Evening star., 1949-04-27
Russian Move 10 End
Berlin Blockade Seen
Putting Allies on Spot
West Must Halt Action
On German Stote or Else
Be Propaganda forget

On German State or Else
Be Propaganda forget
By David Laurence
Russia has made an adroit move.
The Western Allies are put on the
spot-they either must halt their
reorganization of the German
state and engage in a prolonged
discussion with the Russians or
else be placed in the position of
going ahead with the development
of their three-zone German plan
without taking into account the
Russian view.
The Moscow government evi-
IDENTIFY became sufficiently sensitive
to world opinion to realize that
the continuance Of the Berlin
blockade was in itself q form Of
coercion and that the Allies were
beginning to persuade the world
that Russia was an obstructionist
in world affairs.
The Russians have very point
edly changed their position. They
no longer place any conditions on
the lifting Of the blockade except
the setting Of date for a meeting
of the foreign ministers, and in
stead give the impression that they
are abandoning coercive measures
simultaneously with the termina-
ton by the Allies of their counter
blockade. Undoubtedly in the
Russian press 1t will all be
described as a mutually satisfac-
tory ending Of an unpleasant epi-
sode.
Situation Transformed.
But so far as future steps are
concerned. the Soviets have con-
siderably transformed the whole
diplomatic situation. In the first
place, the Russians have succeeded
in bringing about q four-power
conference at which an overall
settlement Of German problems
will have to be discussed.
This means that whatever plans
the Allies may have had for carry
ing out their establishment of q
separate government in the three
zones will be complicated now by
Russian suggestions that all pow
ers withdraw their troops from
German territory. The Russians
will vie with the Western Allies
in seeking the support Of German
public opinion. The Russians now
realize that If they are ever to
communize Germany, they must
be ready to secure for the Ger
mans an Independent position as
a nation. It remains to be seen
whether the Western Allies are
prepared to withdraw all controls
from Germany and let the Ger
mans handle their own affairs.
The whole problem presents an
opportunity for further pickering
and lengthy discussions. There
is no certainty that the Russians
If the four-power conference
ends in q deadlock-will not start
. new blockade in some other
place. The fact that Russia now
has virtual control Of the foreign
policy Of Communist China and
that there are other areas. like
Iran, which afford an opportunity
to needle and harasss the Allies
may make 1t q bit premature to-
assume that the armament pro-
gram can be safely reduced.
The Russian gesture toward
peace comes at q time when the
North Atlantic Pact and the arms
agreement to implement 1t are
before the Congress of the United
States. The Russians may well
claim that neither Of these meas
ures is necessary now for defense
purposes. It could be. Of course,
that the Russians are striving to
influence American psychology.
State Department Cautious.
This may account for the cau-
ton expressed by the State De-
partment in its formal announce
ment reviewing the circumstances
that have led up to the proposals
by Russia to terminate the Berlin
blockade If only q date is set by
the Allies for a meeting of the
Council Of Foreign Ministers.
Officials of the State Depart
ment. conscious Of previous mis-
understandings with Moscow that
grew out of so-called details"
have been reluctant to accept at
face value the statements made
by the Russian news agencies
that there are no conditions
whatsoever attached to the lift
ing Of the blockade except the
mere setting Of q date for the
foreign ministers meeting.
If indeed 1t turns out that the
Russians have no strings tied to
their offer. 1t can only mean that
tliC 3OVkCt SVVCl 4l1AlCAt AltCAAdS w
put the whole weight Of its prop
aganda behind the declaration
that the Russians have manifested
their desire for peace and are
therefore entitled to an accept
ance of some of their proposals
with respect to Germany, es-
pecially a higher share of repara-
tions than the Allies have been
willing to grant.
There is no doubt that the
Russians have learned in the last
several months that no progress
could be made in diplomacy as
long as the blockade was con-
tinued. They are. therefore. ready
now to resume conversations on
the major subjects, though this
does not In any way indicate
whether or not the Soviets have
altered their position on basic