Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04

ways Americans have of making
themselves understood to Russians:
severe restrictions on circulation OF
foreign newspapers. magazines and
books, and restrictions on travel
stemming from an unrealisti ruble
exchange rate which makes it i've
times as costly to travel in Russia
as in England.
There are also bars on the Amer
lean side. We have put vast areas
of this country ''off limits" to Soviet
visitors; the number Of Soviet visi-
tors has been limited. (These bars
are significantly fewer. of course.
than those the Soviet imposes.)
Why did Russia erect her iron
curtain? Apparently out Of fear Of
free world ideas and information.
Why did America impose restric-
tons? Because the restrictions give
this country lever with which to
pry open the Soviet curtain.
Reciprocity Theory
II there is any one thing the So
Wet government understands it il
reciprocity. att for tat" does not
need to be explained. Russian ON
Gals know that if they impose o
restriction. we stand ready to i'm
pose roughly similar one, and II
they remove restrictions, we win
drops ours promptly.
This country now has some
thing the Russians want-technica1
knowledge. We put up obstacles
to their acquiring that knowledge
and then tell them frankly an OBJ
stacle will be dropped just as soon
as they drop an obstacle to Amer
ican-Soviet understanding.
In other words, our policy OF
reciprocity combined with their de-
sire for technical knowledge can
be used by us as leverage.
There has been some criticism
here Of this policy Of reciprocity.
Some persons believe this country
should stand free and open as an
example to the rest Of the world
and as contrast to Russia. Per-
haps some day public opinion win
change the policy.
But meanwhile the policy shows
some signs Of success. For instance,
when the Russian government
wanted to send a group of engi-
neers to this country to study auto
nation, the American Government
said no, unless Russia would permit
a group of Americans to make
tour of Russian factories that would
be equally as valuable to us. After
some hesitation. the Soviet Union
agreed, SO the exchange Of delega-
tons is now under way. Soviet
American understanding will DO
advanced.
The lever quite often doesn't
work. however. A group Of Rus
sian housing experts was given spe-
cial permission to visit an of Limits
city, Boston, with the hope that
the next American to request an
exception from Soviet restrictions
would be given a special dispense
ton. But Russia didn't bulge
And the Soviet journalists were
offered chance to visit off-limits
Detroit-again with the implied re-
quest that some bar be lowered
in Russia. The journalists decided
they didn't want to see Detroit
after all
American GooIs
The immediate goal of the United
States is to increase the how Of
information between the two coun-
tries in variety of specific ways
end of censorship, free exchange Of
publications. encouragement Of
private tourism. etc. Soviet leaders
have endorsed-in words-several
of these proposals.
But at Geneva last month the
Soviet government refused to put
into action one single new measure
to increase East-West understand
ing. Molotov made it clear Russia's
talk about understanding still
means only two things: Russia
wants to import technical informa-
ton which the United States has,
and Russia wants to export only
propaganda.
Perhaps this article shows only q
vast misunderstanding of the Soviet
Union. If so. the best way to let
America know the truth is to per-
NIT Americans to 60 see for them
selves in unlimited numbers. We
will reciprocate: the whole history
Of our reciprocal relations with
Russia makes this clear.
But Americans will always keep
In mind that understanding does
not mean gullibility.