Evening star., 1948-07-20
The Political Mill
Third Party Convention
May Stiffen Red Stond
Kremlin- Rejoices at Idea People
of United States Are Divided

Kremlin Rejoices at Idea People
of United States Are Divided
By Gould Lincoln
The wallace convention In Philadelphia this
week may add stinening to the Russian back
bone in the Berlin crisis II there Is one thing
that rejoices the hearts In the Kremlin it is
the idea that the people Of the United States
are divided. That division is just what Henry
wallace has been attempting to prove. He will
continue, with his New Party platform and his
addresses to the delegates Assembled to nom.
mate him for President.
Mr.. wallace made . good beginning-a bad
beginning really-when he urged that the
coming special session of Congress repeal the
Selectiye Service Act. He struck at the vtals
of the program for national security. Congress
will not repeal this law. But here again Mr.
Wallace creates an impression OF disunity in
this country. It is an impression which the
Soviet propagandists will seek to spread not
only in Russia but throughout Europe, both
eastern and western.
Another Avenue Of Attack.
Prior to the opening Of the Wallace third
party convention, the Wallace leaders have
planned . conference for independent busi-
ness In New York. One Of the principal SUBJ
jects set for discussion is that "war prepara-
tions threaten independent business" The
burden Of this song is that bipartisan policies
are leading to war and destruction; that mo-
nopolies are using q war scare to stamp out
competition. This Is only another avenue OF
attack upon the efforts Of this country to
build up its armed forces to point which will
give Communist Russia pause.
with . group Of hard -boiled Communists and
fellow travellers. They will agree to no devia-
ton from the party line-not even If Mr..
Wallace seeks detour. The extent to which
Mr.. Wallace may be driven may become evident
during the coming New Party convention. One
thing seems pretty clear. If Mr.. Wallace tries
to back away-the Communists and fellow
travellers may turn out to be tough customers
with whom Mr.. wallace will have to deal.
An alternative, Of course. Is the loss to Mr..
Wallace and his New Party Of these adroit and
heavy-handed organizers.
Mr. Wallace and his New Party face another
danger. With growing tension between this
country and Soviet Russia, there Is always a
possibility that q very considerable number OF
men and women who have been going along
with Mr.. Wallace on his peace and prosperity"
program will desert Mr.. Wallace because of his
more friendly-or appeasing-attitude toward
Russia. The Wallace attitude and the increas-
ing bitterness toward Russia in this country is
one Of the reasons that the Wallace following
has not taken on the added proportions that
were expected last winter when Henry threw
his hat in the ring and declared himself .
candidate for President.
Berlin Stand Is Symbol.
What the Kremlin needs to know Is that
the United states--in consort with its Allies
In Western Europe-does not intend to back
down or to move out Of Berlin. The Berlin
situation has become q symbol A retreat
there would shake the confidence of the
nations of Western Europe In the hrmness OF
this country to 90 forward with the Marshall
recovery plan. 1t would open up. also, vista
of further steps by Russia in Vienna, in Trieste.
in the Near East-alI tending to build the idea
that Russia's influence was to be supreme
throughout Europe, and the influence of the
Western democracies was on the decline.
1t is that knowledge which should be brought
home to Russia. The antics of Mr.. Wallace and
his followers are delaying and beclouding. 1t
is peculiarly unfortunate that this should be SO,
and that Mr.. Wallace's thrd-party convention,
soon to open, may prove q sounding board for
Russian appeasement. There Is still q chance
that war may be avoided; that the channels
Of diplomacy may be used successfully to
bring about an end Of the impasse In Berlin.
without compelling Russia to lose too much
face. But Russian resistance to any settlement
may be strengthened by the kind Of diversion
which the Wallace convention may set up
President Truman, in his call for q special
session Of Congress, Is treading on delicate
ground too. The bipartisan policy Of frmness
and no appeasement toward Russia had been
established. Obviously the State Department
had no desire for political recall Of Congress.
with all the partisan bitterness entailed.