Is sup
planting the normal and natural system
OF human relationships. Freedom Of
initiative, freedom of industrial enter
prise, freedom of contract, freedom of
speech even, all are endangered in
many lands either by government con-
troll or by powerful pressure groups.
Social relationships which heretofore
have been regulated by tested moral
and religious codes are now being
disrupted by amoral and irreligious
codes based on crude materialistic
philosophy of behavior Two distinct
systems of human relationships are in
conflict, and the conflict is irrecon-
cilable.
The Communists in Russia and other
lands realize that the world can
not exist peaceably half Communist
and half capitalist, or half totalitarian
and half democratic. They are COM
mitted to line of action that admits
no retreat. They are driven fatalistic-
ally by an inexorable necessity, by
what the Greek tragedians called
anagke.
Unless we are willing to cease from
wishful thinking and to surrender
illusions of the possibility of a common
understanding between contradictory
systems Of human relationships we can
never comprehend the international
situation or prepare properly to meet
impending trials and responsibilities.
Russians Hold Gains.
So much for generalizations; now, for
the particulars, the hard facts on which
to base our conclusions and decisions.
The evidence Of these facts is so clear
that we can only wonder that any in
telligent Communist should ever
deny or minimize its significance.
What are these facts, these deeds that
speak more convincingly than words?
One outstanding fact is that wherever
the armies of the Soviet Union have
entered they generally remained. They
are still In Poland, Romania, Yugo-
slavia, Bulgaria, Austria, Hungary and
Albania. Where they have ostensibly
Withdrawn, as in Czechoslovakia and
Manchuria, they have left behind in
important posts native leaders and Rus
sian officials to execute the wishes Of
Moscow.
Though Poland was solemnly promised
independence and free elections by the
Allied powers its government is DOM
mated by Communist elements that pre-
vent the free expression of the wishes
of the powerful Peasant Party.
Romania, situated astride the Danube
River and possessing rich oil fields, Is
virtually governed from the Kremlin.
Bulgaria. which borders strategically
on Turkey and Greece, is completely
dominated by Russia.
Yugoslavia, which fronts on the
Adriatic and borders on Greece, Is gov
erned by Communist trained and con-
trolled by Moscow. Tito merely voices
the aims of the Soviet Union In its
drive to the Adriatic through the stra-
tegic port of Trieste. And Albania finds
itself occupied by Russia which is forti-
flying the valuable ports of Valona and
Sasseno at the entrance to the Adriatic.
Austrian Plans Crippled.
Hungary has been crushed and loot
ed by the Communists who have now
achieved a ruthless vengence for the
failure of the Bella Kun, Lenin's hench-
man, In 1919.
Austria, whose independence has been
acknowledged by the Allied occupying
powers, finds itself practically paralyzed
because of the opposition of Moscow to
plans for its unification. The Russians
have demanded the practical cession of
valuable and arabic land much needed
by the Austrians, and are settling
Ukrainian farmers there for an in
definite period.
Tho economic development Of the
Danubian Basin has been impeded by
the refusal of Russia to consent to the
internationalization Of that great river,
which was established after the First
World War. The Soviet Union plainly
intends to include it under the control
of the Russian satellites behind the iron
curtain"
Turkey Is being subjected to war
of nerves by Russia which Is not
merely demanding its legitimate rights
of free passage through the Dardaneiles
but also its control, as well as the
cession OF strategic Turkish provinces.
Iran, after Its frantic and vain appeal
to the United Nations, was terrorized
into the virtual cession OF the rich
province of Azerbaijan and to granting