Evening star., 1950-09-23
'Nichevo'?

It is at least interesting, If not significant,
that ever since Foreign Minister Vishinsky
arrived in this country for the fifth session OF
the General Assembly there has been percep-
tible change in the Soviet way of doing things
The language of the Kremlin's representatives,
though not entirely lacking in acid and insult,
has become relatively temperate. Their mood
is not the mood of snarling surliness displayed
by Jacob A. Maik during the August meetings of
the Security Council. BY and large, they seem
slightly more reasonable, less harsh, somewhat
inclined to hold their invective in check, and
bit eager to show that Russians can be quite per-
sonable If they want to be.
Indeed-except for being miffed by some of
Governor Deweys unvarnished remarks at
United Nations dinner in the Waldorf Astoria
Mr.. ViShinSky who has undeniable personal
charm when he is not being official, appears to
have transmitted to all the Soviet delegates
flew spirit of affability. BY way of example-as
reported by James Reston of the New York Times
they have been acting with positive joviality
off the Assembly floor, and Mr.. Malik himself
has been observed chatting happily with i'm
perialist warmongers" and the wicked capitalist
press" AS matter of fact, after an unusually
conciliatory" private discussion of East-West
problems, Mr. Reston has heard him say, 1--WE
have word in Russian which you should know.
1t is nichevo' 1t means don't worry-things will
turn out all right"
Mr. Maliks use of that word seems all the
more interesting when one keeps in mind, on the
lighter side, that when he recently ordered new
carpets for his place out at Glen Cove, Long
Island, his purchasing agent first made point OF
getting assurances from the rug merchant that
they would last for at least three years. Further
wholly apart from the comparatively genial
demeanor displayed by the Russians thus far
in the current Assembly session, it is perhaps
worth while to note that the Soviet Union, after
virtually embargoing them for months past, has
suddenly stepped up its shipments of manganese
to the United States. Could this be one of several
straws in the wind? Is it possible that the
Kremin is shifting to a new line? Are we to be
treated to some Russian reasonableness? Can 1t
be that the world need not fear war and should
really say "nichevo"?
The answer to all such questions can only be
that the free nations had better keep their fingers
crossed and get on with the task of arming
themselves for defense as fast and as thoroughly
as possible. Of course since Russia is riddle
within a mystery wrapped up inside an enigma,
there is bare possibility that it has suddenly
decided to modify its past policy and move slowly
toward cooperation with the U. N. On the other
hand, however, there is more than little reason
to suspect that the men of the Kremlin may have
n1lScalculaLeQ tQe consequences OF tne aSSreSSIol
in Korea and are anxious now to undo their error.
That is to say they may not have anticipated
that that aggression, besides being defeated,
would arouse the non-Soviet world to rearm for
survival, and they may therefore be planning
some kind of peace offensive to lull us all back
into false sense of security.
But If that is what accounts for the new
note of Soviet moderation the moderation itself
lit is thing that may vanish overnight will
not fool the sensible. Once burnt, twice shy
The Kremlin can say "nichevo" over and over
again. but the free nations will not be DETECTED
from what they are now Strengthening
themselves collectively against the threat of
Communist aggression. For if experience has
taught anything at ALL it has taught this: That
concrete deeds, not pleasant words or smiling
gestures, are what we must have from the
Russians if we are to have peace-deeds like
hard-and-fast agreements on atomic control
and doing away with the Iron Curtain. Short of
that, 1t will be a mockery to say don't worry
things will turn out all right"
D@I.@ L. %~.l~L~