Evening star., 1954-01-03
Molenkov and the New Year

In his New Years statement in the
form OF answers to questions submitted by
Kingsbury Smith-Premier Malenkoy has given
voice to a number of soft conciliatory and
friendly sounding words about the United
States. What he has said however appears
to differ little from similar past expressions
from the Kremlin. and so there is MO reason to
regard it as particularly significant develop
ment. Actually, as long as it lacks the support
of peace promoting Soviet Deeds it will remain
as empty OF real meaning as any of the late
Stalin's messages along the same line.
But Mr. Malenkovs words, as far as they
co. are nonetheless welcome. For he has
affirmed, In addition to wishing the American
people Happiness and a peaceful life," that
there are no intrinsic barriers" preventing an
Improvement in relations and strengthening
of traditional bonds of friendship between his
country and ours. And he has affirmed further,
that there are favorable opportunities" to
lessen international tension In 1854 and that
the Soviet Union will continue to do every
thing" to use those opportunities-in concert
with the United States and the other great
powers-in an effort to establish normal con-
ditions and lasting peace in the world
These surely are wholesome sentiments.
But they are open to some question because Mr..
Malenkov has tackled on to them what seems to
wholly unacceptable Soviet proposition that the
United States should agree to an immediate and
unconditional" ban on atomic-hydrogen weap-
ons and other instruments of mass destruction
"a ban that he would have 60 into effect
before any action to set up system OF strict
international control guaranteeing against vio-
lations and evasions of q kind that would enable
country to arm itself clandestinely with those
weapons In preparation for a sudden, surprise
war Of aggression.
In other words, in his New Years state
ment, Mr.. Malenkov seems to have proposed
again-as the Russians have been proposing for
years past--that the United States should SUBJ
NIT to kind of unilateral disarmament That
is to say, he apparently wants us-in exchange
for paper promise from the Kremlin not to
use nuclear weapons-to divest ourselves Of all
such weapons prior to the establishment of
genuinely effective policing machinery. It need
hardly be added, Of course, that an agreement
OF that sort If we were foolish enough to assent
to 1t, would give the Soviet Union, with its huge
land forces a great measure of superiority in
the international balance of military power
II this is to be typical of the Kremlin's line
during the new year. then Mr.. Malenkov's
friendly like words are not going to be backed
up with peace promoting Soviet deeds. Yet it
Is true, as he has said that there are favorable
opportunities" to end the threat of war. These
opportunities include (1) President Eisenhower's
call for private" talks on an international
atomic pool for non military purposes and (2)
Anglo-French-A readiness to meet in
Berlin on January Is for a Big Four foreign
ministers conference on Germany and Austria
The sincerity of the Malenkov statement will
be measured by the way his government re-
spends to all such chances to ease world tension
in the weeks and months Immediately ahead.