The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-09
Abroad
ny ANNE O'HARE MCCORMICK
In The New York Times

- MINT X1SA4S0
In The New York Times
The Comintern has come out again into
the open, more militant and more poWer
fullv backed than before. This is the sig
nificance of the news that the
leaders of nine European countries met
last month in Poland to draft a new mani
festo and unity their activities and their
PROPAGANDA. The countries included
France and Italy, where the party Is
stronger numerically than anywhere out
side the Soviet Union, as well as the LANDS
in the Russian orbit: The moving spirit
was Andrei Zhdanov, the member OF the
Moscow Politbureau who in pre-war days,
before Molotov became so influential, was
most frequently mentioned as Stains sue
cessor. Zhdanov reported on the lnterna-
tional situation, and his report formed the
basis of the warlike declar alton issued by
the conference.
In May of 1943 Stain announced the dis
solution of the Communist international.
This was at a low moment of the war,
when the Germans were deep in Russia.
But il was taken as a statesmanlike move
on the part of Stain, proof OF the SOVIET
intention to call off the under ground war
against other governments and to cooper
ate to the full with the Western Allies:
Coupled with the directive to the local
comrades to support the ADMINISTRATIONS,
here and elsewhere, that were fighting the
Germans, it probably did more than any
other political decision to create confidence
hat the war coalition would continue.
Svmbolically, at least, the abolition OF the
Comintern marked the high point in Soviet
relations with the Western world.
1t Was Not Dead
The Comintern was not really dead, how
ever. 1t had merely entered a new phase.
AS the European continent was freed from
the Germans, there appeared In every LID
Grated capital the Communist leaders who
had been waiting in Moscow to take up the
work assigned to them. Without exception
all were old and well-trained members OF
the Comintern directora ate. There was no
need to keep the organization conferred IN
Moscow when the executives were at last
able to dispense and assume publicly the
posts they had been prepared to occupy
Practically all the men who gathered Tor
the recent meeting in Poland were Com
intern leaders. One conspicuous absentee
was Togliatti, head OF the Italian party. ne
was replaced by Longo, chief of the armed
Partisans, who's firebrand oratory is said
to nave found such favor in Moscow that
the older and more cautious leader IS
forced to preach violence, too, in an at
tempt to maintain his No. l position.
The meeting was a reunion OF the party
organizers who had long worked together
in Moscow. But they are no longer exlled
conspir ators plotting subverslve move
ments by remote control. Now they have
either governments or well-organlzed mass
movements behind them. The Old Com
intern represented sixty nations from all
parts of the world, as against the eight
European signatories of the present mani
festo. But the smaller organization IS Tar
more important as far as Europe is con-
cerned. For the Communists in these eight
countries are mobilizing for about polltl-
cal war. They are mobilizing under the d.
rection and with the full support of the
Soviet Union. For the first time Moscow
openly steps out of the security zone"
she has heretofore claimed and makes a
defiant bid for all of Europe.
Aimed A United States
But the great difference between new
and old is tina this Comintern is organized
for the avowed, the almost single purpose
of fighting the United States. With that
dizzying inversion of words with which So
Wet propaganda is trying, and often sue,
ceeding in confusing the already added
mind of Europe, the manifesto wide the
world into two camps. On the one side is
''the imperialist and anti = democratic
camp, which has for it's essential aim the
establishment of the world domination of
American imperialism and the crushing OF
democracy" That's the U.S.A.! On the
Otler SlQG Is Cuc dutl-11lIpClld LII ol1O
democratic camp, whose essential aim
consists in undermining imperialism, rein
forcing democracy and liquidating the re-
mains of fascism." And that's the
U.S.S.R.!
The new false front is built around this
incredible antithesis. We are the agrees
sors, bent on "enslaving Europe" by
means of the Marshall plan. All who CO.
, operate with us are "traitors,' especially
the Socialists-the Labor Government In
England, Blum and Ramadier in France,
the Saragat party in Italy, the Social DEM
: ocrats in Germany and Austria.
The manifesto is a clear declaration OF
political war. 1t points up the Soviet at
tacks in the General Assembly. The Com
munists of Europe are being dragooned
into a united front to undermine the influ-
G ence of the United States. This might sug'
gest that this influence is very strong. The
vote by which the non-Communist Govern
l ment queezed through in Italy was a vote
for the United States. General de Gaulle
is making a one-man campaign on the plat,
!. form that mot a free man in the world
i does not welcome the determination of the
United States to raise its unimpaired pow.
q err as a c~ounterweight to the world ambi-
. tons of the Soviets." Anyway, the battle is
joined. 1t is being waged on the one side
by men who nave no thought, no other
: aim in life, except to hold every recovery
movement in suspense until they win, and
on the other by people who cannot be made
S to realize, even when Moscow makes it SC
6 clear, that we are the decisive factor and
the decisive time is low.
The country now is completely in the
dark about the actual extent of the i'm.
pending crisis abroad. We don't intend to
g 60 into this thing blindly. They should