Evening star., 1947-03-13

Trumon's S Message
Warns Soviet BIuntly
Support by Congress May Cause
Quick Change in Russian Policy
By Dapid Laurence
President Truman has, in effect, mott
ned the Russian government that the
Omitted States wants the Soviet to stop
intervening in various countries Of the
world by means Of such subterfuges a.
| political infiltrati6n"
This Is a warning that, while COM
munism and terrorism and coercion and
denial Of freedom Of the press and Of
free speech are the prerogatives Of the
Soviets within their own borders, they
must refrain from such tactics In other
countries.
This warning was coupled with plain
statement that continuance Of Russian
tactics may sndanger the peace Of the
world.
The Truman message cannot be read
as . simple exposition OF the troubles
Of Greece and Turkey or merely Of the
needs for American economic and IN.
ancial aid. The message Is q blunt ehal-
lenge to Russia that she must stop her
aggression and pay wholesome and SIN
cere respect to the United Nations
charter.
While third world war wasn't mem
toned and the message contained no
threats, its essence was that II Russia
wants to upset world peace, the United
States is ready now for that challenge.
1t might even be inferred that America
prefers to come to q showdown now
rather than risk the drifting course
which might leave Europe at the mercy
Of the Communists.
Appeasement is tabooed. Plain speak
ing has taken its place. The crisis may
come as . shock to the American people,
but it Is much better to have such things
come out into the open, where discus
sion can force all the facts to the sur
face, than to allow the smouldering fires
of Russian American relations to go on
as they have been heretofore.
America Prepared Now.
If third world war Is to be fought.
1t is better that it be fought now when
American reserves are trained and an
enormous amount of equipment can be
turned into instantaneous use, rather
than to risk a. showdown five years from
now when the Army, Navy and Air
Forces have been demobilized and all
equipment has been scrapped.
But it is reasonably sure there will be
no war. There will be none now or five
years from now If America Is resolute
now and faces issues squarely.
The Only language the Communists
respect Is force and plenty of 1t. Their
whole gamble has been that, through
their left-wing friends in America, they
could bring about such dissension and
disunity as to weaken the American eco
nonic structure.
The Communists still hope that dollars
and tax reductions will wean away from
the Presidents stand certain support
in Congress and that there will be
coalition of tax reductionists and iso-
lationists so that the President will not
be backed up. The Communists have
q surprise in store for them.
The President and Secretary Mar
shall win receive the overwhelming sup
port OF Congress because lives are more
precious than dollars. A stern and un-
equivocal course now will prevent war
and make sacrifices of lives unneces-
sary, though 1t will mean that moro
dollars from new tax rates will have to
be furnished. This can be done II the
tax system is revised so as to provide
proper incentives for business expansion
in the next few years.
Issue Is Human Freedom.
The Presidents message has been
called precedent breaking. The issus
Is the same as 1t was in 1914 and IN
1917 and In 1899 and In 1941. The issue
is human freedom and democracy versus
totalitarian dictatorship. The Russian
people are as helpless today as the
German people became under Hitler.
While not concerned with the form OF
government Of any other country, Amer
lea Is concerned with the crusades and
aggressive interferences in other coun-
tries by any totalitarian state.
The Soviet government has taken over
all the Balkans and is about to overrun
Greece and Turkey. The United Nations
is helpless to act because Russia can
block action there. So it remains for
the United States to decide either to
stand aloof and let Russia dominate the
world or to stand athwart Russias path
Of aggression and call halt.
The President and Gen. Marshall have
chosen to make firm stand. Congress
is asked to back them up. II that hap
pens. Russia will hesitate and change
her ways, for she is too weak to fight
war or to want to provoke the United
States into a war
Within few weeks, if not days, after
Congress backs up the President, the So
called war scare" will vanish and for
the first time since vi day the inter-
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