Greymouth Evening Star. TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1950. Responsibility On Russia

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 July 1950, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1950. Responsibility On Russia

’THE Russian reaction to the events in * South Korea' indicates that the Kremlin is willing to allow its North Korean dupes to fight its cause. It appears to be planning to maintain the supply of arms and ammunition —not to mention propaganda—while deliberately keeping in the background so that it will not lose face if the Western Powers make pursuit of the adventure inadvisable. Nevertheless there are a few disturbing signs that the Russian leaders are preparing the peoples under their control for further “imperialist aggression” by the Western Powers.

A feature, of the present situation .is thaU the appeal to Stalin to use ,his influence with the North Korean Government to end the war, and thus open the way to peaceful negotiations, has met -no response other than a spate of .propaganda through the Communist press and radio-. It is true that America has thrown down the gauntlet to the Kremlin, but it has thrown it in such a manner that . Stalin is not bound to pick it up. America has acted strictly in accordance with the spirit of the United Nations Charter and with the decisions of the Security Council. Stalin has been given a way out of a difficult situation, but so far there has been no clear indication that he intends to take it.

If America had not acted as she did, the complete collapse of the United Nations — and with it all hope of a secure peace—was certain. Had Communism been allowed to take South Korea, a creation of the United Nations—-and a country that has the best of reasons for placing trust in the United Nations—then the Asiatic peoples wmuld have concluded that no further reliance could be placed in United Nations guarantees. Wars of the’past have been caused by the unwillingness of guaranteeing nations to give convincing demonstrations of determination to honour their obligations. This has led to Avars which might have been avoided. The United Nations, through the strongest Power in its organisation, has learned from history. War, even in the best of causes, would be a calamity, but the risk of war with Russia might as well be taken now, as next year or any number of years hence. There "is a good chance that disclosed strength and determination now will give peace rather than war. So far, at any rate, nothing of a concrete nature has been done by Russia—apart from stepping up the volume of propaganda—to indicate that it is moving towards acceptance of the Western challenge.