Evening star., 1947-04-20
Our Policy Stiffens
In Central Europe
Days of Waiting for Russian
Moves Are Gone Forever
Bv George Fieldinu Eliot

Days Of Waiting for Russian
Moves Are Gone Forever
By George Fielding Eliot
There Is great deal more to the Rus
sian reluctance to conclude an Austrian
peace settlement than the question Of
the ownership of German assets In
Austria. in the opinion OF well informed
persons in Washington
In fact, pattern of American policy
in Central Europe is rapidly taking form
which is even more disquieting to the
Kremlin than our policy In Greece and
Turkey. In this pattern. an Austrian
settlement is Of central Importance.
The countries affected are Austria. Hun
gary and Czechoslovakia
It should be remembered that Just as
Secretary Marshall departed for the
Moscow conference he sent sharp pro-
test to the Soviet government regard
ing political conditions In Hungary,
where the Communist Party, with the
fun support of the Soviet commander
of the occupation troops. has been en-
gagged in 'liquidating" prominent mem-
bers of the Stockholders Party.
The Smaliholders Party had a clear
majority at the last election and is
nominally in control Of the Hungarian
government, but the Russians have
forced Communist Minister of Police
into the cabinet and have effectively
prevented the government from carry
ing out its policies. The result has been
complete stalemate, confusion and pro-
longed misery for the Hungarian people,
since the government Is quite helpless
to do anything constructive. Meanwhile
the Hungarian economy Is handcuffed
by the commercial treaty which Russia
has forced upon the country, which in
its net result Is all take and no put.
Protests from the American and British
members Of the Allied Control Commits
sion at Budapest have been calmly dis
regarded by the Russian commander.
IF an Austrian settlement making
Austria an independent country, with
withdrawal of the Allied forces of occu-
patton, is concluded, two results viii
follow affecting the Hungarian situation.
First, the Russians must then (under
the terms Of the peace treaty with
Hungary concluded last year in Paris
withdraw their troops from Hungary
within ninety days after the Hungary
treaty has been ratified. That means
that there will be no means by which
the Russians can keep Communist
ministers In office. The Communist
"arty in Hungary has no real strength
ve the support of Soviet bayonets.
he second result is that the western
economic system will move right up to
the Hungarian frontier. Hungary win
have through Austria, direct contact
with the western world-something
which she does not have now, for the
Soviet-occupied zone of Austria stands
between Hungary and the west
Next 1t Is pointed out here, TIE
treaties with the Danubian nations call
for the convening of the European com.
mission on navigation of the Danube
within sixty days after the ratification
OF the peace treaties. As long as there
Is no Austrian treaty, the Soviet occupa-
tion zone in Austria blocks freedom of
movement on the great river which once
was, and can be again, the principal ar
terry Of central European commerce. The
conclusion of an Austrian treaty would
unlock this barrier.
Then there is to be considered the
steady drift toward the west of the
Czechoslovakian economy This was, OF
course, inevitable. The Russians havs
little enough to offer to the Czecho-
slavian industrialist or business man. It
Is toward the west that they inevitably
turn. American policy has been directed
toward accentuating this drift.
What this all adds up to Is q major
economic and political offensive driving
into the very heart of the Soviet dom.
mated area of central European Of.
fensive under the twin banners Of polite
cal freedom and economic stability. It
will have the Danube River as It's axis,
along the whole course of that stream
through Czechoslovakia, Austria and
Hungary right down to the Yueoslav
frontier. Such an operation must, Of
course, have secure base. This base, it
is hoped, will be established by the rec.
onciliation of French with Anglo Ameri-
can policy in Germany, enabling ths
three western zones Of Germany to be
brought within broad framework of
western European economic agreements,
to include France, Belgium, The Meth
erlands and Scandinavia, with American
and British participation and support.
Thus it is not only in Greece and Tur-
key that we are pursuing our purpose Of
extending the frontiers Of freedom.
And 1t may be said very definitely that
the days of sitting on the defensive and
waiting for the Russians to make the
next move are days that are gone for
ever.