Evening star., 1948-03-22
Russian Crisis Seen
As No Mere Bid by
Truman for Election
History Of Low Politics
Is Held Responsible for
Greeting Misimpressions
By Davfd Laurence

Too many people are saying that
the international situation Is Just a
manufactured crisis" designed to
help President Truman get re-
elected.
The spread OF such an impression
Is regrettable because it may give
the Soviet leaders the idea that
America Is not in earnest in her
oficial pronouncements and that
the majority party In Congress
Republicans are not behind the
Presidents program.
But the fact that such an idea
Is current and that even some
Democrats look skeptically at the
administration's course In interna-
tional affairs requires an explana-
ton.
The answer lies In the low state
Of American politics. When, for ex-
ample, q President of the United
States makes an alliance with
labor faction to get votes and ON
cial Washington knows he did not
write the veto message disappearing
the Taft Hartley law but took the
arguments which the CIO leaders
handed him, he loses the con-
f1dence Of people who want to be-
neve in him.
Victim Of Propaganda.
It will be said that both parties
play politics and that Mr.. Truman
Is merely following the rules of the
game. Certainly, however, in inter-
national affairs he would not stoopI
to political tactics. Unfortunately ;,
MIR. Truman is the victim here of a
propaganda that has been built up
with respect to the 1910 and 1914
presidential campaigns, when an
other Democratic President did not
hesitate to use his Commander in
Chief" role TO get votes.
Mr.. Roosevelt used to get quite
. chuckle out Of his so-called "in-
xpection" trips to defense installa-
tions In various parts of the coun-
try, where political demonstrations
and street parades ensued. Mr..
Roosevelt had quite a lot Of fun
with the reporters pretending that
his stumping trips were "nonpo-
litical." Unhappily for Mr.. Truman
however, nowadays q large section Of
the public has been educated to be-
lieve Presidents do not hesitate to
Use international affairs to help
them politically.
The truth, Of course, about the
present crisis In the world is that
Mr.. Truman had no more to DO
with the fact that it happens to
have developed In an election year
than he had to do with the fact
that communism exists in the world
Certainly the maneuvers which
caused the Soviet rulers a year ago
70 begin their aggression in Greece
and now to pursue a further aggres-
sion In Czechoslovakia are steps
which could not possibly have been
brought about through any Ameri-
can action or influence. The very
recitation of the facts of history is
refutation of that thesis.
Depends on Marshall.
Mr.. Truman depends almost en-
tirely on Secretary of State Mar
shall to guide him in foreign affairs.
Some people think he, depends too
much on man who has a military
mind and does not understand di-
plomacy any more than most pro-
fessional soldiers do. But there Is
not = political ambition or party
twist anywhere in Gen. Marshalls
makeup. II he has made mis-
takes In his conferences abroad, they
have yet to be proved such.
In dealing with an unscrupulous
clique in Moscow Gen. Marshall's
soldierly background has led to a
course Of extreme caution and pru-
dence. Whether any other course
might have succeeded is debatable,
though a large number of persons
tn America think old-fashioned
realism might have been employed
In reaching direct agreement with
Russia on outstanding issues.
However, that may be, this is a |
far cry from accusing Mr.. Truman
or Gen. Marshall of shaping events
20 as to bring q crisis in world
affairs. Mr.. Truman is no more
responsible for Stains course of
aggression than anybody in America
was for Hitler's behavior.
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