Show Peace or War Forecast Is Possible Only if We Can Read Russian Minds Recent military and diplomatic talk double-talk is very confusing to the layman trying to make up his mind about the prospects for war or peace A few days ago the man on the firing line of the present U. Russian-U. S. S crisis General Lucius D. D Clay told newsmen in Berlin that he didn't believe war was just around the corner He said he did not think the Russians would make Berlin the final issue on the entire German problem whatever problem whatever that means I On the other hand the former British foreign minister Anthony Eden the theother theother theother other day said that foreign affairs are going from bad to worse Just what he meant by that is of course uncertain uncertain- but we scarcely see how the relations of the western powers with Russia could get much worse without some kind of open conflict Furthermore our own secretary of state George C. C Marshall apparently agrees with Anthony Eden When he was asked to comment on I Edens Eden's remark Marshall hesitated for a moment and then expressed the gloomy opinion that he had not had any period of great relief in the past week or 10 days Well that's pretty typical of the kind of talk double-talk laymen have been getting for some time We Ve do not know that diplomats are to be particularly criticized for being so vague in their comments for they are dealing with a pretty vague situation But it is disturbing disturbing disturbing dis dis- dis- dis to the average citizen not to know what is going on behind the scenes in diplomatic maneuvering among the great powers One cannot but think back to the maneuvering which went on during the summer and early fall of 1939 At that time the British and French envoys were likewise carrying on extensive diplomatic discussions with Russian leaders in Mos Mos- cow They were trying to get some agreement with Soviet Russia for or a stop- stop Hitler combination of east and west It was a peace negotiation very similar to the current Moscow peace talks It too was secret vague and mysterious It too brought both public optimism and pessimism pessi pessi- diplomatic diplomatic double Right in the midst of these Moscow talks when the British and French envoys envoys envoys en en- voys thought they were set for agreement agreement agreement agree agree- ment Russia's Foreign Minister Molotov Molotov Molotov Molo- Molo tov and Germanys Germany's Foreign Minister Von startled the world with announcement of a virtual alliance signed by these two countries which had previously been snarling at each others other's throats That pact was announced on August 23 A week later Hitler gu guaranteed rant ed against any Russian interference invaded invaded invaded in in- Poland Still later Russia moved into eastern Poland under an agreement with Germany for dividing that country That deal carving up Poland was a secret part of the August 23 pact The point is that the vagueness of western diplomats today is entirely understandable Their talk double-talk simply conceals ignorance as to Soviet Russia's intentions Western diplomats did not know Russia's intentions nine years ago and they do not know them today The question of peace or war for the world is not going to be decided in Berlin Berlin Berlin Ber Ber- lin or in Paris Parts or London or Washing Washing- ton It isn't going to be decided in diplomatic discussions in Moscow Itis It Itis Itis is going to be decided finally as it was in 1939 by the coldly calculating masters of Soviet Russia in the Kremlin And until our our diplomats can read the minds of these Russian bosses they cant can't tell what the future holds in the way of peace or war any better than you can |