Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-30
Their Basic Weakness

A thing that gals the Kremlin very
much is the fact that since 1946 about
2.5 million individuals, including some
10000 Russians, have escaped from be-
hind the Iron Curtain and found asylum
in the free West. Looked at in any light,
particularly from the standpoint of world
propaganda, this massive and continuing
flow of defectors constitutes one of the
most damning of all commentaries on the
nature of Communist rule.
And so it is altogether understand
able that the Soviet leaders, together with
their puppets in the satellite lands, have
been buSily engaged for almost two years
past in an intensive campaign aimed at
persuading the defectors to re-defect and
return to their native countries. To that
end, the campaign-which has thus far
succeeded in wooing back little more
than 1000 persons = consists of such
things as "letterS from home" sentiment
tai radio appeals, newspaper advertise
mentS in cities where the refugees now
live, amnesty promises, Establishments OF
various types, subtle preSSureS, and yelled
threats that failure to comply might re-
suit in punishment for close relatives
and other loved ones still living behind
the Iron Curtain.
1t is, against this background that
the story of the young sailors from the
TuapSe has unfolded The TuapSe, a
Soviet tanker, was captured by the
Chinese Nationalist while en- route to
Red China in June, 1854. At that time
81 of the Seamen aboard elected to seek
asylum in the United States, and nine
of these were admitted last October (the
rest still are on Formosa waiting for
similar admission). Early this month,
however, five of the nine-Shepherded by
several Russians, including members of
the Kremlin's delegation to the United
Enthusiastically flew from New York
to Moscow under circumstances suggest
ing that they had been subjected to
heavy pressure and "whisked away" If
not quite kidnapped" AS a result, our
country has expelled two of the Soviet
U. N. aides for particularly objection
able acts"
The f1ve "re-defectorS," of course,
have since been put on display at news
conference" in Moscow, where they have
issued statement declaring that they
have returned home voluntarily and full
of happiness after having been grossly
miStreated in the United States Quite OBJ
viously, as the four remaining defectorS
have testified before the Senate Internal
Security subcommittee, here we have a
typical product of Moscow's propaganda
factory. AS one of the four has said,
From beginning to end this statement
is lie. There's not drop of truth in
it," And as another has said, referring
to those who have gone back to Russia,
THE only thing can say is, am sorry
for them. They'll perish over there What
they will do is cut wood In slave labor
camp"
Perhaps this is an exaggerated view,
but the four anti Soviet sailors have
reason to think otherwiSe-So much so
that they have told Ambassador Zarou-
bin to his face that they will never re-
turn to Russia as long as the Communist
tyranny prevails there. They have chosen
freedom for keeps, and their sentiment Is
shared by vast numbers of others who
are now trapped behind the Iron Curtain
and who would flee Westward at once
if only they had the chance. This is the
great fundamental weakness of the Red
totalitarians. AS deSpots, they must rec
kon always with the actual and poten-
tial diSloyalty of the masses they ex-
plot and Cypress.