Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-12-28
Dulles on Stain

Speaking as Presdent-elect Eisenhowers
prospective Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles
has struck proper note of reserve and frmness
in his brief comment on Premier Stains Christ
mas Eve statement to the New York Times.
In effect, the comment calls upon the Rus
sian dictator to back up his fair words with
specific evidence of good faith. If he does that,
if he has concrete proposals" to offer to the
Eisenhower administration latter it takes Office,
then "he can rest assured that they will be
seriously and sympatheticaly received Mean
while, diplomatic or United Nations channels
of communication are always available for such
purposes and for exchanges of views designed to
find ways to promote peace and international
good will"
OF course in saying this, Mr.. Dulles has
spoken for the President-elect and he has thus
made clear to the Kremlin that General EiSen-
hover, while welcoming any genuine bid for
genuine negotiations, is skeptical of the real
intentions of the Soviet Union. This is so not
only because of such hard facts as Moscow's con-
tinuing hate America campaign and its rejection
of reasonable Korean peace proposals. but also
because of the vagueness of Stains views as
expressed to the New York TimeS-a vagueneSs
with a familiar and almost tiresome ring,
thing that seems to do little more than echo
what he has stated in many past newspaper
INTERVIEWS
Who has not heard it all before? Stain
believes that armed conflict between the United
States and Russia Cannot be considered inevi-
table and that our two countries can continue
to live in peace" World tensions exist he says
not because of what he and his government have
done, but because of aggressive actions" against
the Soviet Union. He therefore "favoraby" re-
CARDS the idea of diplomatic conversations to
pave the way for possible meeting between him
and General Eisenhower. And he agrees to
cooperate in any new effort to bring about
Korean truce because the u S. S. r. is interested
in ending the war in Korea" But these words
are not new; he has uttered them periodically,
in slightly varying forms, ever since 1885, and
although they may sound good-hearted, they
have been accompanied so far by nothing but
dark, belligerent deeds
In the circumstances, General Eisenhower
indirectly through Mr.. Dulles-has reacted in the
right way to Stalin's latest statement Con-
ceivably, the statement is less inSncere than its
similar predecessors Conceivably the Kremlin
may really want to end the Korean war and
ease world tensions. But there are many signs
that suggest otherwise-signs indicating that
this is merely another Soviet maneuver in
propaganda drive aimed at spreading confusion
in the free world with phony and divsive peace
offensive calculated particularly to lull the
"eSGSIu poWeIS lIltO IeldAllB CiIe1I SudIu anu
upsetting their defensive build-up.
At any rate in view of the Krenlns record
to date, the incoming Republican administration,
together with all free governments abroad, would
be foolish to respond to Stains overtures without
the kind of circumspection that Mr.. Dulles has
expressed. Caution is obviously needed because
of the world of difference between peaceful
Soviet words and Warlike Soviet deeds. AS long
as that difference exists and as long as our
side is deficient in the military balance of power
only the incorrigiby wishful will be cheered
much by dovelike noises from the Russian
dictator.
Nevertheless, it is just barely possible that
those noises have some sincerity in them this
time That is why Mr.. Dulles comment is care
full to leave the door open for specific follow-up
moves by the men of the Kremlin. If they
honestly wish to negotiate in good faith, they
will find the Eisenhower administration warmly
receptive.