Evening star., 1955-03-18
YoIto, Yesterday and Today

YoIto, Yesterday and Today
Although the prospect of independent
newspaper publication probably made the
action inevitable, the State Department
hardly merits congratulations on its on
again f-again handling of the massive col
lection Of documents covering the Roosevelt
Churchill-Stalin talks at the 1945 Yalta
Conference. For the sudden decision to
release these papers-even though not likely
to be nearly SO harmful as some overseas,
reactions suggest-certainly has rekindled
national and international controversy in
a way that promises to be less than helpful
to American foreign policy in the present
delicate and dangerous world situation.
Thus, to begin with Prime Minister
Churchill, our best and most powerful friend
abroad, has not only challenged the accu-
racy of this American version" of Yalta,
but has also indicated that he and his gov
ernment regard the State Departments
action as blundering departure from nor
NAL diplomatic usage-a departure that
could have bad effect on future inter-
national negotiations. Further, wholly
apart from the propaganda howls to be
expected from the world behind the Iron
Curtain, there can be little doubt that some
of the released documents-Since they will
be read out of the context of the temper
prevailing in 1945-will stir up resentment
against our country among the free Ger
mans, and perhaps to lesser extent among
the French, the Chinese, the japanese and
others. And finally, in terms of our own
domestic situation, it seems obvious that the
papers will revive lot of demagogic poll
ticking at time when nothing could be
more important than bipartisan co-opera-
tion in foreign affairs.
Yet, in fairness to the State Department,
which has been under extremely heavy
pressure in this matter, certain other facts
need to be kept in mind. After all, for one
thing, the released documents-which con-
tain deletions and fall far short of being
precise stenographic account of the Yalta
proceedings-have been published at this
time, instead of some months from now,
primarily because of an apparently inescap-
able forcing action. More than that, as
far as substance is concerned, they actually
disclose nothing that has not been disclosed
before in piecemeal fashion. Their chief
significance is that they supply much
greater detail than the earlier revelations.
But beyond that-at least on the first read
ing-they do not seem to offer basic new
material impressive enough to settle the
long-standing controversy over whether or
not the late President Roosevelt, who was
then entering upon his last sickness, "sold
out" to Stain and thus paved the way for
the Kremlin's present menacing position In
both Europe and ASIA
In other words, the american version"
of the fateful Yalta Conference does not
substantially affect the pro and con argu-
ments that have already been heard at great
length That is to say, depending on ones
viewpoint and preconceptionS, the papers
just released by the State Department can
be read in support of either side without
really settling anything. In truth, because
there is no way of exactly measuring what
went on in the minds and hearts of the
principals involved it would seem that this
issue can never be satisfactorily resolved.
For the simple fact is that nothing has been
revealed to date to destroy the pro-Roose-
velt thesis ~ that Yalta's provisions for
free elections in Poland and neighboring
East European countries failed only because
of the Kremlin's bad faith and (2) that the
concessions granted Russia for entry into
the struggle against Japan were based on
the urgent feeling that otherwise the war
would cost tremendous amount Of Amer
lean blood.
Hindsight, Nof course, is wonderful
illuminator of past events, and most of us
know now, with its help, that the late Presi-
dent-who did not have it at his disposal
could have been much tougher, much wiser
and much more farsighted in his dealings
with Stain. But yesterday is dead, its op-
portunities lost beyond recall, and what we
must chiefly think of at this stage is today,
the present-a period so full of devastating
and narrowing potentialities that resolute
unity is imperative among all Americans
and likeminded peoples everywhere. The
publication of the Yalta documents should
not be allowed to distract anybody in the
free world from that overriding central
reality of our time