PEACE AND PROGRESS

Evening Star, Issue 25635, 8 November 1945, Page 5

PEACE AND PROGRESS

RUSSIA’S ONLY AIMS WILL TAKE PLACE AMONG WORLD POWERS LONDON, November 7. The Soviet Union would master the secret of alomic energy and “ many o'her th igV’ declared-M. Moloiov, at a meeting dedicated to the twenty-eighth anniversary of the October Revolution. He called on the Russians to plunge into research with “ Bolshevist energy,” and added that Rucc’an technique must be raised to equal that of , the rest of the world. M. Molo + ov said the defeat of Germany meant not only the defeat of German Fascism, but the defeat of Fascism in other European countries. The Russian victory was the military, moral, and political undoing of Fascism in the whole of Europe. “ Russians realise with satisfaction that in the victorious conclusion of the Second World War in the interest of the democratic States a decisive place goes to the Soviet Union. -Russians not only liberated their own country, hut are* now conducting an heroic fight for the restoration of peace and liberty throughout Europe.” Humanity, in allowing the Second World War bv not taking timely measures against the aggressive forces of Fascism, paid an incalculable price in human lives and ruin. SAFEGUARDING PEACE. . “ The three-Power conference in Berlin has not yet taken satisfactory action to implement the decisions concerning German reparations,”/ said M. Molotov. “We must not be guided by revenge, but must ensure that renewed aggression shall be made more difficult, and that any new aggressor shall find himself isolated among the' nations. Safeguarding an enduring peace demands that the peace-loving peoples should possess the necessary armed forces. This, in any case, applies to all countries which bear the main responsibility for ensuring peace, but- the interests safeguarding peace have nothing in common with the policy of an armaments race among 'the Great Powers—a policy which is . being preached abroad by some particularly arduous supporters of imperialism. RELATIONS WITH OTHER STATES. “We for our part have done everything to establish normal good relations with other States which have discarded the policy of hostility and distrust towards the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union never participated in groupings of . nations directed against one peace-loving nation. Such attempts are being made in the west. The history of blocs and groups of Western Powers shows that, they did not serve so much to restrain aggressors as, by contrast, to encourage aggression primarily _on Germany’s part. This is why vigilance by the Soviet Union and other peace-loving nations should not be relaxed.” M. Molotov said it was significant to the future of Europe that a number of Fascist and semi-Fascist countries had turned democratic,. and were now striving to establish friendly relations with the Allied Governments. ]®They should he assisted in tlfe consolidation of democratic beginnings. He added that some foreign newspapers were trying to attribute radical social reforms in numerous European countries to the increasing influence of the Soviet Union. The inconsistency of such arguments was obvious, because it was known that all problems of this kind were successfully solved long ago by other progressive European countries. MUCH STILL TO BE DONE. M. Molotov said that much still remained to be done to ensure- the correct implementation of the Crimean declaration.. “The British, Russian, and American anti-Fascist coalition born during the war is now being tested. Will the coalition prove as strong and capable in the common solution of new conditions when more post-war problems arise? New problems await us with the advent of peace. The failure of the London Conference of Foreign Ministers is a warning to us in this respect, but difficulties between the British and Soviet coalition existed even during the war, and, although these difficulties were not always immediately solved, .we managed to achieve our purpose. The rights and voices of large and small nations were respected, and hard problems were solved as they should be among democratic Powers.” NEW WORLD ORGANISATION. " It is. obvious the United Nations Organisation must not resemble the League of Nations, which proved completely incapable of preventing aggression and organising measures against possible aggression,” M. Molotov continued. “ The new organisation must not become a weapon in the hands of.' some Power, or a pretence for a guiding role in international affairs by one Power, or a pretext for world domination. Only by combined strength did all the Powers which parried on their shoulders the burden of war ensure the victory—only such cooperation can ensure the smooth working of an international organisation in the interests of lasting peace. “ The Soviet Union has always been and will remain the mainstay of the defence of the peace and security of the peoples, and is ready to prove this not only by words but by action. “ The Red army emerged from the war with the glory of victory. It consolidated itself as a military Power, and through the Russian fighting spirit, grown yet stronger, millions of people are returning home to peaceful work. Millions are needed by factories, enterprises, collective farms, and by our motherland,, which is now embarking on the solution of new problems of Socialist construction. The Russian people are more closely gathered round their party than ever before. The people now march forward as an organised body under the leadership of the party of Lenin and Stalin.” HORIZON WIDENED.

M. Molotov said the (Russians’ contact during the war with other nations would widen their horizon. “ Under agreement with Czecho-Slovakia. the Transcarpathian Ukraine has at last become part of our State. The Soviet Ukraine now ambraces all the Ukrainian territories. This is something our Ukrainian brothers dreamed about for centuries. The frontiers of our country to the west are extended to include Konigsberg, which gives us a good warm-water (Baltic port. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are restored to us. This is of great importance in ensuring the Soviet Union’s security. We .in the_ north-west restored our frontiers with Finland, and in the north we control the Petsamo area. The Soviet Union in the Far East re-

ceives the southern part of Sakhalin and the Kurile Isles, ensuring the safety of the Soviet Union in the east. There now remains only the . Russian right regarding the Manchurian railways and Port Arthur in the south part of Manchuria. NO UNEMPLOYMENT.

“ We must in the next few years raise our national industry to a marked degree above pre-war levels and ensure a vast improvement in the standard of living of the entire population. We need a new upsurge in our trade and industry to give the Soviet Union all she needs. We have no unemployment, and shall have none. We shall keep abreast of - the world' in all branches of industry. The enemy interfered with our peaceful work, but we shall catch up.”