Evening star., 1947-03-02


problem which is to be discussed
by the Foreign Ministers at their
forthcoming conference in Moscow
The two bloody wars imposed
upon the world by the German
imperialists in their bid for domina-
tion over other nations still are
fresh in memory. There must be
no third one.
CA concomitant fear of many
is that the war may merely have
supplanted Russian imperialism
for German imperialism. As a
result of the war, the U. S. S. r.
already has annexed Eastern
Poland, Lithuania, Eastern Fin
land, Latyia, Bessarabia and
Bukovina, Estonia, Southern SAX
halin, Carpatho- Ukraine, East
Prussia and the Kurile Islands
more than 100000 square miles of
territory inhabited by some
25,000,000 people-and has estab-
lished political domination in
such countries as Poland, Yugo-
slavia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hun
gary, Albania, Finland and
Czechoslovakia, plus the Red
occupied areas Of Germany and
Austria.)
The Cost in Lives.
Not all Americans probably have
clear idea of the price Russia paid
for the Hitler invasion. The wound:
inflicted by the Fascists on Soviet
cities and villages have not beer
healed to this day. Americans might
get at least some idea of the dev-
astation by imagining tornado
sweeping from the Atlantic all the
way to the Mississippi, leaving heaps
of ruins in its train.
Our people will have to spend
years making good the damage
meanwhile denying themselves many
necessities. Millions of fresh graves
keep reminding us that German
imperialism must be rendered
harmless.
tAmericans and British also
had casualties. Combined, the
toll Of military dead for the two
countries was about 385.000. The
u. S. s. r. never has released
exact figures Of its military cas-
r. ualties, except for Stalin's gen.
eral estimate that 100000
army and civilian-were lostD
The Soviet people attach much
Importance to the solution Of the
German problem; they want just
and reasonable solution.
The basis for such a solution Is
indicated in the decisions Jointly
arrived at by the Allies at the tri-
partite conference in Potsdam. The
war had just ended, and the effect
of the joint war efforts and COM
mon dangers had not worn off. The
Potsdam Conference therefore found
correct approach to the German
problem.
The decisions adopted there called
for complete disarmament anc
demilitarization of Germany, fol
elimination of German industry
that could be used for military pro-
duction, for extirpation Of German
militarism and Naziism and fol
eventual reconstruction Of German
political life on a democratic and
peaceful basis. tt was also decided
that Germany should pay repara-
tions to compensated only to some
extent-for the loss and suffering
caused by German aggression.
Byrnes Laid the Line.
Those were reasonable and fair
decisions, which could hardly evoke
any objections. Nevertheless they
are now the butt of fierce attacks
in the camp Of our Allies, the
United States and Britain. Some
newspapers in New York and Lon
don imply that Potsdam was a
mistake from beginning to end
Furthermore, the Potsdam decisions
are being daily violated by oul
Allies.
(Whatever the editorial opin-
ions in British and American
newspapers, the official line was
laid down by former Secretary Of
State James j. Byrnes in his
last speech: 1.-THE United States
is prepared to carry out fully the
principles outlined in the Pots
dam agreement on demilitariza-
ton and reparations. However,
there should be changes in the
levels Of industry agreed upon
by the Allied Control Commits
sion if Germany is not to be
administered as an economic
unit as the Potsdam agreement
contemplates and requires
I shall not dwell here on the
sanctity Of international agree
ments. Unfortunately we see that
it is those who nowadays expatiate
on this subject that like to have
recourse in nice words in order to
cover up their unseemly deeds.
A Charge and Countercharge.
II Germany Is to be rendered
harmsless, German militarism must
have its teeth and claws pulled ;
German war industry must be elm
mated. Yet in the. western zones
Of Germany not only do war fac
tories continue to operate, but even
the monopolistic concerns-main
suppliers Of Hitler's war machine
still are allowed to exist. Nor has
anything been done there to break
up the big landed estates, those
traditional nests of German mil
itarism.
(The actual fact Is that Amer
scan and British military gov
ernments have put into effect IN
their zones q new LIBERALIZATION