Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-05
A Year After Stain

Wnen STAIN dled year ago today, more
than few people in many parts of the free
world began to speak hopefully of possible
changes for the better in Soviet policy. But the
changes have not materialized since his passing
On the contrary, as far as the eye can discern,
and despite occasional soft talk and minor con-
ciliatory gestures from his successors, the Krem-
lin has not deviated in the slightest from
the COMMUNICATING objective he pursued
through the three decades of his dark rule
Certainly, nothing has happened in the last
II months to lend substance to the optimistic
speculation that poured forth Immediately after
Stains death-speculation suggesting that the
imperial tyranny built up by him might grad
ually wither away, or become much more rea-
sonable and friendly, because of such POSSIBLE
tiles as the following: ID Georgi Malenkov-a
personality relatively obscure to the Russian
and satellite peoples-might prove to be inca
pable of carrying on the work of his deified
predecessor; 20 with the ruthless old dictator
gone, uncertainty, lost sense of direction and
rivalries for power within the Kremlin might
eventually set off an internal Soviet explosion
shattering the Communist regime; 90 Red
China and other countries behind the Iron Cur
tain might slowly but surely drift away from
Moscows domination, and a. as result of
developments of this sort, the U. S. S. r. might
phosis leading to a genuinely good peace.
But one has only to list these possibilities
and evaluate them in relation to the past years
events, to realize the depth of their wishfulness
In remote sense, of course, in an unpredictable
world where anything can happen, they are still
possibilities-but possibilities that have all the
earmarks of being wildly improbable as far as
the foreseeable future is concerned. This is so
for a number of reasons. Thus, to begin WITH
Malenkov-an able man-seems very definitely
to have firm grip on his job and to know
where he is going, with Beria's liquidation serv-
ing as an object lesson designed to dampen the
ardor of potential rivals for power Further
judging from present signs nothing could seem
more unlikely than breakup of the satellite
Soviet empire or serious split between Peiping
and Moscow. Finally, as made clear at the
recent Berlin conference, the Kremlin-eyen
though it seems to have softened its harsh eco
nornic policy at home-is every bit as deter
mined now as in Stains time to divide the free
nations, shatter the North Atlantic Treaty Or
ganization and block projects like the European
Defense Community in a relentless drive to
win mastery of the globe.
In sum, in terms of its ultimate interna-
tiona objective, the Soviet Union under Malen-
kov differs in no fundamental sense from the
one that existed before he came to power. It is
still vast conSpiratorial tyranny tyranny
equipping itself with atomic weapons and the
hydrogen bomb-grimly intent upon dominat-
ing and ensaving the world. Accordingly
although history is process Of change and
although the Krernlin may in time cease to be
a menace the United States and its allies must
spare no effort to remain adequately armed and
on guard. Stain has been dead 3 year, but his
legacy Of evil lives on as q threat to ali Of u.s.