Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1946. PROPAGANDA WAR.

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 March 1946, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1946. PROPAGANDA WAR.

’J IHE 1 HE information contained in'the cable news yesterday that the anti-British tone of the Moscow press and wireless services has been intensified in recent days is a matter for grave concern. Coming on top of other reports of Russian diplomatic war on Britain, it is clear evidence that the Soviet at the moment is not so concerned for world peace and pro-

gress as it is in obtaining its own way. It is plain that this campaign of vilification is being carried out with a purpose in view. As has been pointed out by The Times, the broadcasts of a news service with an anti-British bias seem to be calculated to have their greatest effect in. countries where negotiations are going on or are about to .begin. There is undoubtedly more than a modicum of truth in the suggestion that invisible threads link Moscow with the areas in which dissident elements have caused serious disturbances. The attitude and utterances of some of the delegates to the UNO Assembly in London were a challenge to the assertion that all the nations of the world truly desire peace and co-operation. The machinery has been created for the establishment

and maintenance of peace, and everything possible must be’ done to make it run smoothly. It is no use blinking the fact, however, that a powerful nation thg,t raises barriers to the free access of information —indeed that takes pains to attack and vilify at every opportunity. an Ally which has the expressed aim of establishing a firm basis of friendship—is not seeking to create an atmosphere of tranquillity. It is worth noting in this respect that the political disease of totalitarianism spreads more readily in conditions of unrest. The consistent objective of Soviet policy appears to be the construction of a “cordon sanitaire” particularly to the west and to the south. This has brought Russia to the zone in which British influence is dominant, But Russia, it would appear,

is not. yet. satisfied. Britain and the United States during the war and since have given in time and again to the Kremlin. Their reward has been an increase in Russian demands and attempts to disrupt their alliance. There is a limit to appeasement. The United Nations are faced with alternatives. They have the opportunity of proving to Russia that their organisation is so'-strong, so useful and so efficient that she will be converted. “Only when the spectre of starvation is removed,” says the Spectator, “can people think sensibly about political freedom.” The first task then is to remove the threat of famine and - . - • . - -P

assist in the economic recovery or uasreiu Europe. It cannot be denied, however, that a note of unrestrained optimism underlies any expectation of success from that method. •>. The second alternative facing the Western nations is to meet power politics with power politics. General MacAitliui has said that “the world has little regard for the weak.” If that is true we must so base our policy that we are not numbered among the weak. Power politics are, however, a dangerous game. The statesmen of the West face a problem that may well daunt the stoutest heart.