STALIN’S REPUTED AIM

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 78, 12 January 1949, Page 3

STALIN’S REPUTED AIM

Tolerance and Understanding’

FRENCH COMMUNISTS’ REFERENCE

(N.Z.P.A.-Eeuter—Copyright)

(Rec. 10.30 a.m.) PARIS, Jan 11. Political quarters here believe that Mr Stalin asked the Western European Communist Parties to prepare the way for tolerance and understanding between East and West.

This belief has found some confirmation in a speech at the opening of Parliament by M. Marcel Cacliin, (Communist) Dean of the Assembly. M. Cachin’s address, which was moderate in tone, appealed for national unity and in particular repudiated the idea of inevitable war. There was no reference to American war-mongers but rather a courteous mention of General Eisenhower and praise for American industrialists who are seeking to expand Soviet-American trade. The Deputies were particularly struck by the following passage from the speech: “Mr Stalin repeatedly said he does not believe in the danger of a new war. He continues to think that despite differences in systems and ideas between the two great sectors of the world there is no precise quarrel nor any supreme friction between them. If it was possible to reach an understanding to conduct war it wa3 undoubtedly easier to collaborate to maintain peace.” It is taken for granted in well-in-formed Government circles in Paris that the. speech was not made without some “guidance” from Moscow and that it may be regarded as Soviet “kite-flying.”