Evening star., 1948-03-31

Efforts 10 Avert War
BsIisf Thet Only Force
10 Usdsrsteed by Red,
Seen Ruling. Out Psses f..
D. Dsvi2 Ls,srssss
nlliens q nothsrs end fathers
sss beginning 10 wary eysr vhsthsr
t1ssar sn1s Win soon have 10 % 10
vay. Thsy-tas parsnss and rsia-
dives ot ths man vino would b asked
- make the supreme sacrifice
havs . hight 10 ask whether every
thing has bssn sr b being dens
that could b done to prevent war.
1hsrs are two historic methods OF
tying 10 avert war. One ~ 10 build
U aailitary armament and Try TO
faeaatsa tia ether party into sub
niaeaoa. Tia second 1astiod u te
ty 70 resolve the points ct differ
saeA ~ aAGotsation.
IN kMssiea quit4 o propaganda
AaG bsaa built UP against peaceful
xAgeatatten ee the diMcuitiss ~
tvesa Nussaa and tbs Omitted States.
1hA eAaeaai argumsnt ID that Russia
~dsrstands only one language and
@aa&'S ths language It FORCE"
II II n true that there ID ahso-
fitsly no other way 10 deal with
Russia except by force or threat Of
feeee,' then war cannot b avefted
and ths question Of when IN incl
dent a. overt aet may occur is any
body'S guess. It might occur in a
fsw weeks or years-but that sort
1 Logic means that only war can
ssttls the outstanding issues
whsls Kacerd Not Available.
n II b said on the other hand
that peaeeful negotiation should be
&isd, the ofneial answer hereabouts
b that this has been tried and has
feilsd. Unfortunately. the ssatire
record b Aek evailahls. .yoe some
nystsrtnas reason the tsxts et al
~ notes sRehsassd hstwssn Russia
~ the United etatss have never
hasa made puhlis. Tha record Of
- ptblie elnetals Ia their nsso-
ttstaosss has nsVes hssn subjected to
impartial scrutiny by congressional
eaRnnaitteea. All that ID heard is that
the Rusatans are unreasonable, In
tPaetable and do not want to nego-
ttate. 49,.
what n net diselesed particularly
h what led up to ths declaration
Ct the Trum4r1 doctrine tust year
ase. The Russians considered this
q virtual declaration Of war. What
tass Russians have done since has
b be viewed in the light Of Amer
less decision In the Near East.
n n the psried hs&oes the fru.
man doctrine was announced that
eosziA we'll b. studied by historians.
WHAT I'D the Nusdans ask for?
what did We refuss7 Did We eHer
arg alternative plAnsf When did
~ lAeias IN foees - back up
dipaaeaaayts $aNufeaf
Many e9heiah tnsist that Russia
has keaa aggressive from the BE-
RtAAtHg. II %, then war was Ia
evitsAis from the day this fast be-
cams eonvincinsly apparent 10 our
oMeaais. For II one nation has only
diaboheal designs against another
nation, It does not matter much
what ts ssaid between them In the
period befors war breaks out.
Ausef.M Held Uncertain. s~s Il
UnfernnsEtsiy the evi6elace cdees
not siaeW that the Russians and
ever. understood each
otipe. II force was the only lam
ruasa. Asable, then America, whi&Gi
taidng q strong hand in the various
conferences, forsook the tdss W
withdrawing from Europe nearly all |
Aae 4eeess, thus giving the Russians
the impression that military force
was Ast important after al. Z ID
uvuA today the Russians sannot
b asEu WHISTLER America has gwen
up hcps ef Q peaceful settlement.
Thsrs b nothing TO show that the
United States will resume peaceful
conversations or that the United
States will 10 to war. 1hs Russians
cannot approach Ameriea with any
peace plan because our ofhcials say
nothing would be accomplished by
such discussions. Apparently our
ofncials foreclose every opening for
peaceful settlement now and give
the impression that war 10 the only
answer.
II American diplomacy eonnotss
military action to back up iIsariiu-
table demands, then . showdown
eannot long be postponed. The be-
hsyior of American onfcials 1ndi-
satsa that war IN inevitable, With
aaiy esss peovtso-that the Russians
aSs soad66rsd b b too weak TO
seast q war for as least i've years.
hut AionS With sueh statements
ens hears at the. same time In
Washinstsn g3oo1ay stories about |
SIR own lssk Of preparedness and
* the real danger that for the hrst
ttSae In her history America may
face defeat or stalem&te ina major
war. II ali doesn't add up to much
sense.
rest. .Kisstioa Unity Needed.
Ths public has right to q better
coordination Of national policy. II,
through good luck, . war aan be
Etaved OF till after the November
elections, II may be that nation
which IN united behind q President
whether 1t n Mr.. Truman or any
body eiss-ean then decide better on
la eoa1rse than can Be done IN the
political atmosphere ot today.
Il, America Acss mot want 10 talk
b Russia, then war II sure. The
tiHaing - Aess important than the
faes tlaet eur efneials behave % II
thay have done everything they
could 10 prevent war and that unless
the Russians agree TO b frightened
and retreat, the. fight must come
sometime. II 10 . tragic prospect,
but 1t seems that Ill the ingenuity