Evening star., 1948-03-01
House Report Charges
Soviet Policy Is Based
On Assumption Of War

On Assumption Of War
Soviet policy "begins with the
assumption Of inevitable war"
Congress was informed today.
But "the Communists prefer o.
later war to an earlier one," House
Foreign Affairs subcommittee re-
ported.
The subcommittee. headed by
Representative Frances Bolton. Re-
publican, OF Ohio, issued q volumi-
nous report on detailed study OF
the strategy and tactics OF world
communism"
The first conclusion TO be drawn,
the committee said, sis that we
have. to do something about them.
Urxes Policy 10 Check Russia.
II advised a firm policy to hold
Russia in check until the non
Communist world Is back on It's
feet economically and politically.
This country can make no more
concessions to the Soviet compar-
able with giving 1t a veto In the
United Nations and granting it i'm
portant gains In Germany and the
Far East without fatally weaken
ing our own position" the COM
mittee asserted.
"This does not mesn," it added,
''that we must no longer bargain
with them. We should bargain with
them on practical terms Of mutual
advantage whenever occasion arises.
But we cannot afford to regard
them as distrustful children who
need q demonstration Of our kind
ness In order to be reassured. They
are distrustful, but not children. ;"
Must Insulate Rest Of World.
To prevent the world revolution
the Communists hold Is inevitable,
and to make sure that there viii
not be another world war II 1t
In humanity avoidable." the commit
tee asserted, requires that the non
Communist world have chance to
prove itself. In order to do this 1t
must be insulated against Commu-
mist tactics"
Within the non-Communist area
the committee urged:
/. It must be made clear to all
that Communists do not believe in
peace nor in economic recovery.
q, eve must deny the Com
nrmists any special favors or OPP
portunities to practice their inflltra-
ton tactics"
3. The United States must lend
understanding support" to meas
ures for stronger democratic gov
ernment.
4. Measures Of economic defense
are needed.
IS. American propaganda must
take the offensive.
For the United States, the report
added, "the first and most indis-
pensable thing we have to do 1t to
keep our economy on an even keel
and go forward without a depres-
sion. If we have one more
real smash 1t will go far to prove
them right and us wrong"
The committee reviewed the Mar
shall Plan, the Truman doctrine"
involved In aid to Greece and Tur-
key and other recent American
policy steps. There Is little quarrel
with most of these principles Of our
policy taken singly," it said. "But
the fact that they add up to make
q program is almost unknown"
%1.sr sfysxy atEa l
clear that the Marshall Plan and
the Truman doctrine constitute q
bumper to fend off Communism"
while the on-Communist nations
ire helped to recovery. I
mistakes" Handicap U. 8.
The committee said the United
States was handicapped "by reason
Of our own past mistakes" IN the
struggle against communism. It
referred to the q. N. veto and agree
ments giving the Soviet opportunity
TO introduce the new democracy"
La Eastern Europe as mistakes.
"Our agencies of government" 1t
said, that make policy have been
too obviously hampered by conflicts
of principle within their own ranks.
Wrong policies are wrong either
because they are made by officials
whose ideas are wrong, or they are
wrong because they reflect compro-
mise Of the bad sort after interne-
cine struggle. Ours have been nei-
ther as right as they should be,
nor clear. :.
"This lack Of clarity has extended
of course to relations between the
branches of Government, and the
Congress has exhibited at times the
that is inevitable when
the case as presented is not clear
and candid and consistent.
when inconsistency has been
necessary, as it must be IN time
Of transition, explanations and the
fullest possible presentation are
called for and must be forthcoming.
People Must Be Informed.
Insofar as communications be-
tween the Government and the
Congress have left something to be
desired, so have communications be-
tween the Government and the
public. No democracy can act firm
", with the courage Of Its own con-
victions, unless the people know
what 1t Is about"
The subcommittee, set up last May
! Everything to Build a Il