Evening star., 1950-02-09
Statement Of Acheson
Shows US. Diplomacy
Has Exhausted Itself
Serves Notice on Soviet
Of Cold Wor' Renewal;
Extends Hand to People
By David Lasgrence

By David Lascrence
The grim news that the United
States Government sees no hope
of making any useful agreements
with the present government of
Soviet Russia in the near future
confronts the world with the
startling fact that diplomacy has
exhausted itself.
Although the Secretary of State,
Dean Acheson, spoke extempo-
raneously, he revised his remarks
carefully and authorized their
issuance as formal statement.
This is one means of serving notice
on Russia that the American
Government does not consider it
worthwhile to negotiate any
agreements with Russia of the
give-and-take category and that
only agreements that ratify an
already existent set of facts can
be expected. This is but a re-
newal of the cold war"
Behind the statements of the
Secretary is a bold reliance on
physical force to hold the Rus
SLAMS at bay. There is apparently
no sign of a way out short of
constant coercion and prepara-
ton for war.
Something of Shock.
Many people in the world have
for long time felt that such
course OF events was perhaps in
evitable, but official confirmation
nevertheless comes with some
thing of a shock.
This now can lead toward only
one course of action-a pronounce
ment that, while the American
Government doesn't trust the Rus
sian government, it does have
faith in the capacity of the Rus
sian people to deal with the prob
lens that have arisen. 1t calls for
reiteration of the friendship of
the American people for the Rus
sian people.
This sharp differentiation be-
tween hostile government and a
friendly people is one that helped
to bring World War I to an early
conclusion and helped through
psychological warfare to hasten
the surrender of Japan in World
War II.
Such a policy, however, with
respect to the present Russian
government cannot long go with
out implementation. A pronounce
ment OF friendship for the Rus
sian people, with renewed prom
1seS OF economic aid along the
lines Of the plan submitted by
Senator Brien Mcmahon of Con-
necticut. and stepping-up of
radio breadeasts and other forms
OF thought transmission can begin
to draw the Russian people away
from their government.
Inside the satellite countries
such a strategy can be effective.
too. Instead of permitting the
Stain government to be the only
one "to fish in troubled waters, I"
the American Government can do
some fishing in the Balkans. The
loan to Tito already has signalized
some OF that kind fishing"
Might Upset Kremlin.
II the United States spent a
billion dollars a year in letting
the Russian people know what
opportunities for a higher stand
ard of living and what individual
freedoms were possible under
Tree government, it might not
immediately produce an upset in
the Kremlin but it might make
the Politburo a bit more appre-
hens1ve about internal affairs in
Russia and bring sharp changes
in policy.
For too long a time the formal
concept has been held that inter-
national relations, as historically
~SAANASVC0s dO 4lVO pei illlU any
steps to be taken looking toward
a shaping of the internal policy
of another nation. Five years ago
the Catholic bishops of America
in a statement as to the bases of a
sound peace, pointed out how
much internal policies of govern
mentS can affect external policies
and called for an examination of
internal policies that threaten
world peace.
Certainly, if the democracies
had made it their business to
examine earlier the dangerous
trends in the internal policies of
Hitler, the Second World War
might have been averted. To con-
centrate. therefore, on bringing
about through every practical
means change in the complexion
OF the present Russian govern
ment is a move to avert a third
World War. 1t appears to be the
only alternative to the state of
confessed Illustration which Sec
retary Acheson has involuntarily
announced in his remarks to the
press.