Evening star., 1947-08-31

v
avowed motives for subscribing to
the modern concept of self-determi-
nation. The difficult and danger
GUS period of the Brest-Litovsk
treaty had to be coped with. 1t
was of the greatest Importance to
obtain recognition by Germany
and, consequently, the German re.
ciprocal demand to have the inter-
vening lands under her direct in
fiuence had to be facilitated at all
costs.
But the ill-starred attempt failed
It's results-au unprecedented by
the planners-turned to a temporary
advantage of the west and of the
concept Of Democracy itself. The
creation Of a belt of independent
states separating Russia from the
Reich, the strengthening of others
already existing in that same zone
prevented the Bolsheviks from es-
tablishing direct contact with a deli
quescent Reich. hence avoided the
Bolshevization of defeated Ger
many.
Military Cooperation
Nevertheless, from 1922, when the
Rapallo treaty between Germany
and the U. S. S. r. was signed, one
can record close and almost un-
interrupted military cooperation
between a Germany thirsting fol
revenge against the west and a So.
Wet Russia no less eager to bring
about the downfall Of the Western
European democracies.
This German Bolshevik symbiosis
was to eliminate In the Ribbentrop-
Molotov pact Of August, 1899, ex-
ploding in the shocked eyes of
world trembling on the brink of war
Thus the Second World War was let
loose. Stalin's gain from this under
standing with Hitler consisted OF
parts of Poland and of Romania
and the entirety of the three Baltic
republics and Finland.
Later, the Wehrmacht's lightning
thrust into the Soviet. Union could
hardly have been stopped and then
turned, had not the massive assist
ance of the western powers inter
vened.
And what of the political group OF
high German officers, established in
Russia by 1913? This partnership
of the future is at present kept in
abeyance. But what of some favor
able tomorrow? Soviet Russia now
holds in Its relentless grip not only
the Baltic States but also Finland
Poland, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Ro-
mania, Czechoslovakia, Eastern Aus
tria and Brandenburg, Saxony
and Prussia-the very core OF the
German Reich. Gone are the days
when the myth of anxiety over the
Soviet Unions security could have
been reasonably credited to the
Kremlin, serving as pretext to
justify the unjustifiable.
Kremlin's Aims
And for the rest Of the world the
reality-a reality of long standing
though wistfully ignored by sc
many-can no longer be denied
The concern of the Kremlin is with
security, not for Soviet lands and
for their enslaved millions. but Sc
curity for communism, abroad as
we'll as at home.
The real aims of the Kremlin lie
beyond the anodyne socialism In
one country" with which so many
statesmen have been taken in
Those aims are a continued expan-
sion, special brand of imperial
ism, a spawning of satellites OF
Stalinist persuasion. The true sig
nificance of this policy must be
sought in the fact, which by now
has been thoroughly established
that in each of the unfortunate
countries lying behind the Trieste
Stettin line, and no matter what
the ostensible designation of the
friendly government" may be, the
real power Is held, not by the local
doctrinaires of communism, but by
trusted members of the dissolved
Moscow comintern, each and every
one of whom has been trained, ano
continues to receive his orders, at
the source itself, the Kremlin's in
most cell, the Politburo. Tactics
may vary as local conditions vary
but the overall strategy Is evident
It is to prepare, not merely the
Baltic regions, but also Poland
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the Balk.
ans. etc., as stepping stones fol
further thrusts westward into in
dustrial Europe, until the entire
continent is secured up to the
Atlantic.
Basically, there is no such thing
as a Balkan problem any more
than there is a Baltic problem" ar
Austrian problem" or Hungarian
problem" etc. Each and every ont
of these problems" hinges mainly
: upon just one issue: Weaker ane
smaller nations must be Withdrawn
effectively from the exclusive anc
predominant influence of sovie
Russia.
Calls on y. n. to Act
And this is a problem for thu
United Nations, if the latter il
willing to survive. Not Greece alon,
in the Mediterranean presents th'
last line of democracy. Under th'
camoufage of a Balkan, "conf1a
grafton" Soviet Russia is actuall.
strengthening its positions in tht
, Baltic which to any strategicall!
sound mind should reveal the rea
intentions of the Bolsheviks to dom
: mate Northern Europe and through
it Central Europe and all the con
f, tinent. Meanwhile the Balkan pla!
: L. of %t,a xx,orll or.<