Evening star., 1948-07-21
Crossing the Elbe Problem.

has displayed frmness OF q sort with the
Soviets, it has not yet forced an issue to the
point that they, rather than ourselves, would be
on the defensive. And now is the time.
What you recommend is what also feel is
the strategy of the hour, but with reserva-
ton of particular caution. Admitting the
permanent inadequacy of the supply route by
air, the next logical move would certainly be
to send an armed convoy into Berlin either
by road or rail-" sssSsa a
Correspondents writing from Berlin, how
ever, point out that the Russian military have
anticipated such move. According to these
reports copious sections OF rail have been re-
moved from those lines connecting Berlin with
the Western Zone Of Germany. Furthermore,
the one remaining bridge spanning the Elbe
sufficiently secure to support an armed motor
lied convoy is likewise claimed to have been
Systematically weakened to forestall an oc-
currence Of this nature.
While welcome the thought Of an overland
demonstration Of force by the United States,
at the same time, am hopeful that we shall
not forget to bring along our own track re-
pair crews and anticipate the problems in
volved in crossing the Elbe River.
ALBERT G. MOORE.
Hyderabad Compared With Finland
To the Editor OF The Star:
AS you have often remarked editorially his
tory has way of coming back on itself and
suddenly we find ourselves on familiar ground
That was quite striking a short time ago
when the news services carried the word that
the Dominion Of India could not tolerate the
threat" to its existence from the independent
princely state Of Hyderabad, and would, If
necessary, act in self-defense." So India has
massed troops on the border of the state ito
act in self-defense" has dispatched an armored
brigade Hyderabad doesn't have one) from
Poona ITO act in sef-defense" and has set
up a good tight blockade of the independent
state "in self-defense"
Somewhere in the back of our mind there
is kicking around the memory of the time
that poor little Russia was obliged to "act in
self-defense" against big, bad Finland. You
will remember how gravely Moscow was
threatened" and what the Russians were
"obliged" to do about 1t.
The better than 250,000, 900 inhabitants Of
the well-armed Dominion of India obviously
are facing similar hazard from the 16, 600 900
farmers OF Hyderabad. The Dominion has
sounded the tocsin The Dominion must not
be endangered by the recalcitrance Of princey
state that, of all things merely wants to be
independent.
Moreover, India already has told Britain and
the rest Of the world to stay out of this. Sardar
Patel, the "hatchet man" Of the Nehru cabi-
net has served notice on Great Britain that
any more criticism of what Indians do or
say cannot be tolerated. 1t will be regarded
as threat" to friendly relations.
And the Moslem Nizam of Hyderabad has
been told that he can't invest any of his money
(he has quite lot) in the Moslem govern
ment Of Pakistan without affronting Hindu
New Delhi.
The United Nations wasn't functioning when
aggressive Finland invaded" peace-loving
Russia. But 1t may hear about 1t when "in-
transigent" Hydesabad "provokes" trouble with
poor, defenseless little India.
KARL T. JENSEN