Evening star., 1949-03-31
Reds May Quit Berlin
As Propaganda Move
AGAINST Allies Pact
Soviet Could Use Move
To ProIong StoIemote;
No Hint Given on PIuns
By David Laurence

Amazingly little conjecture has
come In the dispatches from
abroad giving even a hint as to
what Russia intends to do about
the signing of the North Atlantic
Pact.
A step as momentous as that be-
ing taken by the United States,
Great Britain. France and other
nations would certainly lead to
some form of counter policy by
the Soviets.
When important changes in per-
sonnel were announced recently
from Moscow. it was taken for
granted that a move of some kind
affecting broad policy was IN the
making. But no clue appeared as
to whether the program decided
upon by Russia was one OF tntensl-
fed hostility or passive indifter-
ence.
1t begins to look now as IT the
Russians have decided to remove
the most fragrant act to which the
Allies can point as justification Tor
organizing the North Atlantic Pact
the Soviets' aggression In insti-
tuting a blockade Of Berlin. II tnat
blockade were lifted, the burden
of proof would be on the Allies TO
establish the thesis that the So
yiets plan aggressive steps Whlch
might disturb the peace Of Europe.
Propaganda Advantage.
Mere refusal to agree with the
Allies as to what should be donaI
to settle the problems of GERMANY
or any of the other questions tnat
remain unsolved since Vi Day is
not enough to stamp any nation
as a potential aggressor. Nor is
there any justification before the
world for the organization OF q
North Atlantic alliance inside the
United Nations unless some one
nation or group of nations dis
plays signs Of aggressor tactics.
It would seem natural for the
soviets, therefore. to lift the
blockade of Berlin and eliminate
the biggest black mark on their
record, while at the same time
making a propaganda drive about
their desire to preserve peace.
II Moscow should decide on such
q course, 1t might or might not
lessen the activities Of the West
ern powers by way OF military
preparation. but it would certainly
give the Russians an advantage In
the court Of public opinion. They
would continue to accuse the
Western Allies of organizing mill
tary alliances while there Is no
sign of aggressor action on the
horizon. To back up such a claim,
the Russians can be expected to
urge that all occupying forces be
Withdrawn from Germany.
Can Afford Move.
The Russians can afford to make
such a move II they have secretly
decided to prolong the stalemate
that exists between them and the
Western Allies.
If the assumption that Russia
means to go to war in the next
few years be dispelled by her own
actions in diminishing her mill
tary operations IN. Europe. then
the alternative policy-a refusal
to agree to Allied demands and
proposals and the continuance in
stead of a program of aloofness-
would seem to be the calculated
determination the Russians may
well have reached.
AS long as America is kept bur-
dened with expenditures OF SIS
billion a year for Marshall Plan
aid, the Russians may well be-
lieve that the American economy
will be strained to the breaking
point. They may well have re-
solved to keep up these tactics of
nonagreement for years, believ-
ing that some day. If a major de-
preston does occur. the United
States will be unable to extend
aid to Europe and that then the
time will have come to move on
the weaker European governments
by inflltrating from within.
There Is always the possibility,
too, that the Russians may figure
on working out the atomic bomb
secrets in a few years so that they
will have more leverage than they
have today in getting the conces-
sions they want.