Evening star., 1949-05-13
Blockade Lifting Fails
To Lift Mystery on
Why Reds Took Step
BIZ David Laurence

By David Laurence
The lifting Of the Berlin block
ade has not lifted the mystery
that lies behind the Russian deci-
sion to end it,
There are those who say the
Russians were impressed by Amer
tca's might. This is not persua-
sive. because the demonstration of
Americas willingness to spend
huge sums Of money to achieve
an objective In diplomacy has
been proved even more conciu-
sively by the adoption Of the
Marshall plan.
There are those who say that
Russia yielded because she was
afraid there would be a separate
German state comprising the bulk
Of the German population and
that this would work to her dis
advantage In the. long run. This
also Is not persuasive, because as
long as a year ago the firm posi-
ton Of the Allies was well known
to Russia, as was the plan to put
the three zones together.
What recent action or develop
ment brought the change? The
whole policy Of the Russians has
been based on the idea that by
coercion a change In the plans
Of the Allies could be forced. The
use of coercion In the middle Of a
diplomatic negotiation would have
been as quickly resented by the
Soviets as 1t was, indeed. resented
by the western Allies.
Coercion Proved Failure.
The Russians now have tried
coercion and have found that the
Allies cannot be coerced. The
speed with which the rearmament
program was adopted and the
readiness Of both political parties
in the United States to spend vast
sums to put the Army, Navy and
Air Force into shape for instant
action has. unquestionably i'm
pressed Russia but the possession
Of the atomic bomb by the United
States probably has had an eveA
greater effect in deterring the
Soviets from making war.
In all the discussion about lift
ing of the blockade, no explana-
tion has been made as TO why
Russia did not attach single
condition before agreeing to end
the controversy over the use of
the railroads into Berlin. Usually
a nation puts in some face saving
clause or asks for such a method
of termination as viii not indi-
cate that one side or the other has
gained a point. In this instance,
the Russians have been willing to
let the whole world know that
they yielded-the whole world .ex-
cept perhaps the people behind
the Iron Curtain.
The explanation for Russia's
behavior might possibly be found
in the fact that the "voice Of
America" broadcasts have been
1ammed In recent days. It could
mean that the Soviet rulers feared
the western countries might gloat
over the lifting of the blockade
and therefore 1t would not be wise
to let Russian listeners hear
about 1t. Counter propaganda
based on facts at last is having
its effect. - ,a.~ ~ nts
May Feel Economic Pinch.
On the assumption that the
most pressing problems Of Rus
sia are internal and that war is
as unpopular there as inside the
United States. 1t can be readily
seen that Russia. without Marshall
Plan help, feels the pinch and
looks ahead to an even more try
ing situation on the economic
side.
It can be assumed also that the
debates In the United Nations
taught certain Russian repre-
sentatives that world opinion is
still the most powerful influence
in the making of government
policy in large areas of the world
where valuable resources are To-
Gated. Without the support OF
world opinion, Russia cannot
achieve economic rehabilitation.
It was the Marshall Plans sue
cess that doubtless caused the
change in Russian policy. 1t was
the constant reiteration Of the
case of the Allies in all parts Of
the world that brought the Rus
sian rulers to make an all-im-
portant decision In the direction OF
peaceful relations.
It Is natural that there should
be caution where there has been
distrust but in the long history Of
diplomacy it rarely happens that
q major change in policy is made
for one incident or one brief
period. The Russians plainly
have abandoned coercion and are
trying Western diplomacy. Is is a
healthful sign and proves that
ideas sometimes penetrate even
iron curtains.
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