Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-05-15
Prooue, Moscow and the West

Our relations with CzechoSlovakia's Krem-
lin-serving Communists have now reached a
point where it seems more probable than posi-
BILE that there will be complete break in the
relatively future. Violating all the accepted
standards of decent diplomatic intercourse,
Prague's puppet tyranny-undoubtedly in keep
ing with instructions from Moscow-has been
following such systematic policy of pinpricks
insults, harrassing pressures, and poisonous
Justification against us that we can hardly put
up with it much longer and still maintain our
national sef-respect
This policy-essentially the same as the one
that led us last February to sever all diplomatic
relations with Bulgaria-has been in effect for
the past several months. The latest manifesto
ton of it has been the Czech regimes crude
demand that we reduce our ambassadorial and
consular stats by -thirds-a demand which
the State Department has now answered with
retaliatory order for a cut of identical size in
the number of Pragues representatives in the
United States Moreover in issuing the order,
the department has plainly limited that it may
take other measures in reprisal-a fact suggest
ing that complete break in under consideration.
Certainly given a further deterioration in
the present situation, such break will be diff
cult to avoid. Like their Bulgarian counterparts,
the Kremlin'S Prague puppets-by marrying and
expelling our representatives, by accusing our
Embassy OF running a network OF spies and
Saboteurs, and by increasing the tempo and
virulence of their propaganda drive against every
thing American-have been sparing no effort
to Shatter our patience and force us to sever
relations. The tragic thing about their shock
ngy bad conduct is that it is operating against
the best interests of the fine Czech people, whose
traditions and instincts are western and whose
past ties with the United States have been
particularly close and friendly
There be no doubt, as the State Depart
ment has declared in fairly polite language, that
Pragues behavior follows "a set course" which
the Kremlin has prescribed for the states of
Eastern Europe"-a course designed ito isolate
the people in those countries from contact with
the outside world" 1t is course whose objec-
tive is to make the Iron Curtain more iron than
ever to strengthen the Soviet Unions control
over it's satellite empire, and to deepen and
widen the dark gulf already existing between
that empire and the free nations of the West.
After our break with Bulgaria Czechoslovakia
seems to be next on the list, with Poland,
Romania and Hungary waiting their turns
Presumably all this has received careful
attention at the now-concuded Anglo French
American Foreign Ministers Conference in Lon
don. 1t adds up to deliberate effort by the
Kremln to poison the wells Of international
understanding through what the conference has
branded as calculated campaign of misrepre-
sentation of our purposes and policies conducted
by the only militaristic and aggressive power in
the world" The Czech situation is merely one
aspect Of that campaign, but it is serious enough
in itself to illustrate why the West cannot afford
to drag its feet in conducting a co-ordinated
counteroffensive.