Evening star., 1950-07-28
New Peace Offensive
Started by Russia in
Tactics Of Confusion
Red Muneuver to Check
American Mobilization
Will Not Succeed
By David Laurence

y
Russia has started a new peace
offensive. Her tactics of confu-
sion now will be employed to keep
the American mobilization from
materializing. 1t is a maneuver
that will not succeed. For, while
the move may gain time for both
sides and may keep large-scale
war from breaking out this year,
there is so little trust and faith
in the Kremlin's word or purpose
that defense preparations will
proceed as planned.
The announcement that Jacob
Malik will assume the presidency
of the Security Council of the
United Nations on August 1.-The
date on which the established
rule about rotation in Office called
for a Russian representative to
begin presiding - caught Wash
ington by surprise.
1t was interpreted Immediately
as a retreat and an advance at
the same time by the Communist
regime. For it is believed that
the Kremlin made a strategic
blunder in moving out of the Sc
curity Council merely on account
Of the unwillingnesS of the other
powers to recognize Communist
China. The Russians didn't imag-
Inc that the U. N. would ever be
called on by the United States
to impose military sanctions and
send troops and ships to Korea to
strike back at the North Korean
aggressors. What the Russians
lost then was a chance to veto the
step and ball up the machinery of
the u. N. Now they have come
back to the Security Council to
see what they can do to prevent
the U. N. from developing further
into an anti Communist alliance.
viii Have Peace Plan.
At the same time, the Russians
will have peace plan. They
will undoubtedly pose before the
world as anxious to restore peace.
They will agree to use their in
fluence to bring about the with
drawal Of the North Korean
forces, provided terms are agreed
upon concerning future elections.
It is believed, however, the exact
formula will not be offered now.
Instead, the plan probably will
call for withdrawal of the North
Korean forces and the submis-
sion Of the whole question to the
Security Council to discuss and
negotiate.
BY using the excuse that it was
RuSsia's turn to preside over the
Security Council. the Moscow gov
ernment could be Saving face"
It was one way to reverse its
policy without seeming to make
any barefaced surrender to the
Western powers who have stood
firm in the face of the many weeks
Of boycott by the Russians.
The Soviet envoy, Of course, will
not be able to use his post as
presiding officer to invalidate any
action that has already been
taken. If he attempts to do so,
his action will be blocked. It
does mean definitely, on the other
hand, that a Russian veto may
be expected against any further
moves by the Security Council to
line up strength behind the United
States in the Korean war.
Appeasement Strategy.
These technicalities may be-
come academic if a genuine peace
plan is offered by Russia. 1t will
have to be complete reversal
for the North Koreans, too. It
will not bring any recognition of
Communist China from the Amer
lean government either.
There is an "appeasement"
strategy which some of the ma
tions which have recognized Com
unist China have been sponsoring
behind the scenes. It involves a
vote by the United States against
seating Communist China but ac-
quiescence in a majority vote by
other powers favoring recogni-
ton. The assumption is that
America will not use the veto
against admitting Communist
China.
Would Moscow then pull back
the North Koreans? Would the
United States suffer blow in
prestige in the Asiatic world if
the fighting stops before the tide
of battle has turned and the
North Koreans have been driven
back to the 38th parallel? These
are questions that doubtless will
not be answered overnight. The
talking and negotiating in the
U. N. may be going on for weeks
rs the American forces drive
northward. But the truly signifi-
cant thing today is that another
important step has been taken
by Russia-and it isn't in the di-
rection of a world war.
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