Evening star., 1950-03-16

A partial tert OF Secretary of
State AcheSon's speech at the
University OF California at
Berkeley today, made public
here By the State Department,
tolloDS:
I wish to make a report to you
about the tensions between the
United States and the Soviet
There are many points in this
philosophy (of international COM
munism), and particularly in the
way in which it has already been
applied in practice in the Soviet
Union and elsewhere, which are not
only deeply repugnant to us, but
raise questions involving the most
basic conceptions of good and evil
questions involving the ultimate
moral nature, of man. There is
no use in attempting to ignore or
gloss over the profundity of this
conflict of view.
The free society values the indi-
vidual as an end in himself. 1t
requires of him only that self dis
cipline and self-restraint which
make the rights of each individual
compatible with the rights of every
other individual. **
In relations between nations, the
prime reliance of the free society
is on the strength and appeal of its
principles, and it feels no compul-
sion sooner or later to bring all
societies into conformity with it.
Strength From Freedom.
Tt does not fear, rather it well
comes, diversity and derives its
strength from freedom of inquiry
and tolerance even of antipathetic
ideas.
We can see no moral compromise
with the contrary theses of inter
national communism: that the end
justifles the means, that any and
all methods are therefore pernis-
sible, and that the dignity of the
human individual is of no impor-
tance as against the interest of the
state.
To our minds, these principles
mean, in their practical application,
the arrogation to individual human
leaders, with all their inevitable
frailties and limitations, of powers
and pretenseS which most of us
would be willing to concede only to
the infinite wisdom and compassion
of a Divine Being. They mean the
police state, with all that that i'm
plies; q RECOMMENDATION of the worker
which is hardly distinguishable from
slave labor: loss to society of those
things which appear to US to make
life worth living; a denial of the
fundamental truths embodied in all
the great religions of the world.
Issue Can't Be Evaded.
Here is a moral issue of the
elearest nature. 1t cannot be evaded.
Let us make no mistake about 1t.
Yet it does not follow from this
that the two systems, theirs and
ours, cannot exist concurrently in
this world. Good and evil can and
do exist concurrently in the whole
great realm of human life. They
exist within every individual, within
every nation, and within every hu-
man group. The struggle between
good and evil cannot be confined to
governments. That struggle will go
on, as it always has, in the wider
theater of the human spirit itself.
But it also does not follow from
this co-existence of good and evil
that the two systems, theirs and
ours, will necessarily be able to
exist concurrently. That win depend
largely on them, for we ourselves
do not find impossibility in the
prospect of co-eXistence with the
Soviet system.
However much we may sympa-
thize with the Soviet citizens who
for reasons bedded deep in history
are obliged to live under it, we are
not attempting to. change the gov
ernmental or social structure OF
the Soviet Union. The Soviet re-
gime, however, has devoted a major
portion of its energies and resources
to the attempt to impose its system
ON other peoples. In this attempt
1t has shown itself prepared to
resort to any method or stratagem
including subversion, threats and
even military force.
Tensions Must Be Eased.
Therefore, if the two systems
are to co-exist, some acceptable
means must be found to free the
world from the destructive tensions
and anxieties of which it has been
the victim in these past years and
the continuance of which can hardly
be In the interests of any people.
I wish, therefore, to speak to you
about those points of greatest diff
ference which must be identified
and sooner or later reconciled if
the two systems are to live together,
II not with mutual respect, at least
In reasonable security. What Is it
which the leaders of international
communism could do to make such
co-existence more tolerable to
every one? s+
Let us look first at the points
where we and they are perhaps
most closely in contact, and where
the establishment of peace in its
narrowest, most limited sense is
dangerously impeded by the absence
of common ground.
One. Definition of Terms of Peace
It is now nearly five years since
the end of hostiities, and the VIC
torious allies have been unable tt
define the terms of peace with the
defeated countries. This is grave
. deeply disturbing fact.
For our part, we do not Intend
nor wish, in fact we do not know
how, to create satellites. Nor can We
accept a settlement which woulc
make Germany, Japan, or liberated
Austria satellites of the Soviet
Union. The experience in Hugary
Rumania, and Bulgaria has beer
one of bitter disappointment ane
shocking betrayal of the solemn
r,Iedocc hr, the uyo orfir1o ol1iec