The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1949-01-13
Comment On
World Events

Many persons Stlll 90 not uiuer
stand why Soviet Russia seeks tt
prevent Europe's recovery. The
AFL, in its Labor's Monthly Sur
vey, tells why in words that shoult
dispel any mystery or misunder
standing of Russia's aim.
"The end of World War H." th'
survey says, "found Soviet Russia
the most powerful military natiol
of the European continent. At frs
u. S. policy was based on the be
lief that the USRR would join witt
other nations to promote world re
covery and peace. This belief wa
proved utterly false, first by Molo
tov's withdrawal from the British
French Russian conference on tht
Marshall Plan, then by the Soviet;
revival of the Communist Interna
tional under its new name of Com
munist Information Bureau (Com
inform) with politbureau Andre
Zhdanov's instructions to its lead
ers: AS to the USRR, it will benC
every effort in order that this
(MarshalD Plan be doomed to fail
ure.'
'Tts easy to see why this course
of action is essential to Soviet
strategy" the AFL explains. "For
the peoples behind the iron curtain
in Soviet Russia and it's newly ac-
quired satellites, com mmun m
means living in abject poverty, in
constant terror of the secret polio,
and concentration camp, with basic
freedom and justice denied.
'If these people see economic
recovery and rising standards OF
living in Western Europe under
governments which protect indivi-
dual freedom and justice, it will be
final proof that democracy is sup
erior to communism. The false
hoods of the communist propa-
ganda machine would then lose
their power. These people might
attempt to throw off the commun-
ist yoke and seek the benefits of
cooperation with the west.
an the Soviet sphere, no genu-
inc attempt is made to improve liv-
ing conditions of the people. Civil
ian welfare is sacrificed to the pro-
Of war potential and pro-
of war equipment. Also,
the colossal inefficiency of Soviet
goyernment-controlled in dust try
keeps living standards far below
those of free and democratic coun-
tries"
The AFL says that workers in
come and conditions have deter
Iorated drastically" in countries
sealed off behind the iron curtain.
For instance, it points out that
from Czeehoslovakia comes the re-
port that since the Communists
took over in Feb. l94S, the "addi-
-ional wages upon which workers
existence was based have been
in many places, and. ..
promises of popular democracy to
.he workers have resulted mostly
N smaller incomes, longer hours of
work"
In short, the AFL declares that
Soviet policy is to prevent recov-
,ry, divide and conquer.
Because stagnation and chaos
IRE necessary conditions for the
spread of communism" the AFL
adds, "the Soviet program of ex-
oansion by infiltration is also serv-
ID by promoting industrial strife
md disorder in ERP countries and
,reating suspicion and distrust be-
ween them.
where they cannot hope actu-
lily to gain control, the Commun-
SITS seek to prevent non-communist
countries from getting the mater
al and supplies they need for in
lustrial recovery. Their agents
within governments play upon sus-
'icions to check cooperation be-
ween countries and to prevent
policy of recovery for Germany and
hus deny to Europe the produc-