Evening star., 1947-08-05
Behind the UroIs

IL Is obvious That the reports OF vast
Russian military preparations behind the
Ural Mountains, which are being brought
back by returning Austrian and Hungarian
prisoners OF war, should be received with
a certain measure of skepticism
The reports which have been published
say that most of the war prisoners, while
forced to work, never saw more than. the
one farm or factory to which they were
assigned. Only those considered to be
Communist Party material, the reports
add, were permitted to travel from lob to
job and thereby obtain an idea as to the
true state of affairs in Russia. This is
plausible and probably true But it is
very hard to believe that the Russians, who
go to such lengths to conceal their activ-
tiles from foreign eyes, would give any
prisoners an opportunity to appraise their
war industry and then permit them to go
back nome and describe what they saw.
The men who are charged with maintain
ing secrecy in the Soviet Union simply do
not operate that way
1t is possible, of course, that these re-
turning prisoners of war are being used to
promote some Soviet propaganda objective.
perhaps they are being used to create an
Illusion OF strength that does not exist,
But Whatever the fact as to that, we NAV
be very sure that these Austrians and Hun
garians, If they have actually seen any,
thing of hidden Soviet war industry, are
telling us only the things which the Rus
SLAMS want us to know Most certainly
these disclosures are not being made as
result OF any slip-up or stupidity on the
part OF the Kremlin. And it would be
foolish for us. to believe otherwise.
1t would be equally foolish, however. to
suppose that Russia Is not doing every-
tnlng IN her power to strengthen the Red
Army. The Sunday air show in Moscow
gave foreigners glimpse of iet-propelled
planes which have been built for the Red
Air Force, and one Allied military OBJ
server was prompted to say that "the
progress Russian aviation has made since
the war is Startling, to say the least" In
the past few days there has been revival
OF rumors concerning the organization and
training In Russia of a volunteer army
composed OF German deserters and war
prisoners. One report fixes the strength
- ~>~~S ~SASS CIV WALL W -oAA O1N1o1Ol1S, clSu-
teen of them armored
All of this can be discounted to a GER
tain extent. Half a dozen airplanes of q
new type do not add up to formidable
air force. The question is whether the
Russians can produce new types in guam
tity and use them properly. AS to the
refugee German army, the reports say that
many of its members were forced into the
units by the device of lowering their food
ration unless they joined. The value and
dependability Of such a force from the
Russian point of view, are at least ques-
tionable.
There remains, however, a considerable
mass of evidence, direct and indirect, that
the Russians are doing their best to
strengthen their military establishment.
And meanwhile, we are permitting our own
to deteriorate through indifference, reluc-
tance to spend the necessary money, and
sheer ignorance. This Is process, what
ever the truth or otherwise of the current
stories, which cannot fail to work out to
our disadvantage, If not to our ruin.