Evening star., 1949-01-30

Russian ruling class-that is, the Po
dent of the United States hit hard 6
instead of skimming through the
international situation with the
usual hopeful platitudes.
During the war the Russians de-
veloped a fiery explosive called the
Molotov cocktail. After the Axis
surrender the name was carried
over to signify the diplomatic weap-
on which the Russian Foreign Min
lister used mercilessly at the meet
ings of the peace-seeking nations
when they refused to satisfy Rus
sia's growing appetite for conquest.
The Kremlin ,o.sed on that diplo-
matte weapon with proprietary eyes
and now apparently resents the fact
that the President of the United
States had the moral courage to use
the same kind of weapon, except i'll
much nlilder form, against COM
munism.
Words Had Powerful Effect
The Kremlin definitely did not
like the Truman cocktail On
orders from Moscow, Frau Erika
Rowald, a German commentator
for the U. S. 8. R.-controlled Leip-
zig station, stated on January %:
II must confess that Mr.. Truman's
speech reminded me very strongly
of similar speeches made by Hitler.
Hitler, too, used to proclaim world
programs to disguise his ambitions
for world rule. He, too, wanted to
establish peace by offering the
nations he attacked his own theology
as the only road to salvation and
as a banner in the fight against
Communist philosophy"
1t remains to be seen how lasting
the effect OF President Truman's
speech will be in Western Europe.
But there is no question that in
harassed France and Italy, where
Moscow's agents continue their
policy of subversion and prepare to
continue their economic sabotage
through strikes, the words of the
American President had powerful
effect.
Those words were interpreted, not
only by the politicians but also by
the rank and file of the people, as
definite proof that America now Is
mentally prepared to rush to their
rescue If the Red legions in Eastern
Europe are ordered to march.
TIE proposed legislation opening
fthe way for the United States to
become a partner In the Atlantic
pact, and the program to provide
the armies of the Western Euro
pean Union with $4,000, 900, 900 worth
Of military equipment in the next
IL months, will further strengthen
this belief that America will not
wait in jumping into the fray. II
another war breaks out in the near
future.
Program Simpli6ed
OF course, there are serious
doubts as to how far Mr.. Truman's
program of assistance to the back
ward countries can, be put into ef-
feet. This program is simplified al
meaning a bottle of milk for every
Hottentots family.
The belief of Mr.. Truman's ad-
visers is that the ills of the worlc
can be remedied simply by improv-
ing economic conditions and that
we must do the improving. This Ii
not altogether correct. It is true
that in those countries which have
been progressing for many year.
the disruption of economic Life
caused by the war has played into
the hands Of Moscow's agents.
But In the so-called backward
areas" the situation is different
The peoples Of those regions now
are receiving their independence
For centuries they have been ruled
by the Western nations and have
little opportunity to gain any real
experience in self-government.
After the war these peoples were
given an opportunity to have gov
ernments of their own. The result
was the creation Of a temporary
vacuum and into this vacuum So
Wet agents moved. The result has
been that the growing pains" in
what formerly were the colonies
and dominions Of Western powers