Evening star., 1947-08-01

can governments toward each other
outside the U. N.
Russia has consistently held, ever
since VI day. that she is entitled
to a major portion of the spoils OF
war. She signed the United Ma
tions Charter with the distinct
understanding that it would not
deal with questions of reparations
or occupied territories or the peace
treaties with former belligerent
countries.
Russis has insisted, moreover,
that she is entitled to an old-fash-
ioned sphere of influence" in East
ern Europe. She considers the
British governments power on the
wane in the Near East and herself
as the logical heir to that sphere
Of influence"
The American Government, on
the other hand, just as persistently
has argued for collective security
and the abolition of spheres of
influence"
Russians Pursue Own Course.
W VIC IAll1C3ASoAA
Government to their viewpoint, the
Russians have pursued a course OF
their own. If the United States
and the other powers do not like it,
they can go to war about it. This,
the Russians believe, will not hap
pen because they think the Amert-
can people will not sanction a war
over whether Russia should expand
her orbit of influence in Eastern
Europe.
Russia, feeling that she is en-
titled to the spoils of war and be-
lieving that neither Britain nor
America will voluntarily give her a
free hand in Eastern Europe, has
gone ahead to exercise that free
hand anyway.
The first challenge to Russia's
policy came in the form of the
Truman Doctrine. This doctrine
implied military help for Greece
and Turkey or at least enough
American dollars to bolster the
Greek and Turkish military
strength.
In America the doctrine was wide
ly applauded. In Russia 1t was con-
sidered an unfriendly act. Hence,
when the Marshall Plan came along,
the Russians distrusted it as just
an extension of the Truman Doc
trlne. Everything that has hap
pened since must be judged in the
light of a Russian American con-
flict Of interest.
The crisis over the guerrilla war
fare inside Greece is but one Incl
dent in a series of reprisals taken
bv the Russians to thwart the Amer
lean activities in Europe which the
Russians feel are hostile to their
expansion.
Whether or not American officials
call things by their right names, the
fact is the United States and Rus
sia are acting as If they could not
settle their disputes by diplomacy
and that only by economic coercion
or economic aid to Western Europe
can the Russian expansion program
be checkmated.
Could Lead to War.
This is not helping to improve
Russian American relations. 1t
could lead to war that neither
side wants.
Unfortunately there are few signs
that the American Government has
any constructive policy which could
lead to a better understanding with
Russia. All the moves seem to be
of a nature to irritate and annoy
and harass Russia into an altera-
ton of her course Russia Is match
ing that policy with counter-irrita-
tions and annoyances from Korea
to the Balkans.
The assumption that Russia is too
weak to 60 to war is like the assump-
ton that Japan would not attack
us in 1941-but the japanese did at
tack at Pearl Harbor, much to the
surprise of nearly every one of our
officials.
What is needed, of course, is di-
rect action-direct diplomacy and an
6xpOSlU1Oll U4 dll JllC 4dSto LII CllC
controversy. Just as Japan and
America drifted into war through
secret diplomacy, SO America and
Russia may be drifting into war
with the facts about the two COM
peting interests in Europe not fully
disclosed. It's just possible that the
American people might find, on re-
viewing all the documents, that the
American policy had not always
been right 1t is possible also that
when all the facts are disclosed,
united people would support whole.
heartedly and justify the program
already adopted. But the public is
in the dark at the moment. Maybe
if war comes,. there'll be another
white paper" telling all the facts
when it, is too late to do anything
about them.
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