Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-23
Russia. the West and War

Current events and the dOcumented
history of the not-too- distant past lend
full and grim support to British Foreign
Secretary Bevin's profoundly significant
warning that the Soviet Union is following
a course that will lead inevitably to war.
The Warning-addressed to all nations as
we'll asIto the Kremlin-is without doubt
the most somber and most meaningful
made by such q high source since the
downfall OF the Rome Berlin Tokyo Axis.
In fact, there has been nothing quite like
it since the ominous days of diplomatic
tension just before Hitler unleashed the
agony OF the Second World War.
Mr.. Bevins warning, moreover, is par
ticularly impressive because every word
of it is being visibly confirmed by what
the Russians are doing at this very mo
ment. There can be little doubt any
longer about what they are up to. Wholly
apart from their obstruetionism in the
United Nations on such portentous matters
as atomic control, wholly apart from their
dark policy In Asia, they are up to the
business of trying to satisfy an apparently
unappeasable desire to dominate the whole
of Europe and destroy all freedom there.
Thus, as Bevin says, they are by no
means content with having all but COM
pleted the building of q vast satellite en-
pire behind the iron curtain-an empire
founded on smashed human liberty and
the broken pledges of Yalta. That is not
enough for them. They want more. So,
through their puppets in Albania, Bull
garia and Yugoslavia, they are doing their
best to swallow Greece as part of glut-
tonous meal calculated to include in due
course Turkey, the Eastern Mediterranean
and the Middle East. Further than that,
so limitless is their appetite that they are
Systematically resolved to wreck the Euro
pean Recovery Program In order to force
the collapse Of the Independent western
nations and thus extend their totalitarian
sway clear to the Bnglish Channel. After
that the dominance of Asia. would be
relatively easy. ...'-.f1 ,'s~-- ~ - =. =
An, this calls 6er ,ssisntastic measure of
daring, ruthlessness and amorality. But let
no4ene think thasgtfn asn OF the Kremlin
are incapable VI i ~ ne secret documents
of Nazi-Soviet relations between 1899 and
1s41 are evidence enough of the Stain
governments willingness to employ any
means, no matter how evil to attain its
ends. As released by our State Depart
ment, the documents constitute much more
than timely and crushing answer to
Moscow's ceaseless vilification of us as
"warmongers" and 'imperialiSts" The
story they tell-a sordid story of monu-
mental heartlessness and greed precipt-
tating the most terrible conflict in history
leaves no room for doubt about the appe-
tite of the Russians. They made a blood
drenched bargain with Hitler to gobble up
the Baltic states, acquire half OF Poland,
get a foothold in Turkey and have free
hand in the Middle East down to the
Persian Gulf. Only the blind will suppose
that they have abandoned any of those
aims remaining unfulflled or that they are
not now grabbing for 4 great deal in
addition.
Taken together with current events, this
documented history fully justifies Mr..
Bevin's warning. 1t justifies, too, his pro-
posal for an alliance to unite the 'coun-
tries of Western Europe against Red az
erosion. Certainly, sooner or later, with
OUT some Sucn union, or unless the Tree
lands abjectly surrender, there will be
war with the Soviet Union if the Soviet
Union holds fast to its present course.
There can be no debating that. It has q
terrible inevita bility in it.
But the future Is not a wave against
which men and nations are helpless. They
shape it; they direct it; as far as war is
concerned IT. will not he In avita h1e IF tho
free world-through such measures as the
European Recovery Program and a union
of the west-acts boldly against the thing
that threatens it. If it does that, then it
can have a decent peace in which even
Russia can be persuaded in time to CO.
operate.
a L: L. Rkkl~ks