Evening star., 1947-08-14

nomlc resources only Tor those coun-
tries which are willing to establish
and maintain free governments.
When a government places itself
under the domination of the Rus
sian system and engages in a cam
paign of infiltration against neigh
boring states, it can no longer ex-
pect the United States to furnish
the sinews of aggression.
Hungary and Yugoslavia are con-
sidered under Russian domination.
The stirring up of civil war in Greece
with the aid of small neighboring
states Is considered here an act Of
aggression by Russia although it
isn't called by that name officially.
The fact is our officials are con-
vinced Russia is responsible for in
citing the Greek factions to civil
war and that her object is to gain
control of that country as she has
Of other countries near by.
Russians Disclaim All.
The Russians naively disclaim all
connection and responsibility. but
this does not mean that the Ameri-
can Government is obliged to ac-
cept such disclaimers when the facts
reported by our diplomatic repre-
sentatives and the embassies and
legations of other powers say the
opposite.
The situation as between Russia
and America, therefore, grows no
better. There is no inclination here
= define or outline future moves or
to make any threats or precipitate
any breaks. What is happening. on
the other hand, is the application of
patent pressure 1t is done silently
without fanfare or verbal pyro-
technics.
The belief seems to prevail in off,
cial quarters that the present lead
ers of the Russian group are not too
well entrenched and that the whole
economic structure of Russia is
weaker than generally thought. To
govern such a large territory and
so many millions of people is a task
of far-reaching proportions. What
Is even more difficult is to maintain
control just outside Of Russia where
ostensibly there are independent
sovereign nations.
The Balkans can conceivably be-
come a real headache for the Soviet
leaders. The more economic dis
turbances in the area near the
boundaries of Russia, the more diff
f1cult 1t will be for the Moscow
government to conceal from its own
people the failure of its nonco-
operationist policy as against the
Western Powers.
Meanwhile, Secretary Of State
Marshall has departed for Rio de
Janeiro as If he had no other more
serious business on his hands. The
European picture is far from bright
and the British situation is grow
ing more unhappy every day, but
the American Government appears
to- regard with equanimity the tu-
tufe trend. This Is because the
much talked about collapse of the
export trade is something which the
United States is not going to at
tempt to control.
Real and Artificial Needs.
Thus, for instance, the other
countries Of the world have virtually
as much gold and dollar assets az
they had at the close of the war
While there is tendency to cal
these amounts by the name Of ere.
seryes," the feeling here is that "re-
serves" were designed to meet emer.
gencies and this is a good time t
differentiate between real and arti.
fetal needs.
II the European countries are buy.
ing things they do not need, they
can readjust their categories O.
purchases and use their reserves
il necessary to get their economic
systems rehabilitated. If, however
articles which are not needed ar
being imported and the expectation
is that by means of the Marshal
Plan or some other device American
loans and grants are to be forth
coming solely to bolster export trad
from this country, surprise is il
store for those who hold such 1
view.
Certain changes in the British
American loan agreement will b.
made on a temporary basis. but al
such rumors as the gold-mining in
terests may be circulating that SOM
plan Is afoot to raise the price o
gold and devalue the gold content o
the American dollar are sheer non
sense.
The American Government i
dealing on a realistic and practica
basis with the problem of Russi
and the Balkans and with othe
aspects OF the whole European eco
nomic problem. The so-called day
of Santa Claus in internationa
finance are Overland largely be
cause the Republican majority ii
Congress Is rightly insisting on
showing of real need before givin
American aid and is demandin
also that no countries within tn
Russian orbit be granted American
loans or assistance.
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