Evening star., 1948-09-12

Communists. there is little hope
that further disintegration of the
present situation can be prevented
unless our government makes dras-
tic decisions.
The watchword of the Western
diplomats is patience and firmness
diplomatic recipe which may work
in dealing with the Western mind
but which it not likely to be sue
cessful in dealing with a thoroughly
conspirator1al government.
The Russians, too, have unlimited
oriental patience and their flrmness
is greater than ours because it is
backed by a military force which
at the present moment may be
unable to attack the Western Hem
isphere but which can roll over the
nominal Western forces in Europe.
Russians Also Are Patient
In the clouds Of political dust
which the forthcoming election
campaign will raise in the next few
weeks, the attention of the Ameri-
can people necessarily will be
focused on domestic issues such as
labor problems, housing, wages and
other such ordinarily vital matters.
The principal cause of our present
domestic difficulties, which are the
direct result of our having lost the
peace after winning the war, is
likely to be overlooked. So will the
fact that there Is little hope for
improvement of our domestic diff
culties so long as the international
situation remains as it Is.
In spite of the secrecy which has
surrounded the latest diplomatic
negotiations with the Kremlin, it is
known to a handful of men that the
Soviet leaders are negotiating
With us without the slightest inten-
ton of collaborating in finding an
equitable solution to the problems
of the peace.
On the contrary, while pretending
to discuss questions like the lifting
of the Berlin blockade in exchange
for restoration of their currency in
that city, they are laying the ground
to take over all of Germany from
Under our noses.
Playing a Clever Game
They feel confident that neither
Of the two principal American poll
tical parties which are bidding for
the votes of the American citizens
will dare adopt really tough at
titude toward the problems which
are now besetting the world.
The Kremlin leaders are playing
a clever game. They expect to
achieve their purpose of dominating
Europe through the control of Ger
many by methods short of war.
They seem convinced that the
United States will not go further
than diplomatic protests. And If
America is unwilling to oppose the
Russian drive to the west, the other
European powers will be even more
reluctant to do so.
In his defense of administration
policies former Secretary of State
Byrnes stated last week that the
diplomatic agreements reached
socretely during the war between the
United States, Britain and Russia
were in themselves good, but that
tie Russians have made mockery
CT them.
Diplomacy requires, among other
things, a good deal of shreWdness,
and there seldom has been anything
really honest in the diplomatic game.
II was the job of Presidents Roose-
velt and Truman and Prime Min
listers Churchill and Attlee to see
through the Russian game when
t,.ley decided to make global agree
lnents behind the backs of the peo-
l. le who had placed them in office.
In time of war agreements which
tend to increase fighting potential
lould be made without the knowl-
edge of the rank and file Of the peo-
PIE. lest they give away the show
10 the enemey. But actual treaties,
which necessarily affect the vital in
terests of the peace which follows
the war, should not be made in Sc
cret.
Knew KremIin's Record
The American and British leaders
knew full well with whom they were
dealing. They should have been the
last persons to be moved by emo
tionalism. Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr..
Churchill knew the record of the
Soviet government.
They knew that in 1899 while the
Kremlin was engaged in military
discussions with the British and
French for eventual cooperation to
stop Hitler, they already had de-
cided to sign an agreement to join
the Nazis in their war of conquest.
Incidentally, the Russians managed