The Nome nugget., 1948-03-31
DemOcracies Awaken
(Bv Barnet NOVer)

profound alarm which began to grip western Europe and America when the Red tide swept across Czecho slovakia shows signs of easing.
 Democratic statesmen acutely aware that time is running out; that unless the western nations take speedy and constructive action to combat the twin aces of Communist nftraton and economic chaos, Czechoslovaka will not be the last country to lose it's freedom.
 They are at the same time that in one signfi- cant particular the struggle is unequal one and all in Russa'S favor
 Russia is in position to act whenever it suits her purposes to act and to act alone The Krein does not have to await the outcome of prolonged debate among men of varying views. Agreement among the handful of men who compose the Politiburo is enough
 Nor does Russia have to reconcile her plans with those of other nations Her allies also her satellites bound to her hand and foot and whatever their nation aty her stooges all speak Moscows language and act Moscow nstructs them to act. Togliatt Tito, Got- wald Thorez Pauker, all peas out of the pod
 The speed with which Russia and the slow pace that prevails among the democracies with spect to matters of great urgency is found in the trast between what has happened to Czechosovakia and what has happened to the Marshall plan.
 CzechOslOvakia lost her freedom in fortnight The Marshall plan has, thus far been nine months in the building It would be little short of miracle f the anniversary of Secretary Marshalls Harvard address, the European recovery program becomes a functionng system To be sure, Czechoslovaka represented far Russia concerned single concentrated problem in policy; the Marshall plan calls upon seventeen separ ate nations to negrate their economies poll their and join together in a common effort toward cOvery.
 In normal times could regard it little short of miracle that much has been accomplished since June in putting flesh and bone Marshals concept In view of possible developments in Italy, where Communist victory is not beyond the realm of likelihood there is to congratulate ourselves the speed with which Secretary Marshalrs original proposal taken up developed and transformed into an actual plan.
 The is true of certain very heartenng collateral developments that have recently taken place.
 It is tremendously inspiring to read that Great Bri- tain France and the Benelux countries after only three days discussion reached general agreement the ba sic principles of economic and military union be- tween them
 Yet will take time, great deal of time, to translate the general agreement of Brussels into binding agree ment and time will be needed before other Mar shall plan nations join the five in this pact of union
 It is also encouraging that at long last, agreement the German problem has been reached at London by the United States, Great Britain and France This too
 ke the Brussels agreement be said to be the sequence of the Marshal plan plus the Czechoslovak de- velopments.
 The London agreement will make it possible to ex- pand the production of western Germany and add it to the common west European pool. But it will be months before the benefits of the London pact will materiaze That is why cheering the news is from Brussels and