Evening star., 1950-10-05
Approach 10 Criminals
Is Seen in Sfassen's
Proposal 10 Stain
Nine Out of Ten in U. S.
Believe Soviet Chiefs
Pledges Are Worthless
By David Laurence

14dA OlO OUdSSCI1 dpHIOdC1l W
Stain reflects the simple approach
of the average man-trying to
sit down with the other fellow and
reason with him.
This is an American concept
of persuasion but in the case of
Stain it falls to the ground be-
cause the Soviet chief has been
guilty Of sanctioning perf1dy and
crime
Nine out of ten persons in the
United States today would prob
ably not accept any word of
Stain or any agreement or pledge
made by his government as worth
the paper it is written on.
Even Harold Stassen's own letter
points out that the American
people are interested in deeds or
action-not words or documents.
If the Kremlin has any inten-
ton of changing its policies, it
would not need an invitation from
any group of private citizens in
America to bring about such a
change.
There is no doubt that if the
Soviet Union does want to change
and wishes to use the Stassen let
ter as an excuse. such a shift
would be welcomed by the world
as a significant gesture-but the
world would also await proof of
sincerity in deeds before accepting
any such gesture as real.
Addressed to Criminals.
The trouble with the StaSsen
proposal is that it is addressed to
criminals. It comes after the
Kremlin has engineered an aggres-
sion in North Korea and brought
about the organized murder of
thousands Of civilians. Any gov
ernment which sanctions such
cruelty is not entitled to further
consideration except by those gov
ernments afraid of the Kremlin
or bent on appeasement as an
easy way out of a crisis.
The Soviet government has
shown itself incapable of full
filing international obligations.
It has trif1ed with the United Ma
tions and obstructed its progress.
1t has lied to the world through
its propaganda machine and
caused thousands of its agents to
foment strikes and otherwise to
interfere with the economic life
of friendly countries.
But, worst of all, the Soviet re-
gime has dishonored its pledges
given at Potsdam and Yalta and
has occupied territory it never
was awarded. It has also failed
to liberate tens Of thousands of
prisoners of war from Germany
and Japan.
Such a government isn't deserv-
ing of the Stassen approach or
the visit of any mission. Such al
government deserves only to be
condemned by the world and out.
lawed or isolated as moral leper.
The sooner American policy be-
gins to accept the stark fact that
there will be no peace In the world |
until the Russian people are
aroused to change their govern
ment, the sooner will the menace
Of war be removed.
The Stassen maneuver will be
regarded indifferently by the Tru-
man Administration. The Govern
ment here did not know of the
plan in advance or would certainly
have discouraged it. But now that
the plan has been made public,
the Administration doubtless will
let the proposal find its own posi-
tion in the court of public opinion.
1t will not be high.
Letter Within the Law.
Fortunately, the Stassen letter
did not of itself invite any ap-
peasement or reveal any conflict
with the main aims of American
foreign policy. It is within the
law because the Logan Act merely
forbids a citizen from negotiating
with a foreign government by
purporting to represent the United
States Government. Mr.. Stassen
doesn't profess to represent the
State Department. The policy
of Secretary Acheson has been to
hold open the door to negotiation.
But neither the Acheson program
nor the Stassen approach will get
anywhere with the Kremlin. Those
Americans who think the Rus
slams are discouraged by the
Korean episode will soon be disil-
lusioned. The defiant attitude of
the Chinese Communists in the
last few days shows that there is
no fear of American policy-mili-
tary or otherwise. The Chinese
Communists, moreover, backed by
Russia. undoubtedly expect to be
admitted into the U. N. with
American acquiescence.
The Soviets have succeeded in
hamstringing the U. N. in the last
few weeks. Why should the
Soviets give in now when they are
making what undoubtedly seems
to them great propaganda prog
ress? If they answer Harold
Stassen at all. it will be only to
reiterate their past views. posi-
bly, even engaging with him In an
other conference of words.
There is no sign that the Soviet
has as yet been impressed with
either the moral or physical force
of the U. N. or it's members. The
drift is toward eventual conflict
unless the people of the Soviet
Union get rid of the willful men
who today attempt to rule them
and the satellite countries. Pre-
sistent appeals to the Russian
people to prevent war is the only
strategy open to the free nations,
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