Evening star., 1947-04-06
Reaction Of American
People IS Watched

| People Is Watched
Russians Want to See Whether
| Truman Policy Gets Support
By George Fielding Eliot
| Do the Americans really mean what
/ they are saying? That Is the $64 ques-
ton in the inner circles of the Kremlin
at this very moment.
The gentlemen of the Kremlin by
this time have had sufdcient experience
with President Truman to know that
he means what he says. They are dis
covering in Moscow, right now, that
George G. Marshall means exactly what
he says, too. Probably the realistic
| Russian leaders have already discounted
| any lingering hope that Congress will
let down the President and the Secre-
tary Of State as far as immediate sup-
| port of their policies Is concerned.
But will the American people back
them up in the long pull that lies
| ahead? Will we be able to overcome
our desire to relax, to forget the war;
to roll aside the burdens Of constant
strain and constant effort? Do We
| really want peaceful and secure world
enough to pay the price Of peace, not
| only In hard cash-and 1t will cost
plenty OF that--but in all the other
sacrifices that we must make, and go
on making, year after year and genera
ton after generation. with the knowl-
edge that we are building a structure
whose completion no American now liv-
| ing will ever see? Can we endure the
disappointments and the calumnies, the
taxes and the turmoil, the whole un-
familiar Ito Americans distasteful bust.
ness Of constant worldwide RESPONSE
bility?
The Russians. In their propaganda,
have constantly appealed to the Ameri-
can people over the heads Of American
| political leaders. They are continuing
to do so. They have little hope Of
wringing more concessions from our
Government; that day is over, and they
know it. But they do hope that the
American people will get sick of 1t all.
that they will-for one reason or an
other-refuse to face up to the job that
has been set for them.
II that happens, the march toward .
Soviet world can be resumed. It Is only
il the Russian leaders become convinced
beyond all question that it isn't going
to happen that they will consider .
real reorientation Of their program.
There can be no Soviet world In the face
The opposition is presently apparent;
the Russians hesitate, stall for time
will the steadiness, the resolution be
apparent, continue to be apparent?
That they must know So they watch
for signs.
And being the realists they are, one
Of the most important signs for which
they watch is the attitude of the Ameri.
can people toward their military obli-
cations They know full we'll the basic
necessity for keeping foreign commits
ments and military power in balance:
they are not sure whether we have
learned that lesson. They will watch
such matters as the military and naval
budgets, and discussion in Congress and
in the press of whether or not there
should be a prohibition on the use Of
military force to back up our Greek and
Turkish investments, If need be. They
will watch with keen interest the fate
| Of the current proposal for universal
| military training; they will read and
analyze and reanalyze every word Of
| the report of the Presidents commission
| now studying that subject, and of the
subsequent public discussion, congress
sional hearings and debates. 1t is on
| evidence like this that they will make
up their minds, far more than on what
the President and Secretary Of State
now say and do.
One very important element in their
| estimate of the American situation will
| be the results obtained in recruiting for
the regular armed forces, now that Sc
lective service is at an end and enlist
ments are on purely voluntary basis
with no element of compulsion, direct
or indirect, involved. In order to keep
up Regular Army Gncluding the air
force) of 100000 men, we shall need
about 10000 enlistments month. viii
we get them? In order to keep up
Navy Of $4,000 men and Marine Corps
OF 100000, we shall need about $4,000
enlistments month. Will we get them?
The gentlemen in the Kremlin will be
extremely interested in the answers to
these positions
When they have had a chance, over
q period of several months, to find out
whether American youth will respond
to the call Of national need, the Russians
will be able to make better appraisal
Of the chances of forward" policy.
Should the curve Of enlistments fall
drastically below current requirements,
the Russians would be considerably en-
couraged. Then, If the tide of popular
opinion should turn heavily against
universal training, the Russians would
be enormously encouraged. For If those
two things should happen, the United
States would be unable to keep q just
balance between its military power and
vigorous foreign policy, and the United
acknowledging the effective support
Of American power-would decline into
q mere debating society, such as the
League of Nations became because none
OF its members was willing to stand be-
hind it with real power.
So the Russians stall, and obstruct,
and wait. They are waiting for the
oyeuer fo the SRd u1,ostfa,