The Nome nugget., 1947-09-17
The Imprisoned Peoples

it wished to do in the Marshall plan of European recov cry, Czechoslovaka pleads for United States loans This plea from of the few eastern European nations with democratic traditions raises serious question for the United States Is it to confne it's future aid entirely countries which join in general recovery programme and thus exclude the European territory under Russian domination? Or should it find at least few dollars for unfortunate countries which held be- hind the Iron Curtain against their will?
 Mr. Harold Stassen of the most travelled and frightened statesmen of his country, insists that the United States not desert eastern Europe if it is not permitted to join the west in promoting general recovery He rghly distinguishes between the govern ments and the peoples of these countries The govern mentS dominated by communists and peOpled by Russian puppets. But it remains true that country outside Russia has voluntarily adopted the communist system No free election has returned communist jorty anywhere in Europe The United States has to consider therefore, not only the immediate policies of the puppet government but the long future of the inn prsOned peOpl ples.
 It will be extremely difficult perhaps impossible to persuade the United States Congress to any money to be spent by communist government which is, in fact organ of Russia In a such expenditure would contradict the Truman Doctrine which is spend ing large sums in Turkey and Greece to prevent the spread of Communism And in the short to strength RusSas satellites is to strengthen the very Russian power which the United States chiefly fears
 But there IS than the short run to consider The peoples of eastern Europe have shown clearly that they do not want Russian domination They trade with western EurOpe they association with the British and American peoples, they want money at the moment and above all, they want the independence for which they have often fought If they deserted by the western nations by deliberate act of those natons what appears to be deliberate act, they will have place to turn in future but to Russia This is pre- cisely what Russia wants and for what it planned when 1t refused to accept the Marshall plan To refuse any aid to eastern Europe is to play Russias game.
 On the other hand if the eastern European peoples be allowed to see, despite their governments and Russian censorship, that the western world is interest ed in their welfare they may find in time of tablishing free governments As Hitler found it is impossible task to dominate dsconented foreign states permanently-the price is too high
 However, it is neither practical United States poli- tics sound principle treat the eastern European nations which reject any general plan of recovery in the fashion as the free countries which voluntarily cooperate in the general reconstruction of the contn ent If any United States aid is go the Russian sae les obviously they must accept conditions even if they reject the larger programme.
 MT. Stassen has outlined the conditions which he thinks the United States should enforce. He says any nation receiving United States aid should abolish sorshp press radio reports to the outside world should guarantee that United States money spent the specific projects for which it is granted; should agree that this money will not be used in any way to