The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1951-12-21

ur Koestler in an article entitled
FREEDOM-AT LAST: "The frs
World War had been followed by ar
irresponsible jazz age; the second, by
half of Europe falling from Hitler's
frying pan into Stains fire. The
third produced UNIHOPE-and re,
stored the shaken self-confidence OF
our civilization"
1t is appalling to me to think
that there are intellectual leaders
in this country who think it is as
simple as that, and even more APP
palling to reflect that probably the
majority of Americans agree that
this is the way it is and is going to
be. Let us take a further look at
some of these assertions.
WAR is INEVITABLE
The underlying assumption of
war in the near future is inevitable.
disclaimer: owe do not think war is
inevitable. We are emphatically OPP
posed to any suggestion of a 'preven-
tative war. We believe that each day
of peace and preparation makes free
nations stronger and lessons the
chance of world conflict Like GER
tain general, the GOLFERS team
wants to prevent another war and to
win it. But either the thoughts of
its members or their conception of
what the American people are think
ing leads them to devote special
edition, not to a consideration of how
war might be prevented but of how
the war is going to be fought and won.
There is not hint in the entire num-
Der that us. war preparations could
or should be slowed down. And star
performer, Mr.. Sherwood, speaking
of the ornaments race and the farm
ed truce, concludes resignedly: owe
know now this armed truce could have
been prolonged indefinitely; it should
have been resolved peacefully-ex-
cept that in all history it has neve,
worked out that way"
This sentence which speaks of an
armed truce which both can and can
not be prolonged indefinitely should
be read as commentary on the 9TH
er sentence already quoted to the eff
feet that leach day of peace and
preparation makes the free nations
stronger and lessons the chance OF
world conflict" That the evil day
can be put off forever if only our
side keeps on building positions OF
is what the A administration
and its spokesman SAY to themselves
and especially to the public. But
their actions are based on the as
that it never works that
way.
The reason we have no choice but |
to prepare for the war we do not |
want is that the men in the Kremlin
do want it. 1t is nowhere, | think,
stated quite so bluntly but that is the
meaning underneath the verbiage.
There is a ''means by which the ca
-astrophe of another war can avoided.
That means rests with the Soviet gov
The men in the Kremlin
must make the choice. They can roll
Up the Iron Curtain. Or they can start
/ war and have it shot down."
[ am not leading up to a defense
If the foreign policy of the Soviet
Union as one of peace and the lib
t is. What amazes and troubles me
S that the approach which group
If eminent and decent people make
~ d HlSHly COlHpllCdCeU ana tragic
problem is so simplistic, or is "crude"
" even 'disingenious" the correct
word for it? There is no indication
hat the men in the Kremlin have a
roblem or maybe even problems, that
hey may be involved in an historical
ituation that one cannot slip out of
IS easily as out of coat. They are
onfronted with a perfectly clear
nd simple ethical problem. They can
tart war or abolish war. They can
elieve the truth-viz. "that the West
as no aggressive intentions and is
Wiling to live at peace with Russia"
or they can just keep on lying! =,
70 HINT OF political '
Horse SENSE" '
There is no hint here either of the
Official horse-sense or of the humili- $
Y and pity and awareness of the trag-
, involvments of all the men who ,
lake policy in the world today which t
harrington Moore, Jr. suggests in a I
view in a recent issue of THE MA ?
ION in which he calls for "a sharp t
exception of the forces operated by $
worldwide power-struggle. These !
orces transcend both Russian and Il
merican society and limit closely e
ne choices open to the leaders of y
ach." A similar awareness of the Il