Evening star., 1948-08-22

SofCIIluciltS IeSuHlcu ue&OtldtioiiS
nent there have been clear indica-
,g to eat its cake and have 1t, too.
i year and half after VI day the
keep Western European countries in
constant turmoil. we also were
aware that money talks.
After spending several billion dol
lars in assisting the war-devastated
areas-including the Soviet satellites
and two Soviet republics, White
Russia and the Ukraine-we de-
vised the Marshall Plan, which was
promoted in this country and
abroad rs panacea for the worlds
ills.
The Russians did detect a threat
to their subversive actions in the
countries outside the iron curtain
aud decided to adopt a policy Of
sabotage against that plan. Where
We missed, however, was in the fact
that we refused to realize that
Russia's land forces could continue
to keep these countries in turmoil
merely by the threat of invasion.
Kremlin Increased Pressure
Still mindful of not offending the
susceptibilities of the Kremlin and
striving to avoid closing the door
to further conversations, our Gov
ernment refused stubbornly to in
clude implements Of war for the
nations of Western Europe among
the billions Of dollars worth OF raw
and manufactured products which
this country obligated itself to send
across the Atlantic.
The law which authorized the
siphoning Of American goods to
Europe also included provisions
which prohibited the supplying of
those potential armies with desper-
ately needed equipment. As the
economy of Western Europe began
to take on new life the Kremlin
increased its military pressure, thus
of1setting the effects of the economic
oxygen tent.
The Kremlin created major in
cidents in Berlin, an area where
the position of the western powers
was most precarious. The American
Government. In cooperation with
Britain and France, stood its ground,
fully aware that the spot selected
for resistance was ill-chosen. Ber-
lin is a mere symbol, without any
strategic Importance and is impos-
siole to defend because it is sur
rounded everywhere by q mass Of
Red armies. = = es-@S . S
Berlin Issue Grew =
Berlin grew in significance merely
because our yielding there would
mean tremendous loss of prestige.
Although professional soldiers con-
slider Russian actions in Berlin de-
ceptive from the purely military
point of view, 1t is obvious that they
have chosen that sector of Europe
to defy us because they are aware
of the humiliation they would inf1icS
on the western powers by coercing
them to leave the former German
capital in their hands.
1t is apparent now that the inn
mediate objective of the Politburo
is to compel us to leave Europe, bag
and baggage.
In the days before the Yalta
agreements Prime Minister Stain
objected to the creation of the
United Nations. Friendly conversa-
tions took place before and during
the Yalta meeting. Mr.. Stain
maintained that the creation Of an
international peace organization on
the hodge-podge lines of the League
Of Nations would serve no purpose.
He did not believe that weak nations
ought to have voice in the conduct
of world affairs, but that lasting
peace could be secured by division
of the world into three areas, each
under the responsibility Of one Of
the three great powers.
Mr.. Stain suggested that America
be given exclusive responsibility for
maintaining order in the Western
Hempisphere; that Britain be re-
sponsible for Western Europe as far
as the Rhine, most of the African
continent and the Middle East south
of Turkey, except for Iran and
India, and that the rest Of the world
be placed under the protection" Of
the u. s. S. r.
Peace" said Mr.. Stain, must be
based on power. And you surely do
not expect Abyssinia or Nicaragua
to contribute anything tangible to
the preservation Of world peace"
Historical "reminiscences
Neither President Roosevelt nor
Prime Minister Churchill could go
along with this thesis advanced by
the Russian dictator. Mr.. Stain
yielded, after exacting some further
concessions from his colleagues, such
as q completely free hand in the
Balkans, Central Europe and the
Far East. With these concessions In
his pocket he agreed to participate
In the conference which was to
create the United Nations and mag
unanimously agreed that the meet
ing of the menagerie" should b
held on American soil.
It meant giving Mr.. Roosevelt,
who had made such tangible sacri-
fees of other peoples freedom, q
moral victory with which to further
enhance his prestige with the Amer
lean people. But after the Yalta
meeting was over word reached
Washington that no high dignitary
of the U. s. s. R. would attend the
San Francisco Conference. It was
only after President Truman took /
office that the Kremlin, unaware Of !.