Evening star., 1947-09-28

The American people, who are
sacrifices for the rest of the world,
picture of our relations with our
wartime associates and especially
with Russia and her satellites.
Momentous issues are facing the
American public these days. The
delegates of the Soviet Union and
her satellites are snarling at Amer
lea in New York, and throughout
Europe and Asia the Soviet propa-
gandists are spreading fantastic
stories about Americas drive for
world domination.
People Bewildered
The governments of Western Eu-
rope are urgently demanding some
$4,000, 100000 worth of 'foodstuffs,
raw materials and industrial equip
ment in order to prevent catas-
trophe. Administration spokesmen
are asking the people of this coun-
try to dig deeper into their pockets
to save western civilization, at a
time when, with the cost of living
spiraling, the average family does
mental gymnastics to make both
ends meet.
The tendency among the rank
and file in the United States is to
favor more help for Europe, but the
people are bewildered over what is
happening to the world and to
themselves. During the war they
were told that Russia, more than
any other of our partners, was help
ing to make the world safe for de-
mocracy. They we're told that the
United Nations would become real
instrument for peace and that any
sacrifices asked for that purpose
must be made without murmur.
All those who opposed-however
mildly-the comprehensive programs
set forth by our leaders were labeled
reactionaries and Fascist sympa-
thizers. The Governments pro-
grams were rammed through Con-
grkss with minimum of discus
sion. Those who followed debates
on Capitol Hill remember that the
emotional rather than the factual
eide of the picture was always pre-
sented to Congress and the people.
Pressure on Congress
The question of relief for Europe
in the form of UNRRA Immediately
after the war was presented as a
must" by Dean Acheson, then
Assistant Secretary of State. The
services of many well-intentioned
acknowledgements clubs, re-
ligious groups and others-were en-
listed by the State Department to
increase pressure on those Sena-
tors and Representatives who want
ed to know to what good use the
American taxpayers money would
be put.
Under the pressure of thousands
Of letters, kilograms and phone calls
some Congress members cast af-
firrnative votes on the relief pro-
gram, despite the fact that they
were by no means convinced that
there was any real merit in the
legislation presented by. the Gov
ernment.
The people of the United States
and their representatives in Con-
gress indorsed the United Nations
almost 100 per cent as the only
means of keeping the world at
peace for many years. They had
not been given the inside story of
the Dumbarton Oaks Conference
and the conversations between the
Big Three at Yalta.
In the mind of the man in the
street the U.- N. was the only
tangible result Il war which cost
us hundreds of thousands of cas-
ualties and more than 100000, 900,
600. The rank and file of American
citizens had no idea of the true
conditions under which Stain
agreed to join the world organiza-
ton.
The U. N. was represented to be
a gathering of peace-loving nations
and when some simple soul asked
why Portugal, Fire and Switzerland
which had been peace loving ma
tions for so many years, had not
been included in its membership
the reason was given as sinister
fascism."
Insults Swallowed
The inside story of some of the
deals which marked organization
of the U. N. were disclosed by en-
terprising newsmen. People be-
lieved these stories were good read
ing, but placed little credence in
them since the Government itself
never hreathed word about such
secret agreements with its wartime
partners.
Until September, 1916, when Mar
shal Tito's forces in Yugoslavia shot
down American planes and killed
American flyers. all hints that our
relations with Russia and its de-
Tendencies in Europe were on a
bad basis were deprecated by Gov
ernment officials as pernicious prop
aganda by irresponsible individuals
The Yugoslav crime awakened the
American people to the fact that
everything might not be going as
well as it was ofhcially said. Al
the same time Moscow. which real
tzet that the teeth of Americas
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