Communists Blameworthy

Northern Advocate, 13 March 1947, Page 5

Communists Blameworthy

The United States had considered how the United Nations could assist in the crisis, but the situation was urgent and the United Nations and related organisations were not in a position to extend the kind of help required. Although Mr Truman nowhere named Russia, he attributed Greece's difficulties to Communists.

“The very existence of the Greek State is today threatened by the terrorist activities of several thousands of armed men led by Communists who defy the Government’s authoi'ity at : number of points, pai'ticularly along the noi'thern boundaries.”

Mr Truman predicted confusion and disorder would spread throughout the Middle East if Greece fell under the control of this armed minority.

Free peoples must be helped to remain free from the advance against their national integrity by aggi'essive movements seeking to impose totalitarian regimes on them.

“I am fully aware of the biroad implications involved if the United States extends assistance to Gi'eece and Turkey.”

Discussing the maintenance of authority in Greece, Mr Truman said: "The Greek Government is not perfect; nevertheless, it represents 85 per

cent, of the members of the Greek Parliament, who wei'e elected in 1946. The Greek Government has been operating in an atmosphere of chaos and extremism. It has made mistakes. “Extension of aid by this country does not mean the United States condones everything the Greek Government has done or will do. “We have condemned in the past and we condemn now extreme measures ol Right or Left. We have advised tolerance in the past and we advise tolerance now.”

Discussing the implications of his request, Mr Truman said one of the primary objectives of Amei'ica’s foreign policy was creation of conditions in which the United States and other nat'ons would be able to work out a way of life free from coercion. “To ensure this the United States has taken a leading part in establishing the United Nations. We shall not reai'se our objectives, however, unless we are willing to help free' people maintain their free institutions and national integrity. “This is no more than a fi’ank recognition that totalitarian regimes, imposed on free peoples by dii'ect or indirect aggression, undermine the foundations of international peace and hence the security of the United States.