DILEMMA FOR U.S.

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25214, 29 May 1945, Page 3

DILEMMA FOR U.S.

DEALING WITH RUSSIA CONTROVERSY IN AMERICA ADVISERS SHARPLY DIVIDED BY A. 11. ROTHMAN (Special to the New Zealand Herald) WASHINGTON, May 24 Russian arid American relations are the subject of growing controversy in the United States. Those who officially and unofficially advise President Truman on Russian affairs are said to be sharply divided. He is, therefore, believed to be receiving at least three kinds of conflicting advice. lhe President has to date apparently followed that school of thought which advocates "firmness" with Russia. A school which proposes further "conciliation" may, however, obtain the upper hand. A third school, which prophesies an open clash with Russia sooner or later, is not_ receiving much attention, although if is becoming increasingly vocal. The above three schools of thought overlap, and each has taken a little of the other's thinking as its own. Thus, there are some who insist on firmness with Russia as the only course, even if it ultimately means a clash with Russia. I bey are, however, distinctly in the minority and it is doubtful whether they express themselves to the President in such terms. Others say that America's firmness with Russia should evidence, itself in, first, a cessation of lend-lease, and, second, a refusal to supply on credit goods which Russia needs for reconstruction—if. is understood the Soviet lias indicated that it desires 6000 million dollars worth of such materials. Roosevelt's Method Advisers favouring the conciliation of Russia divide into two groups: Those who advocate further discussions with Russia along lines pursued by President Roosevelt, which bring her around to the democratic point of view; and those who say Europe is no concern of America's. therefore let Britain and Russia decide bow they wish European dispositions to ho made. The United States, they add, must look toward co-opera-tion with Russia in the Pacific, and this can best be secured by showing that the United States is prepared to give Russia a free band in Europe. President Truman's method of dealing with America's foreign affairs is one of decisiveness. This is believed to explain his attitude on the Polish question, and his insistence on the carrying out of the Yalta Agreement, in accordance with the British and American interpretation of that part which concerns the broadening of the Polish Government.

ft is also said he approved the admission of Argentina to Uncio. in spito of Russia's request for delay, and the! breaking off of discussions with the Soviet on Poland until it explains the arrest of the 16 Poles. If President Truman should follow this course to its logical conclusion, he should be expected to insist on a full Yugoslav withdrawal from Trieste, and greater British and American participation in the dispositions in the Balkans and Austria. America's Policy in Europe Should Russia refuse, it might logically follow that lend-lease to Russia would cease, and Russia could not, obtain her reconstruction materials from the United States on credit. A group of advisers who deplore the above course of action make a number of assertions and statements as follows: Russia's chief concern is the security of her borders. International security action is still an unproved thesis in Stalin's mind, and Russia is therefore engaged in strengthening her borders all along her eastern frontiers. Neither Britain nor the United States has given her sufficient evidence that, cither's intentions toward her are above suspicion. Russia feels that America's policy in Europe is inchoate —that the United States has no real policy—while Britain's policy is aimed exclusively at establishing Britain's own hegemony in Europe. British and American policy on Argentina, on trusteeships, ..on independence for colonies, and on the acquisition of bases, is said to give Russia ample grounds for suspicion of British and American intentions.

The conciliatory school of advisers say that Britain and America have played a farcical role about Poland. They insist that actually Britain. tlie United States and Russia have interpreted the Yalta Agrement differently —that Mr Churchill interprets the agreement to mean that the Warsaw Government would be disbanded and a new Government created: that the late President Roosevelt interpreted it. to mean that the existing Warsaw Governmen would ho broadened before obtaining the recognition of Britain and the United States: that Stalin interprets it to mean that the Big Three recognise the Warsaw Government first, and that it would then he broadened. British Pressure Alleged

The same critics allege that the United States Secretary of State. Mr Stettinius, and the United States Ambassador to Moscow, Mr Harriman. have been induced by the British to take a strong stand against Russia on Poland and that President Truman has backed Messrs Stettinius and Harriman to the detriment of Russian and American relations.

These critics assert that the 16 arrested Poles are completely unknown to either Mr Stettinius or Mr Harriman, and the Russian charges of diversionary activities against Russia by these 16 are justified. They further insist ihat of a list, of the 20 Polish names which Britain and America are said to have offered Stalin, from which to choose representatives for broadening the Warsaw Government* not one was a man personally known to the United States, having all been picked by the British.

On the other hand, those critics are forced to admit, that the two names offered the American arid British Ambassadors to Moscow by the Soviet Foreign Minister. M. Moiotnv. as acceptable for broadening the Polish Government,. were of Poles so obscure that nothing was known about them by Britain and America. The<=e critics have used American newspaper columnists with marked effect in advaneinc a highly anti-British slant in current discussion in the press on the Polish question. This lias helped to heighten President Truman's dilemma on Russia, SON OF STALIN OUT OF GERMAN HANDS LONDON'. May o s Lieutenant Jacob Djugashvilli, Marshal Stalin's son, who has just reached Switzerland after four years in a German war prisoners' canip. told how the Germans tricked him when they said he could write to his father. After several days' questioning, an S.S. general said: "We give vou permission to write to your father." He had taken the paper and begun to write when he saw an army of photographers and film men around him. "When they began letting off Hashlight, volleys," said Djugashvilli, "1 realised it was a trick, and I was not wrong, for 1 later learned that all German newspapers reproduced my photograph with this caption, which was almost funny: 'The Re ( ] Tyrant's son hegging his father to give up all resistance, which is now hopeless.' " CHURCH AND Y.M.C.A. SPLIT IN SCOTLAND LONDON, May 24 The General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, by 38 votes to 28, carried a motion terminating all official connection with the Y.M.C.A. "owing to its unsatisfactory attitude toward modernist doctrines and worldly amusements." Y.M.C.A. headquarters in London pointed out that the Y M C.A. in Scotland was a separate national movement with separate administrative machinery.