Evening star., 1962-12-30
The Winds Still Blow

It is an understatement to say that
1862, now in its last hours, has been one
of the most portentous years since the
unconditional surrender of the Nazi-
Fascist Axis in 1945. The winds of polit-
ical and military change-not to men
ton exploits in space--have blown with
exceptional force all around the globe,
and they obviously have had profound
influence on the international climate.
Indeed, as a result Of them, there are
mounting indications that there may
yet be genuine thaw in the cold war
and a convulsive rift between Moscow
and Peking, the key centers Of world
communism.
The significance Of this rift is still
subject to considerable speculation, Of
course, but there can be little doubt that
Sino-Soviet relations are bad, and likely
to grow worse before they grow better.
At any rate, Red China's high command
continues to advocate policy so belli-
coSe that some of the Kremlin'S most
important mouthpieces have openly and
most emphatically condemned 1t. Thus,
to quote from a recent issue of Pravda,
the Chinese Communists, who have ac-
cused Nikita Khrushchev Of cowardly
appeaSement in connection with Cuba,
are guilty of uncontrolled Slander" and
"an especially shameful and really pro-
:, vocative campaign -. aimed at dis
rupting peace and pushing humanity
into thermonuclear war"
These are words harsh enough to
suggest that the Kremlin, despite the
supposedly basic theological links be-
tween the two, has all but exhausted It's
patience with Mao Tze-tung and his
fire-breathing colleagues in Peking. AS
a matter of fact, in view of the over
whelming numerical nature of China's
present and potential population-a bill
lion before the century ends-MoScow
has reason to give anxious thought to the
security of It's relatively unpeopled ORR
entail regions. These open spaces may
well be coveted by the faSt-multiplying
Chinese, and 1t is not difficult to imagine
situation, in the coming decades, when
Moscow might find its interests Suffi-
GENTLY threatened to seek an alliance
with the West.
AS of the present day, however, what
is more important than the possibility
of Chinese preSsures against the open
spaces Of the USSR is the story of the !
Soviet-American conformation over
Cuba. Unquestionably this has been
1925 biggest and most solemn event.
There has been nothing quite like 1t in
hiStory-nothing quite so dangerous, or
quite so promising, in its implications.
In effect, our Government served notice
on the men of the Kremlin to put an
end to their Cuban adventure or accept
the test of nuclear war with the United
States. And these men, in response,
backed away from the abyss, fully realiz-
izing that our country had unchallenge-
able power in the situation, and realizing
also that they could oppose that power
only at the risk of being destroyed.
Accordingly, as it looks forward to
the new year, mankind has cause to feel
a little bit safer than 1t did IL months
ago. The Communists continue to stir
up trouble in every corner of the world,
and 1868 probably will be plagued with
numerous crises. But free men every
where can still be confident. Mr. Khru-
Shchev has looked at our muscle, both
physical and moral, and been properly
impressed. He should be sure now of one
thing above all: The United States will
stand as firm in Berlin and in all other
areas of vital interest as 1t has in Cuba.
If he thinks otherwise, he is making a
fearSome mistake.