Evening star., 1956-03-25

has the disadvantage Of fore
ing declarations Of intent and
purpose, and therefore of
obliging the negotiators to take
a position from which they
cannot subsequently retreat
without loss Of face and public
criticism. In negotiating with
countries which are not play
ing the same rules, the dis
advantages are of q different
kind and are indeed self
evident.
OF course. the people and
their elected representatives
have the right to the facts,
SO that they can judge whether
those to whom they have given
political power have been exer-
cising it wisely. The difficulty
is that the press and the po-
litical opposition often demand
the facts about policies and
form opinions upon them be-
fore a full Judgment can be
made, and mere publication
may jeopardize the success Of
a policy before 1t can ever be
implemented.
Elections may deIoy or distort
the formulation Of policy"
There is . related point,
which even in the year 1856 I
do not hesitate to mention,
namely. the inhibiting effect
Of elections - the handicap
which their preliminaries, their
course, and their aftermath
can impose upon the smooth
development Of policy and its
execution. Elections may delay
or distort the formulation OF
policy; they may produce re-
suits which disturb its con-
tinuity and the conduct Of
diplomatic negotiations, and,
when q number Of countries
are trying to Coordinate policy,
the fact that elections take
place In different countries at
different times, introduces an
almost continuous factor Of
disturbance In the cooperation
between members Of the group.
Dictators and totalitarian
governments are free from
these civilized handicaps.
Take the recent visit Of the
Soviet leaders to Southeast
Asia. Western statesmen on q
similar errand would have been
pursued by q chorus of criti-
cism and advice from home.
The Russian leaders were un-
hampered by any such re-
straints, and with the home
base secure could take the ini-
tiative without hesitation.
Finally to cover any tactical
or other change In foreisn
policy which circumstances
may dictate, they are able to
use their complete control Of
their intellectuals and their
printing presses to rewrite
history in order to suit the
needs Of the moment. The cur
rent renunciation Of Stalinism
by Stains once-devoted fol-
lowers 10 q classic example.
Democratic governments are
handicapped also by
having to pIoy like gen.
tlemen."
The fact must be faced that
In the rough. hard-headed
business Of international poll
tics. the democratic govern
ments are handicapped not
only by having to play so
much in the open and by the
denial Of so many Of the pos
sibilities of maneuver and sur
prise, but also by having to
play like gentlemen.
Moral considerations assume
Q very large part In the poll
cies Of the democracies.
Consistency and integrity in
formulating policy. loyalty to
international obligations and
allies, these are the princi-
pies which Western peoples
demand that their leaders
should never forsake. It is, for
example, generally taken for
granted that we can never
launch an aggressive war or
use a thermonuclear weapon
except in retaliation.
Totalitarian regimes, how
ever, are not under such in
hibitions at any stages in ne
gotiation. They are free to
subordinate means to ends. At
the conference table they can
alternate between blandish-
ments and abuse, between af-
liability and intransigence, just
as 1t suits them.
Away from the conference
table. they can engage in sub
version and intimidation with
out any fear of being re-
pudiated by a gust of moral
indignation at home.
In pursuit Of their needs
they can ruthlessly condemn
even their own people to SEEM
ingly unnecessary privation,
as when war-ravaged Czech
oslovakia and Poland were
forced to deny themselves the
benefits Of the Marshall Plan
by a diktat from Moscow.
Another advantage which, in
the short run at least, a total
itarian regime can have in the
world struggle lies in the use
of economic resources in sup
port Of foreign policy-a very
topical subject nowadays.
In a country where the gov
ernment fully controls every
detail of the national econ
omy it is possible for 1t, at any
time. to take resources away
from home production and Of
fer them to other states where
they may prove an effective
bribe or bargaining counter.
But in a country where pri-