Evening star., 1947-07-05
The Political Mill
Russiu Has Served Notice
Of Communist Expansion
Final Evidence Was Given World b.
Warning at Paris Conference
By Gould Lincoln

have now been put on notice Wnat 70 expect
from Soviet Russia. 1t Is not co-operaeion' II
Is determination to expand communism -
which now takes on the corolary OF RUSSIAN
control and domination. When Foreign COM
missar Molotov flatly declined to continue 10
work with Bevin of Britain and Bidault OF
France on plans for the economic rehaolhtatlon
of Europe, and warned both Britain and france
that If they continued such plans they mlght
have to face Russia, the last convincing eVi-
dence was in. 1t was, in truth, only the last OF
q long series of refusals of Russia to cooperate
with the Western nations since the close OF
the war and creation of the United Nations
The American people want peace. They do
not want an atomic war The alternatives
which confront them are appeasement OF soviet
Russia or preparations to defend this country.
Appeasement even If majority OF the people
favored it, would in the end achieve nothing.
It never has. Adequate national defense
which is real road to peace money and
national effort The attitude of Soviet Rus
sia, however. is forcing the United States to
prepare for any eventuality.
Two Courses Open.
Two courses, two ways Of attacking this new
problem which has arisen because Of Russia's
determination to continue its war against capl.
talism and the freedom which western demo-
cracy gives to the individual, are at hand. The
first is to continue with the Marshall plan to
aid the countries Of western Europe to get back
on their feet economically and to become strong
again. The second, is to prepare for war.
Two measures now before Congress look to-
strengthening the national defense-the So
called merger" bill and the proposal for
system of universal military training. The
merger BILL which calls for single department
Of national defense, has been slated by the Re-
publican leaders in Congress for final passage
before this session adjourns The universal
military training bill, however has no place
on the immediate program. It should have,
even if it delays the adjournment Of Congress.
No other action taken by the United States
could so clearly convince the leaders of Soviet
Russia that the American people are COM
pletely and totally serious in their determine
tion to fight, if necessary, for their own free
dom and to aid others who may be subject of
attack from totalitarian sources
Military training has been resisted in this
country for years by those who believe that
war can be avoided by merely setting peace
full example to the rest of the world. The op-
ponents of military training have been potent
In the past. They, however, are now in the
minority, judging from public opinion polls
and from the mass of favorable ietters-letters
supporting the training plan-which have
come to members OF Congress in recent weeks
Congress Still Hesitates.
President Trumans special commission to
study the question of military training for the
youth of this country headed by President
Compton of the Massachusetts, Institute of
Technology let new light filter through the
prejudices against such a training program
and provided powerful arguments in support Of
it. Still Congress has hesitated, because of the
opposition of some churchmen, some labor
leaders and of pacifst groups.
The House Committee on the Armed Serv-
ices has commercially started public hearings
on universal military training, and several
more days of hearings are scheduled for the
coming week. The bill may be whipped into
shape for presentation to the House in COM
paratively brief time, if the committee could
get "go' sign from the Republican leadership
Of the House. So far, however, there has been
no such sign. Now that the Republicans have
determined to go ahead with the repassage Of
the Knutson- -Millikin tax reduction bill,
there should be time in the House for the
consideration of the military training bill while
the Senate debates other measures including
the tax bill. Even if the training bill could
only pass one house of Congress before ad-
journment of the session, 1t would be a formal
notice of what is to come. Further, much
time will have been saved if the bill can be
ready for Senate consideration early next
winter.
Militarily trained men are needed-and
needed in large numbers-whenever this coun-
try engages in war They will be in the next
war, if and when it comes. The skeptics who
constantly argue that the training of all young
men is unnecessary pay no attention to that
fact Does any one seriously believe that fewer
men will be needed to fight a third world war
than were needed in the first and second world
wars?