The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-04-15
Cold w ar
In Europe
BY WILLIAM [. RYAN
Ap Foreign News Analyst

6EhLlN W5- hitcI dns satN
the diplomat, pushing his chair
away from his desk, here Is what
the cold war is all about. "
He picked up ruler and pointed
h at the map Of Germany In the
heart OF Europe.
III and when the Russians are
ready for war, we will know It
here first he went on. But It
win not be In 1852. The Russians
aren't ready. And Stain can wait.
I'VE viii know a year in adj
vance. Right now we know that
their communication and trans
port are in no shape to start q
war. We know they lack faith In
their satellite armies and p0pula-
lions. We know they would need
large numbers OF troops 10 hold
what they have now. We know they
lack the technical and economic
resources on q scale permitting
war. We know they are intent on
maintaining the status quo in the
West while they 60 about their
business in the East"
Many Western diplomats agree
with this assessment. Some think
the war win come eventually, but
most express the belief that what
is going on today Is q long-range
holding action.
The consensus here, at the edge
of the smoldering volcano, appears
TO be that the Soviet Union Is in
tent now upon holding whatever
1t can in the West, protecting its
Western flank, while consolidating
and pushing forward In the Orient.
Thus, goes the reasoning. the en-
tire program In Europe today ap-
pears to be aimed at paralyzing
the Western Europeans viii to
resist--to render Western Europe
impotent and neutral. II seems as
If Moscow were convinced that
with Europe neutralized, the con-
tinent must inevitably come under
the Kremlin's domination.
If war comes, the Communists
are ready with their own under
ground armies, their hard core
fanatics, their fifth columns ready
To spring into action at the moment
the Kremlin gives the signal.
But meanwhile, the Communists
bend every effort toward what they
call national resistance to the
United States, to bog down West
ern European defense efforts. They
appeal to the self-interest Of West
ern European businessmen 10 turn
their backs on the U. S. They tell
the worker he Is being super
exploited" by the Americans.
In the drive to neutraIize West
ern Europe, the prime target il
Germany. There are competent
observers In Western Europe who
speculate that Stain would even
be prepared to dump the whole
East German Communist Party ii
ne could achieve the goal Of i Ger
man vacuum In the heart of Eu-
rope. dominated by the might of
Soviet arms on the East and lead.
ing the West down the road To
enforced neutrality. Economic
domination by Moscow would not
20 too distant a goal.
Stain now says the time Il ripe
Tor talks on ratification of Ger
many. He has let II be known he il
wiling for Germany to be unified
with its own army, sufficient 10
defend Itself. This was a shock
70 she Communists. long playing
o. the fear Of a rearmed Ger
many. but Il was q strong dose
OF medicine for West Germany.
which wants nothing more than
nnIilcation without occupation.
Stain might 20 even further IN
ms desperate bid to keep 4 flourish
ing Western Germany out Of the
atlantic defense community. He
might even consent 70 some SORT
border. $500
The Poles are expendahle They
occupy what formerly was Ger
man territory up 10 the Oder.
Naesss line. n IL not too far
fetched TO imagine Stains throw.
ing = sop 10 Germany in the form
o. 9 revision At the expense az
Inc prizes would be great. Stain
unquestiona0ly dreams a. wrest-
ING from the Americans and Brlt-
~ me domination OF the great
hanr valley with its mighty mil.
tary Potential. The Ruhr. ccnples
win ne potential Of silesia and
uominased by the Red Army
could mean ne complete economic
ana military domination az EuroDe
IN May the three Western nn,s.
eEs meet with Western S.ermnrv
70 sn peace suntract This
woaid tinalire the split a. Ger
many into two parts. n wo,,ls
rresase Western Germany. shIs
70 flourish economically fa,e,s ,r,a
the Western defense seherss 1870
That is the last fhsrg -.
wants. But Moscow rememeerx
other times when the s;erms,..
wers willing 10 make deals !. 80 u
moments When thex 49, ~ u'T