Evening star., 1953-03-08


Russia for a generation.
The first communique said the
regency realized "the full signifi-
canoe of the fact that the grave
illness of Comrade Stain will in
volve his more or less prolonged
non-participation in leading ac-
tivity." Left for the hag-ridden
common people to infer was the
warning: Don't try anything just
because the boss is away from the
Office.
There was, of course, scant word
on how most of the Soviet Unions
200 million people-or, more i'm
portant, the 600 million in the
Satellites-were taking the news.
Censored reports from Moscow in
dicated the people were genuinely
sorrowful. For many of the lowly
people, this was undoubtedly
shattering tragedy.
God had died; it would be long
time before they could bring
themselves to worship at a new
altar.
The Decent Thing
Most free world leaders were
doing the decent thing and ex-
pressing their sympathy. United
Nations General Assembly Presi-
dent Pearson, Britain'S Churchill,
Japan's YoShida, Korea's Rhee,
emost others, were sorry. The Pope
prayed for Stalin's soul with pre-
else Christian compassion. The
United States reaction split on
party lines. Ex-PreSident Truman
said he was sorry for the man he
had once called "Old joe" Presi-
dent Eisenhower was coldly formal,
almost hostile.
A few hours after he heard of
Stalin's illness, Gen. Eisenhower
went over the Soviet leaders
stricken head to the Russian peo-
pie. The Presidents prayers and
those of the American people, he
said--were for "the people of the
U. s. S. R.-the men and women,
the boys and girlS-in the villages,
cities, farms and factories of their
homeland" He did not mention
Stain by name, nor did he ex-
press any sympathy for anyone,
even the 800 million survivors.
After Stain had died, the Presi-
dent forwarded message to the
Soviet government. It contained
the United States official con-
dolences'-just so no one would
think there was anything personal
In the sentiment
Psychological Aspect
With the new administrations
eagerneSs to take the psychology
ical offensive in the cold war, the
inference in the Presidents han
ding of these messages was plain.
The death of Stain had ripped
gaping hole in the psychological
warfare defenses of the Soviet
Union. The United States was
getting ready to exploit the break.
That is what the President meant
when he described the administra-
tion's attitude as "positiUe watch
fulneSs."
Two of the most important
weapons in the Nations psyche
logical arsenal were brought into
play Immediately.
The Voice of America, broad
casting in 46 languages to the
Soviet Union, all its satellites and
most of the rest of the world, put
special stress on the Presidents
statement to the people of Russia.
VOA passed along without COM
ment. the speculation about Sta
Inns successor and the uncertain
ties facing the satellites and lower
level Communists. Of course,
there was no free American advice
about revolt. The time was not
ripe.
Radio Free Europe, a private
American propaganda agency in
Europe, went to work, too. RIFE
sent out a policy guidance cable to
its European program directors
that said, "We are in no position
to raise immediate hopes" Radio
Free Europe was on the air "a
hours a day, however, exploiting
in Polish, Czech, Slovak, Hunga-
rian, Albanian, Romanian and
Bulgarian the unusual propaganda
opportunity.
RIFE stressed two main themes:
Q Nobody in his right mind would
want to be in the shoes of lesser
Soviet or satellite Communists,
who now will have to guess which
surviving Kremlin horse to back.
. China's Mao Tse-tung now rates
at least as high as any one else in
the international Communist hier-
archy.
The RuiIdun