Show s r. U. S. can only bluff jj USSR holds whip hand in Berlin crisis By PAUL HAMMOND force the Western powers can Despite the stiffened and united policy Britain France and the United States have recently despite their threat to take j the Berlin dispute to the General assembly o the United Russia still holds the whip j hand in The three western powers are now at a disadvantage in time and geographical I It is the time element which has caused joint issuance by th f Western powers of the note to the ing immediate assurance of early settlement to the The Western powers f MM hard pressed for for know that approaching weather spells doom for air lift to Every that Russia her bargain- BH ing position becomes better every day that the Berlin crisis Western Hammond is the powers have less force behind their Russia's geographical position leaves her every She need do nothing but stall for time and wait The Western powers f are asking her to withdraw withdraw her and by some of her In order to gain their demands they would have to bring about an overt If this act were the use of armed it could easily be considered Such a risk the Western powers are not willing at this time to Nor are they for in any of force the Russian army would have an enormous advantage in Russian troops outnumber Western troops three to one in while in Germany the ratio probably six to While the Western powers are trying to accomplish a settlement in Berlin by diplomatic I their strategic military position must not be Russia cannot be ex- to take our diplomatic demands seriously B when she knows we are not prepared to en- I force Without force to back it up a I nation's diplomacy can accomplish little par- I when it has reached the stage of I threats and 1 But the Western powers do not threaten they threaten the use of the General f assembly of the United Here X they are at a for they I must see that their problem is not only acted upon by that but acted upon 1 Russia on the other hand need only obstruct a technique for which she is well I And even if the General assembly act in I favor of the Western powers their is still the problem of effectuating such a I nothing of this nature could be passed I through the Security Nor could that I body be expected to enforce a I decision of the General As for the assembly enforcing the resolution the I Palestine presents a gloomy pic- I ture for enforcing a United Nations tion on a recalcitrant The only I way to force Russia to comply to I a ruling would be with a united world opinion I in its condemnation of Russia's I actions that concessions in Berlin would seem a I fair price to pay in return for more syro- 1 pathetic I If world opinion is whipped up through the I General assembly meetings to such a fervor that I Russia is forced to she can do it with I the assurance that she is only postponing her I She need only wait for the right time to shut down electric power in the Western incite keep Russian zone labor from the Western terrorize the undermine the and finally find another excuse for a Until the Western demands powers can back their with force they can only bluff or ap- a WOrld which has never existed except in the white-heat of |