Evening star., 1947-08-16

comes from the
feeble Wallace
group on the
Democratic side
and few ex- Frank R. Kent.
treme isolationists on the other.
Neither means much.
Perhaps it was essential to ex-
haust every possibility of Russian
cooperation. Perhaps those two
years of futility we're necessary to
prove that Russian cooperation is
a mirage and Russian strategy from
the start has been to nullify, frus-
trate, delay and block all efforts to
make the "One World" idea a real
1ty. In that, at any rate, they have
succeeded They also have succeeded
in exhausting American patience,
opening American eyes and creating
an overwhelming American senti-
:nent against permitting the Soviet
leaders to continue making fools of
us. So strong is this feeling that the
molders of American policy are be-
ing forced to make of the November
meeting Of Foreign Ministers an
absolute deadlines
1t is not only that the best-in-
formed men are convinced that any
thing else is illogical and indefens-
iole, not to say idiotic, but public
sentiment has reached q pitch
where another exhibition such as
occurred in Moscow last spring will
not be tolerated. Then Mr.. Molotov,
impervious to every appeal and re-
jecting every argument, brought the
conference to an utterly ridiculous
close, making the whole business an
absurd waste Of time, money and
effort.
Limit Reached.
The limit has been reached.
Everything that could be done to
secure Russian acquiescence has
been done. None save the incurable
partisan can seriously believe now
that the Russians intend-or ever
intended-to cooperate. No one
not obviously beclouded can be mis-
led further by softheaded urgings
to understand the Russians. The
time has arrived when it is impos-
sible longer to misunderstood them
We were not very smart ever to
have done so, but certainly now it
is much too clear to dispute that
their fixed policy is against any kind
Of international cooperation which
we possibly could contemplate. In
TWO years time they have reduced
the United Nations to complete
futility. Through exercise of their
veto they have prevented an inch Of
progress in the supremely vital job
of controlling atomic energy in the
interests of international peace. BY
laying down impossible conditions
they have brought every conference
since the shooting ended to an in
glorious and innocuous conclusion.
They have consistently violated writ
tsn treaties and agreements as well
as verbal understandings until no
one anywhere has any confidence in
a Russian promise and the most
patent of our representatives have
become resentful.
Clearly, we cannot continue to
be the egregrious boobs we have
been for two years Clearly, to let
the Soviet leaders longer lure us
with the idea that just little more
effort and another conference or
so will bring us together in amity
and accord is just silly. There is
such wide agreement on this score
that concrete program of action
at the November conference is be-
ginning to emerge. The first step
in this is not to let that conference
run along through tedious weeks of
shadow boxing, as have the others;
but just as soon as it is apparent
the Russian policy of procrastina-
ton and excuse has not changed,
in effect, to say to them this:
Enough. This conference is over.
There will be no others. We are
going ahead on our own. We will
make our own peace treaties with
Germany and Japan. If later you
want to come in, the door will be
open; but, for all time, we are
through with this kind of nom
sense" We not only should say that
but mean it.
Word to Free Nations.
Following that. We should say
and mean-to the free nations of
the West, including Britain and
France something like this: Rus
sian cooperation concededly is i'm
possible. We are going to make
treaties with Germany and Japan.
We recommend you do the same. If
you do, and then will agree to con-
ditions permitting us to aid you to
regain your economic health without
sinking ourselves, we will aid to
the extreme limit of our capacity
If you will not agree, then we have
but one alternative: to withdraw all
aid and all troops abroad and con-
fine ourselves to our own continent
and our own welfare. This will be
painful for us but it will be fatal
to you. We can survive. but you can
not. We do not want to be driven
to this course. We hope it will not
come to that. We shall continue to
support the United Nations. But if
the nonco-operation of Russia is to
be followed by nonco-operation of
the free countries there is nothing
else we can do. The time has come
when we have got to stop being
fools"
This makes sense. If there is any
other program for meeting the
situation, it has not been developed.
Perhaps one will be, but certain it
is that another long-winded, bum
BILE puppy conference in which we
are made saps of by Mr. Molotov is
not going to 60 down with the people
and our leaders know it. An extra
ordinary spectacle is here presented.
With the whole Soviet weight
thrown against our foreign policy
in an effort to block us abroad, the
Communists in this country, di-
rected from Moscow. ceaselesSly