The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1953-08-13
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
by Hazel Brannon Smith

hydrogen DOulU.
American speculation over
whether or not he is telling the
truth is futile--for we have long
known that If Russia does not
now have the bomb it is only a
matter of time until she does. In
addition to the work done by her
own scientists she has had tn
rough the traitor route, the bene-
fit of work done by other scien-
fists for both American and
Britain--So it is only natural
that her progress in developing
the weapons of atomic warfare
should almost parallel our own.
The question now, and the one
that counts, is
What are they going to do a
bout it?
Another question, and one OF
equal concern to us all, is
What are we going to do about
it?
And still a third question is
posed.
What is Europe going to do
about it?
We believe that once again
America has lost the initiative
in the present war of nerves
with Russia. We felt from the be-
ginning of the Korean war that
America was making a huge mis-.
take in permitting politics tn
rough the UN to hamstring
our efforts there. We believe that
the deaths of thousands OF
American fighting men in Korea
were. caused by the stupid hand
ling Of the Korean war by Presi-
dent Humankind finally we
have and still believe that atomic
bombs should have been used in
a full scale effort to end the
Korean war much sooner.
We have had the atomic bomb
for some time--but we have been
afraid to use it.
Of what good is it to spend bill
lions of dollars perfecting wea-
pons Of atomic warfare if we, for
any reason, are afraid to use
them?
The fear of a stream of world
disapproval and condemnation,
and perhaps hatred. that will be
J unbiased against the nation
which first employs atomic war
fare in any considerable measure
is, we believe, the fear that has
kept America from using her
considerable store of atomic
bombs in Korea or elsewhere.
Russia entertains no such fear.
She thinks nothing of what the
world or civilized nations think
of her as long as she is able to
keep dagger at their throats
Russia will have no hesistancy
in using her store of atomic
bombs or the newer and more
powerful hydrogen bomb if it
Sdito AlSi Pun pOSC.
But the greatest use Russia will
make of her atomic might will
probably be to incite a fear in
European nations that will make
them virtually renounce NATO
and further cooperation with
America. They are going along
with America reluctantly enough,
already. With the announcement
OF Malenkov it may be expected
that European nations will prove
to be in the future even more re-
luctant allies.
Also, if Russia has the hydro
gen bomb, she could use it in
highly industrialized Western
Germany with telling effect. BY
delivering few well placed
bombs she could practically de-
stroy the great German indus
tries there which are expected
to play big part in the defense
OF Europe through NATO an
nullify the important place in
NATO planned for German
troops.
So Russia seems once more to
be driving the chariot destined,
Il it is not checked. to blow us
all to bits.
Europe has been, and il, and
will continue to be, willing to
do only bare minimum for iti
own defense and remain on
speaking terms with the United
States.
It seems that once again Ameri-
ca is isolated in a world Of hate
and we are in exactly the same
position as we were back in 1948
before the expenditure of billions
OF American dollars under the
Marshall Plan.