Evening star., 1950-03-13
News From Moscow
Held Indicating That
War Is PreventabIe
Nations MutuoI Fear
Of SeIf-Destruction,
MoIotov TuIk Cited
By David Laurence

Important truths about human
behavior which no Iron Curtain in
the world can conceal have come
through from the Russian people.
The Moscow dispatches of the
last few days are sensational.
They mean not only that war be-
tween America and Russia is re-
mote but that war is preventable.
For many months now, one
school of thought in the United
States has insisted that war with
Russia was psychological prob
lem and that while it could be
induced by threats and counter
threats, it could also be restrained
by mutual fears of elf-destruc-
ton.
What has emanated from
Russia confirms this thesis. It
shows that no matter how far
apart governments may get in
mutual distrust, peoples in the
final analysis control the deci-
sion irrespective of the form of
government involved.
Conclusions Reached.
Here are the points derived
from the Moscow dispatches
which support that conclusion:
/. Although Russian elections
are one-sided affairs, nevertheless
the campaign speeches reveal
what the Russian leaders believe
Is the paramount issue-fear of a
possible war.
2. Reiteration by Molotov of
the statement that the two eco
nomic systems-capitalism and
eommunism-can co-exist peace
fully means that Russia recog-
nizes that communism cannot
overthrow democracy. 1t is an
important concession from party
group which hitherto has ex-
pressed confidence that commu-
nism would sweep the entire
world. Molotov refers to "the
peaceful co-existence of the two
systems and their peaceful eco
nomic competition. The word
peaceful is pointedly repeated
before each of the two concepts.
3. Insistence that it is not nec-
essary to accept the belief that
one system must eventually de-
stroy the other. Molotov nat
urally argues that while the Rus
slams do not accept that belief
the Western Allies do. Here is a
chance for persuasion and proof
4. Recognition that atomic
bombs cannot settle international
problems and that the hydrogen
bomb. which Molotov says signifl-
cantly "does not now exist" is
really as awful for Russians to
contemplate as it is for the people
of the United States or Great
Britain or any other nation.
When Molotov says the Russian
people cannot be scared, he
means that they will not be in
timidated by threats. But they
are undoubtedly just as scared as
the american people that ire
sponsibility in the world will lead
to frightful destruction on both
sides. 1
Something Must Be Done"
Why do the leaders of the Polit-
buro make such interesting state
ments at this time? They, too,
feel something must be DONE"
There are hints of a Russian de-
sire to participate in conferences
through the United Nations or
the Foreign Ministers Council.
1t means that Russians are
human beings who don't want to
be destroyed and who know that
man now is capable of committing
national suicide in war.
For while Molotov says a war
would mean the end of capital
ism and implies that communism
would survive, he doesn't know
any more than anybody else does
what would or would not survive
for all the leaders on both sides
may be destroyed, too.
The biggest barrier to world
peace today has been erected by
persons inside and outside Wash
ington who have closed their minds
to any further discussion with the
Russians. This school of thought
says conferences are no good, that
Russians can't be trusted, that
sooner or later there will be war
and that America must stay on a
war footing every day and night,
borrow unearned billions from TO-
morrow's generations and even
perhaps fight a preventive war;"
striking before the enemy can.
The exponents of that doctrine
have nothing to offer but physical
force and threats. They are afraid
of moral force and sincere at
tempts to reach behind the Rus
sian rulers to the minds and
hearts of the Russian people.
Such an intransigeant attitude is
growing, even as conciliatory
movement develops alongside of
1t. 1t is inside America where
there is a real need for greater
understanding of human relations
and peaceful purpose and it can
only come through further debate
Reproduction Rights Reserved)
| -.