Evening star., 1948-07-18

a
happen.
The western powers and the U
situation in Berlin from which it
will be dificult for either to with
draw.
The Kremlin leaders are the mas
ters Of the situation and hold in
their hands the fate Of the world,
whether 1t be for war or peace.
When Marshal Tito's break with
the Cominform first became publicly
known, and serious discomfort in
Bulgaria and Yugoslavia was widely
reported in the press, some WASH
ington policy trainers believed that
these assures in the eastern wall
might induce Moscow's leaders to
adopt a more conciliatory attitude
toward the western Allies. This
optimism Is vanishing rapidly now,
giving way to far more gloom than
existed before
Asiatic Troops Employed
Dissatisfaction in the satellite
countries, and the reported but SO
far unconfirmed restlessness In the
U. g. 8. r. will act as stimulant to
war, rather than as deterrent.
This conclusion has been reached
on the basis Of the historic fact
that dictators invariably use foreign
wars to solve domestic situations,
and takes into consideration the
present order of the battle Of the
Soviet and satellite armies and the
obdurate diplomatic attitude Of the
Kremlin.
Reports from Yugoslavia indi-
cate that although relations be-
tween Tito, the Kremlin bosses and
the Soviet puppets in Southeastern
and Central Europe are still sour. =
crusade" by the east against the
west would put an end to all these
internal quarrels, even If Tito even
tually pays with his life for his
temerity in challenging the Krem-
lin.
The Soviet high command has
brought to its western frontiers a
large number of Asiatic troops who
are far less likely to be influenced
by western civilization than are the
Ukranians and White Russians.
This substitution started late in
1916, when the Soviet political high
command realized that some Rus
sian officers and men from Western
Russia had become contaminated
with what they considered the high
standard Of living in Poland, Ger
many, Romania and Hungary. This
movement has now progressed to
the point that not more than 20
per cent of the Soviet forces between
Moscow and the Oder River are
drawn from the western parts Of the
Soviet empire.
Berlin Is Testing Ground
The bulk OF the Soviet armies
which may be moved against the
vest are composed of well-disci-
plined and highly trained Asiatics,
who are Indifferent to any kind Of
hardships but are eager to lay their
hands on the rich loot which their
political commissars tell them lies
in the yet unravaged countries of
Western Europe.
That the Berlin situation is the
most explosive one We have faced
since November, 1941, is not denied
by those who hold key positions in
Washington. The former German
capital has become the testing
ground between east and west and
any withdrawal on our part will only
make the situation worse.
Devastated and down-trodden
Germany is still, from the strategic
point Of view, the most important
center in Europe. There was
time, after the collapse Of the Lon
don Conference in November, 1946,
when we could have moved out of
Berlin without impairing our posi-
ton in Western Germany. Today
this is no longer possible.
Retreat from Berlin under Soviet
pressure would mean that we would
have to withdraw from the rest of
Germany as well within a short
time. Thus some 10000, 900 Ger
mans would be added to the bloc OF
Soviet satellites. The Germans are
not q menace to peace right now,
but in the hands Of the Russians
they could become a strong military
power once more, collaborating with
Russia, after Moscow has put
through the necessary purges, in the
conquest of Europe and Asia.
This is the fundamental reason
why the American, British and
French governments are so deter
illlfcu w StnIlu vi w &etSold III Sci-
lin under the most unfavorable cir
cumstances.
Air Supply Is Temporary
We know that it is only tempo
rary expedient to supply the 2,00o,-
900 persons of Western Berlin by
air. an expedient which is practical
only so long as weather conditions
remain favorable-that is, during
the summer-and the Russians do
not interfere with their activities.
We know, also, that the Soviet
authorities can make life for the
peoples in the western sectors of
Berlin untenable simply by pumping
back the sewers in the western areas,
as happened once before.
Some political advisers in the
State Department, worried over the