STALIN’S APPEAL FOR MORE CO-OPERATION

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 May 1947, Page 5

STALIN’S APPEAL FOR MORE CO-OPERATION

U.S. PAPER’S COMMENT HE EITHER DOES NOT KNOW OF TRENDS OR DOES NOT CARE Recd. 7.55 p.m. New York, May 4 The “Herald-Tribune,” in a leader, says: “Reports of the Stalin-Stassen Interview have given an impre:»ion of Stalin as a rather benevolent iy shrewd elder statesman, who eithei does not know what actually is taking place in relations between the two great work* power system.-, or else does not care. There will be a tendency in the United States to take the interview as hypocrisy, and some already have intimated that fewer fair words from Stalin and more concrete good deeds by the Soviet Government would be helpful. “Yet, it is to be suspected that a true explanation is more complex. While Stalin has latterly seemed to be shifting the details of diplomacy and administration more and more to subordinate shoulders, there is no reason to doubt either his knowledge of events, or the sincerity of his desire for ‘co-operation.’ But the depressing conclusion is that he is still confidently expecting that, given time, the West will do all the ‘cooperating.’ “He rs still expecting a capitalistic economic crisis in the United States which will paralyse American action in Europe. He believes his own military preparations will take care of any resultant war threat. The Soviet ‘democracy’ will make good its world position, and a new constellation of histric forces will ultimately bring the west to do all the ‘co-operating’ which • may be desirable. “If this is Stalin’s attitude it is a serious matter. While absolving Russia of intentional hypocrisy, or deliberately aggressive aims, it would make the present diplomatic efforts, and even friendly statements like this, virtually meaningless. It would imply that until the west can show a political, economic and moral strength • sufficient to shock the Kremlin out of jits dogmatic complacency, sufficient to convince it that co-operation demands la constructive contribution from its (side as well, there would seem to be • little hope for a more stable and hapl pier world.”