An appeal to the conscience of the Anglo - American world

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• ■ . A N A P P E A L T O T H E C O N S C I E N C E O F T H E A N G L O - A M E R I C A N W O R L D t ■ BY P r i n c e S A B A H E D D I N E

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AN APPEAL TO THE CONSCIENCE OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN WORLD

My m o tiv e i n Bonding y ou t h i s a p p e a l i s , f i r s t , t h a t I adm ire and r e s p e c t th e d e e p - r o o t e d and n o b l e c o n s c i e n c e o f th e A n g l o - A m e r ic a n w o r ld and, s e c o n d l y , t h a t e v e n t s f o r c e me t o t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t , o v e r and a b ov e th e t r a g e d y o f th e war, we a r e now l i v i n g a r e a l m oral t r a g e d y . My d e s i r e t o speak w it h c o m p le t e f r a n k n e s s , i n s t e a d o f u s i n g th e la n g u a g e o f d ip lo m a c y and m a i n t a i n i n g t h e h a b i t u a l r e t i c e n c e o f a p o l i t i c i a n i s , I b e l i e v e , t h e b e s t com p lim ent I ca n pay you*

You a r e d e t e r m in e d t o w in t h i s war a t a l l c o s t s , and i t l o o k s as i f you were g o i n g t o do s o . But a r e you a l s o c a p a b l e o f w in n in g th e p e a c e - I mean, a j u s t p e a c e , b o t h f a r - s i g h t e d and c h a r i t a b l e and, c o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e one p e a ce

w h ich w i l l en d u re? Such a p e a c e , w hich would be a w orthy

aim f o r y o u , i s a l r e a d y s e r i o u s l y i m p e r i l l e d , f o r ca n the A t l a n t i c C h a r t e r , w it h i t s d e m o c r a t i c and l i b e r a l p r i n c i p l e s , be r e c o n c i l e d w it h t h e m e n t a l i t y and a c t i v i t i e s o f Communist R u s s i a , a t y r a n n i c a l d i c t a t o r s h i p b a s e d on clas)s h a t r e d end

a v a s t system o f e s p i o n a g e ? Any a tte m p t t o com bine t h e s e two c o n c e p t i o n s i s an a tte m p t t o com bine w ater and f i r e ! Remember t h a t u n t i l R u s s i a was in v a d e d by th e German army t h e S o v i e t p r e s s , b l i n d l y e x e c u t i n g o r d e r s fr o m th e Kremlin., c o n s i s t e n t l y

s c o f f e d a t and r i d i c u l e d th e W e s te r n democrac--, and e s p e c i a l l y y o u r d e m o c r a c i e s . Nov; t h a t th e f o r t u n e o f war has f a v o u r e d R u s s i a - and y o u have g r e a t l y c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h i s - Moscow i s o n ly p a y i n g l i p - s e r v i c e t o t h e h o n o u r a b le e n g a g e ments up on w hich you have e n t e r e d . I t s r e a l o b j e c t i s f i r s t t o s o v i e t i z e h e r o i c F i n l a n d , i t s own v i c t i m , t h e n th e sm a ll B a l t i c R e p u b l i c s , P o la n d , Rumania, B u l g a r i a , ' J u g o s l a v i a , e t c . A l l M oscow ’ s d e c l a r a t i o n s , i n t e n d e d m erely t o throw dust, i n

y o u r e y e s , do n o t i n th e l e a s t a l t e r th e s i t u a t i o n .

S t a l i n i s r e p o r t e d t o have s a i d , a c c o r d i n g t o a Moscow communiqué: "T h ose who b e l i e v e t h a t I w is h t o embark on t h e a d v e n tu r o u s r o a d o f c o n q u e s t g r e a t l y u n d e r - e s t i m a t e my p r a c t i c a l s e n s e . P e o p l e who draw a n a l o g i e s b e tw e e n H i t l e r and m y s e l f sim p ly show t h a t th e y know n o t h i n g o f p o l i t i c s " .

But th e M arshal f o r g e t s t h a t he was i n p e r f e c t a g r e e ment w it h t h a t 3ame H i t l e r , whom he now d e n i e s w it h such s c o r n when he s ta b b e d P o la n d i n th e b a ck i n s p i t e o f th e p a c t o f n o n - a g g r e s s i o n s i g n e d w i t h h e r . What was h i s o b j e c t , i f n o t c o n q u e s t ? And i f t h e r e i s no c l o s e m oral r e s e m b la n c e b etw e e n th e two d i c t a t o r s , how c o u l d th e y have come t o such a c o m p le te u n d e r s t a n d i n g as r e g a r d s th e p a r t i t i o n o f a c o u n t r y o f 35 m i l l i o n i n h a b i t a n t s ?

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By i t s r e f u s a l t o r e c o g n i z e th e P o l i s h Government i n London and by i t s r e j e c t i o n o f th e f r i e n d l y o f f e r o f m e d i a t i o n made by A m e r ic a , Moscow p r o v e s on ce a g a i n t h a t i t w is h e s t o s o v i e t l z e th e w hole o f P o la n d - a form o f a n n e x a t i o n i n v e n t e d by th e B o l s h e v i k s . B u t, as Mr. C h u r c h i l l has j u s t l o y a l l y

s t a t e d i n one o f h i s s p e e c h e s , y o u d e c l a r e d war on Germany f o r th e v e r y p u r p o s e o f d e f e n d i n g P o l a n d ! Can y ou when th e tim e comes r e p u d i a t e y o u r word o f hon ou r by a b a n d o n in g P o la n d t o so m i s e r a b l e a f a t e ? You a r e t o o h o n e s t and t o o g e n tle m a n ly t o

p l a y t h a t game t o th e e n d ! And what a game! I t would end i n a

ly3-nS p e a c e , a p e a c e t h a t would b e th e s t a r t i n g - p o i n t o f a n o t h e r war, j u s t as were t h e t r e a t i e s o f V e r s a i l l e s , S t . Germain, N e u i l l y , S è v r e s , e t c . Those t r e a t i e s w h ich t h e v i c t o r s im posed

on th e v a n q u is h e d t o o k no a c c o u n t o f e q u i t y , i n t e r n a t i o n a l s o l i d a r i t y , or c o m p a s s io n , and c o n s e q u e n t l y th e y were s h o r t - l i v e d . T h e _T r e a ty o f S è v r e s , f o r i n s t a n c e , im posed upon th e Ottoman Empire by t h o s e who were y o u r l e a d e r s t h e n , had as i t s s o l e aim

th e d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h a t c o u n t r y as an in d e p e n d e n t s t a t e . But when th e T u rk s , my f o r m e r c o m p a t r i o t s , r e g a i n e d t h e i r in d e p e n d e n ce by f o r c e o f arms, you t h e n r e c o g n i z e d t h e i r r i g h t s by th e

T r e a ty o f L ausanne. H i t l e r , who had warmly a p p la u d e d th e Turk

i s h r e t o r t , has u n f o r t u n a t e l y r e a d th e l e s s o n a m is s , f o r when A nkara t o r e up t h a t monument o f i n i q u i t y , th e T r e a ty o f S e v r e s ,

she was c o n t e n t m erely t o f o r c e you and y o u r a l l i e s t o adm it Turkey s r i g h t t o an in d e p e n d e n t e x i s t e n c e , and has u n t i l now r e s p e c t e d t h a t r i g h t among a l l h e r n e i g h b o u r s . But th e German C h a n c e l l o r , when he t o r e up th e V e r s a i l l e s T r e a ty " i n th e name

o f German honour , as he h i m s e l f put i t , d i d not r e s p e c t th e l i b e r t y o f n e i g h b o u r i n g p e o p l e s any more than t h a t o f h i s own c o m p a t r i o t s . Can hon our change i t s meaning from c o u n t r y t o

c o u n t r y ? I t has th e same meaning ev e ry w h e re and a l w a y s . But

l e t us now t u r n t o a n o th e r s u b j e c t .

W h ile a c c e d i n g u n w i l l i n g l y , i t i s t o be h o p e d , t o M o sco w 's demands, you have j u s t b r o k e n o f f n e g o t i a t i o n s w it h

Turkey b e c a u s e she has r e f u s e d t o be drawn i n t o th e war, and t h i s ow ing t o h e r b a s i c i n t e r e s t s . We have s e e n th e u n f r i e n d l y remarks o f th e B r i t i s h p r e s s and th e more v i o l e n t c r i t i c i s m s

o f t h e B o l s h e v i k p r e s s on th e s u b j e c t * , b u t i t seems t o me t h a t some e s s e n t i a l f a c t o r s o f f a i r l y r e c e n t d a te have n o t b e e n f u l l y r e a l i s e d .

I f , f o r i n s t a n c e , Turkey had y i e l d e d t o c e r t a i n tem p t i n g s u g g e s t i o n s and a t t r a c t i v e p r o p o s a l s a t the tim e when Rommel was s e r i o u s l y t h r e a t e n i n g E g y p t, and had opened h er g a t e s t o th e Germans t o a l l o w an a t t a c k on M esopotam ia and E gypt from th e

* P a r t i c u l a r l y th e c o m p l e t e l y u n tr u e a c c u s a t i o n s in v e n t e d by Red S t a r , th e w e ll -k n o w n p a p e r of th e S o v i e t Army.

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-n o r t h , what w ould have happe-ned? Y o u r a r m i e s , a t t a c k e d on two

s i d e s , m ight have b e e n w ip ed o u t , t h e Suez C anal and t h e w h ole o f N o r th A f r i c a would t h e n have f a l l e n i n t o th e hands o f y o u r o p p o n e n ts l i k e an o v e r r i p e f r u i t , and t h e war w ould have t a k e n a d i f f e r e n t c o u r s e » By r e m a in i n g f a i t h f u l t o h e r word and t o h e r u n d e r t a k i n g s , Turkey c e r t a i n l y h e l p e d t o save G r e a t B r i t a i n fr o m an u n p r e c e d e n t e d d i s a s t e r . What a p i t y t h a t a t t h a t s t r a t e g i c moment i n h e r h i s t o r y when, f o r a s h o r t t i m e , she

h e l d th e d e s t i n y o f E u rop e i n h e r h a n d s, she d i d n o t a s k fr o m you i n r e t u r n f o r h e r a l l i a n c e a f o r m a l u n d e r t a k i n g t h a t you

demand o f y o u r R u s s i a n a l l i e s t h a t th e y r e s p e c t th e r i g h t t o in d e p e n d e n c e o f a l l c o u n t r i e s , o f a l l t h o s e h o n e s t p e o p l e s drawn i n t o t h e war a g a i n s t t h e i r w i l l , fr o m N o rth t o S o u t h , fr o m F i n l a n d t o th e B la c k Sea» I im agine t h a t y o u w ould w i l l

i n g l y have a g r e e d t o s o w is e and h o n o u r a b l e a c o n d i t i o n , and by a c c e p t i n g i t , y o u would have b e e n much b e t t e r a r m e d ,m o r a lly a t l e a s t , a g a i n s t th e g r e e d o f y o u r i n s a t i a b l e E a s t e r n A l l y .

I t i s t r u e t h a t Turkey a c c o m p l i s h e d h e r p r o v i d e n t i a l m i s s i o n , where you were c o n c e r n e d , w i t h o u t s t r i k i n g a b l o w . But i f th e Germans had w ish e d t o f o r c e a p a s s a g e a t t h a t tim e when th e T u r k is h army was f a r fr o m b e i n g as s t r o n g a s i t i s now, th e Turks w ould c e r t a i n l y n o t have h e s i t a t e d t o shed

t h e i r b l o o d t o d e f e n d t h e i r hom es, a s t h e y had done d u r i n g the G r e e k - T u r k i s h war, when t h e y had b e e n d isa rm e d by y o u i Very

f o r t u n a t e l y t h e Germans made no s u ch a t t e m p t ; b u t t h e r e i s more t o be s a i d .

When th e German a rm ie s were a d v a n c i n g v i c t o r i o u s l y t o t h e n o r t h o f th e C a u ca su s, B e r l i n would have l i k e d n o t h i n g b e t t e r th a n t o s e e t h a t p a r t o f t h e T u r k is h army w h ich was c o n c e n t r a t e d on th e R u s s i a n f r o n t i e r a t t a c k th e Caucasus fro m th e s o u t h » I n t h i s c a s e t o o , i f Turkey had y i e l d e d , th e R u s s i a n army o f th e C a u ca su s, ca u g h t b e tw e e n two f i r e s , m ight have c o l l a p s e d , and th e e n s l a v e d p e o p l e o f t h a t r e g i o n might have b e e n f r e e d fr o m t h e S o v i e t y o k e . F o r i t must b e remembered t h a t a t t h e end o f th e f o r m e r w o r ld war t h r e e In d e p e n d e n t r e p u b l i c s had b e e n s e t up i n th e s o u t h e r n C a u ca su s : The R e p u b l i c o f

A z e r b a i d j a n whose c a p i t a l was th e famous town o f Baku and t h e m a j o r i t y o f whose i n h a b i t a n t s vie r e g e n u in e T u rks; th e Armenian R e p u b l i c w i t h T l f l l s a s c a p i t a l , w h ich had J u st as much r i g h t

t o be r e s p e c t e d ; and , f i n a l l y , a t h i r d r e p u b l i c o f G e o r g i a n s , th e c o m p a t r i o t s o f t h e i l l u s t r i o u s M a rsh a l S t a l i n !

What has b e e n th e f a t e o f t h o s e unhappy r e p u b l i c s ? They have v a n i s h e d i n f i r e and b l o o d . Some o f t h e i r i n h a b i t a n t s h a v i n g r e b e l l e d a g a i n s t th e Red i n v a s i o n , were p i t i l e s s l y mas

s a c r e d o r d e p o r t e d t o S i b e r i a , t o g e t h e r w ith th e C i r c a s s i a n s o f t h e N o rth who r e f u s e d t o be b o l s h e v l s e d . And t o t h in k t h a t a t th e League o f N a t i o n s y o u had g u a r a n t e e d th e in d e p e n d e n ce o f t h a t v e r y R e p u b l i c o f G e o r g i a whose govern m en t, they s a y , i s s t i l l i n e x i l e !

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-Thus Turkey c o n t r i b u t e d , a l t h o u g h i n d i r e c t l y , t o t h e p r e s e n t v i c t o r i e s o f R u s s i a h e r s e l f « I t may b e added i n p a s s i n g t h a t th e T u r k is h Government p r o b a b l y k e p t i n mind, and r i g h t l y , a s e r v i c e , th o u g h n o t a d i s i n t e r e s t e d s e r v i c e , w h ich L e n i n ' s R u s s i a had r e n d e r e d h e r e a r l i e r 0 But c a n one e x p e c t any s o r t

o f g r a t i t u d e fr o m Moscow?

T r u ly th e s i t u a t i o n o f Turkey d u r i n g t h i s war i s e x t r e m e ly d e l i c a t e o A l t h o u g h tw enty y e a r s a g o I was o b l i g e d o n ce more t o t a k e th e r o a d i n t o e x i l e , i t i s w it h i n f i n i t e j o y t h a t I s e e t h a t th e sy m p a th ie s o f my f o r m e r c o m p a t r i o t s a r e on y o u r s i d e . I b e l i e v e t h a t th e s o c i a l and i n t e l l e c t u a l e l i t e o f th e Turk i s h p e o p l e i s q u i t e c a p a b l e o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e t e r r i b l e dan g e r s t h a t t h e w o r ld must f a c e ow in g t o t h e two p o w e r f u l d i c t a t o r s h i p s t h a t a r e now a t g r i p s w i t h one a n o t h e r . The e n l i g h t ened l e a d e r s a t A n k a ra , fr o m t h e H o n o r a b le P r e s i d e n t Ism et Inb'nu downwards, c a n n o t b u t be aware t h a t t h e y do n o t ru n th e same r i s k s i n y o u r company; f o r i t i s n o t y o u who have c o v e t e d

I s t a n b u l and t h e D a r d a n e l l e s f o r c e n t u r i e s . But you have a v e r y d i s q u i e t i n g a l l y whose b a r e l y d i s g u i s e d aim i s t o s o v i e t i z e

E urop e s t e p by s t e p .

I t may p e r h a p s be a r g u e d t h a t fr o m tim e t o tim e Ankara shows much sympathy to w a rd s t h e S o v i e t s . I t may be s o , b u t t h a t i s n o t my a f f a i r . I have n e i t h e r th e r i g h t n o r th e d e s i r e t o i n t e r f e r e i n th e a f f a i r s o f a c o u n t r y t o w h ich I no l o n g e r b e l o n g ; th ou g h t h a t d o e s n o t p r e v e n t me fr o m l o v i n g i t now e v e n more d i s i n t e r e s t e d l y th a n b e f o r e . And i t i s w it h a n g u is h t h a t

I a s k m y s e l f how Turkey c a n k e e p h e r in d e p e n d e n c e i f fro m th e n o r t h t o th e s o u t h , fr o m F i n l a n d t o B u l g a r i n , e v e r y c o u n t r y and p e o p l e who fo r m th e b r i d g e b e t w e e n th e e a s t .and th e w est were

f a l l un d er th e d o m i n a t i o n o f M oscow .A re th e Turks t o g i v e t h e i r l i f e - b l o o d t o t h e d e t r i m e n t o f t h e i r own in d e p e n d e n c e ? Would i t o v e n be i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h y o u r r e a l i n t e r e s t s f o r Turkey t o embark upon such an a d v e n t u r e ? C e r t a i n l y n o t , f o r b o l s h e v i s m and R u s s i a n p r o l e t a r i a n i m p e r i a l i s m ( I ) n o t o n ly t h r e a t e n Turkey and h e r n e i g h b o u r s , t h e y t h r e a t e n th e w hole o f E u r o p e , n o t t o m e n tio n A s i a and A f r i c a , where Communist p ropa gan da i s a l r e a d y a c t i v e l y e n g a g e d .

That p r o p a g a n d a , so c l e v e r l y o r g a n i z e d f o r more than tw enty y e a r s , i s a s t r i k i n g p r o o f o f t h e s e a s s e r t i o n s w h ich h a v e , m o r e o v e r , b e e n made by so many I m p a r t i a l o b s e r v e r s . M. G e o r g e s R i g a s s i , th e d i s t i n g u i s h e d D i r e c t o r o f th e G a z e t t e , de Lausanne , w r o te th e f o l l o w i n g l i n e s i n h i s p a p e r , on January 1 5 , i n an a r t i c l e e n t i t l e d " S w i t z e r l a n d and th e R u s s i a n M y stery : " S u p p o s i n g e v e n -a n d t h i s i s f a r fro m c e r t a i n , n o r i s i t e v e n p r o b a b l e - t h a t S o v i e t R u s s i a i s g r o w in g w i s e r , c a n one d e d u c e t h a t th e Communist da nger has d i s a p p e a r e d ? Far fr o m i t . The d a n g er rem a ins as g r e a t a t h r e a t as e v e r i n a l l

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-c o u n t r i e s where Communism has b e e n -c r e a t e d , d i r e -c t e d and i n s p i r - r e d by Moscow f o r more th a n tw enty y e a r s . I n t h o s e c o u n t r i e s -we in S w i t z e r l a n d know s o m e th in g o f i t - f a n a t i c a l Communism o f t h e o l d bra n d i s s t i l l r i f e , n e g l e c t i n g no o c c a s i o n t o fo m e n t h a t r e d and d i v i s i o n , and t o p r e p a r e a r e v o l u t i o n w h ich w ould d e s t r o y our i n t e r n a l o r d e r and o b l i t e r a t e our l i b e r t i e s . On t h i s p o i n t no i l l u s i o n s a r e p o s s i b l e ; b o l s h e v i s m i s s t i l l a r e a l p e r i l , and a p e r i l which has b e e n f u r t h e r i n c r e a s e d by th e war and i t s c o n s e q u e n c e s . "

Thi3 p a s s a g e , i n i t s a d m i r a b le summing u p , i s n o t th e e x p r e s s i o n o f a p e r s o n a l o p i n i o n , i t i s th e v o i c e o f t r u t h i t

s e l f 1 And t h a t v o i c e spea ks a g a i n , t h r o u g h th e words o f th e em inent S w iss h i s t o r i a n , P r o f e s s o r Edmond R o s s i e r , t h a t l i b e r a l t h i n k e r , s o f a r - s e e i n g , s o f u l l o f f r i e n d l y f e e l i n g s to w a rd s y o u : *

" O b v i o u s l y " , he s a y s , " S t a l i n i s a n x i o u s t o Im press h i s a l l i e s : a f t e r h a v in g made known h i s w i s h e s , he ha s i s s u e d a w a r n in g . But i s i t p o s s i b l e t o com p ly? The agreem ent c o n c l u d ed w i t h M. Bénés l a y s C z e c h o s l o v a k i a open t o S o v i e t i n f l u e n c e a s s o o n as th e c o u n t r y i s l i b e r a t e d . I f P o la n d a c c e p t s t h e same r é g i m e , a f o r m i d a b l e b r i d g e h e a d w i l l have b e e n c r e a t e d by B o l sh ev ism i n the h e a r t o f th e C o n t i n e n t . F o r Germany, where a r e v o l u t i o n may b r e a k o u t as i t d i d i n 1 9 1 8 , t h e r e i s a g o v e r n ment a l l r e a d y i n Moscow. What w i l l t h e n be l e f t i n E urop e o f th e s o v e r e i g n t y o f s t a t e s ? S u r e l y E n g la n d and A m e r ic a a r e n o t f i g h t i n g t o c r e a t e a new hegemony?"

L e t us hope s o . But i t i s Mr. C h u r c h i l l -w h o s e h e r o i c e n e r g y i n t h e days o f h i s c o u n t r y ' s g r e a t e s t t r i b u l a t i o n I have n e v e r c e a s e d t o a d m i r e - who seems t o d e s t r o y t h i s l e g i t i m a t e hope when, i n h i s l a s t s p e e c h , he s a y s : " i t was w it h g r e a t p l e a s u r e t h a t I l e a r n t t h a t M arsh al S t a l i n was r e s o l v e d upon the m ain ten ance o f a s t r o n g and in d e p e n d e n t P o la n d as one

o f th e l e a d i n g Pow ers i n E u r o p e ...I am c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h i s i s th e d e f i n i t e p o l i c y o f the S o v i e t U n i o n ." I f t h a t i s s o , why th e n d i d M arsh al S t a l i n r e j e c t P r e s i d e n t R o o s e v e l t ' s m e d i a t i o n i n f a v o u r o f th e P o l i s h Government i n London? Why d i d the S o v i e t p r e s s s y s t e m a t i c a l l y i n s u l t t h a t same P o l i s h Government

i n e x i l e and why d o e s i t c o n t i n u e t o do s o ? Why d o e s "Red S t a r " d e s c r i b e " t h e id e a o f c l o s e r c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e tw e e n th e s m a ll and m e d iu m -s iz e d E uropea n s t a t e s , a s p r o p o s e d fro m time t o tim e by th e T u r k is h p r e s s " as c o m p l e t e l y a b s u r d and i m p r a c t i c a b l e ? B eca u se th e K rem lin w is h e s t o d om in ate f i r s t th e S l a v c o u n t r i e s

and th e n c o n t i n e n t a l E u r o p e . I f Germany were t o c a p i t u l a t e un c o n d i t i o n a l l y , as London and W ashington w is h , she t o o would be

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-b o l s h e v i z e d . Then th e s u p p le and magnanimous M arsh al w ould s a y :

" i want Germany t o be s t r o n g and i n d e p e n d e n t ! " Moscow i s , i n f a c t , a l r e a d y s a y i n g i t , b u t t h r o u g h th e German G e n e r a l v o n S e i d l i t z who i s a p r i s o n e r o f war i n R u s s i a and M oscow ’ s u n o f f i c i a l spokesm an. In h i s r e p e a t e d a p p e a l s t o h i s German com p a t r i o t s v o n S e i d l i t z d e c l a r e s : "We want Germany t o be f r e e and i n d e p e n d e n t ! " As f r e e , no d o u b t , as th e h o n e s t and unhappy R u s s i a n p e o p l e who a r e a c c u s to m e d t o obey th e r e i g n i n g d i c t a t o r

w h eth er he be c a l l e d T s a r , L e n in , S t a l i n , e t c .

True t h a t th e Germans, t o o , a r e u s e d t o o b e y i n g t h e i r l e a d e r s . But i t t a k e s a G e n e r a l Smuts or someone l i k e him t o b e so c o m p l e t e l y I g n o r a n t o f t h e c u l t u r a l d i f f e r e n c e b e tw e e n t h e Ger man and t h e R u s s i a n p e o p l e s . I f th e p r o b le m i s examined im p a r t i a l l y t h e v e r y l o g i c o f e v e n t s o b l i g e s us t o r e c o g n i z e t h a t i t i s c o m p a r a t i v e l y e a s i e r t o d e l i v e r th e Germans fro m t h e i r d i c t a t o r s h i p th a n t h e R u s s i a n s , and t h a t t h a t d e l i v e r a n c e i s n e a r e r a t h a n d . T h is i s th e c a p i t a l p r o b le m w h ich th e m a j o r i t y o f th e A n g l o - A m e r ic a n w o r ld has n o t y e t r e a l i z e d , f o r t h a t m ajo r i t y seems t o assume t h a t th e R u s s i a n p e o p l e a r e f r e e . I n t h i s

i t i s w h o l l y w rong. But th e p e r i l c a n n o t be removed by I g n o r i n g , o r seem ing t o i g n o r e , s o e le m e n ta r y a t r u t h . T h is b e i n g s o , th e g r e a t i n v a s i o n w h ich y ou a r e so z e a l o u s l y p r e p a r i n g w ould o n l y s e r v e t o s u b s t i t u t e a r i s i n g d i c t a t o r s h i p t o one w hich i s c o l l a p s i n g ! ... I s i t i n o r d e r t o b r i n g a b o u t such a c a t a s t r o p h e t h a t y o u a r e p r e p a r i n g t o shed th e b l o o d o f y o u r h e r o i c s o n s ? I n v ie w o f t h i s t e r r i b l e m ora l t r a g e d y , how g r e a t was my a d m i r a t i o n and my g r a t i t u d e when I r e a d

the f o l l o w i n g t e le g r a m fro m " E x t e l " :

"The Women's I n t e r n a t i o n a l League f o r P e a c e and Freedom has s e n t an a p p e a l t o P r e s i d e n t R o o s e v e l t a s k i n g t h a t th e in v a

s i o n o f E urope s h o u ld be d e l a y e d u n t i l a l l p r o s p e c t s o f r e a c h i n g an agreem ent w it h th e German p e o p l e f o r the c o n c l u s i o n o f p ea ee r e g a r d l e s s o f th e v e t o o f th e N a t i o n a l - S o c i a l i s t l e a d e r s have d i s a p p e a r e d . " The a p p e a l f u r t h e r p o i n t s ou t t h a t "any i d e a o f u n c o n d i t i o n a l s u r r e n d e r must be abandoned s i n c e t h a t f o r m u la has m e re ly s e r v e d t o u n i t e th e t e r r i f i e d p e o p l e s o f E urope more

f i r m l y and t o s t r e n g t h e n t h e i r w i l l t o f i g h t t o th e end t o e s ca p e a v i n d i c t i v e p e a c e ! "

Honour and y e t more honour t o t h e s e A m erica n women who show such a d m ir a b le Judgment and m oral s e n s e i

And in d e e d i t i s l a c k o f Judgment and l a c k o f c o n s c i e n c e w h ich are th e two c a l a m i t i e s a t th e v e r y r o o t o f t h i s a p p a l l i n g l y f r a t r i c i d a l w ar. But i t s h o u ld be a d d e d , w it h r e l i e f and

f

r a t i t u d e , t h a t you p o s s e s s i n E ngland and i n A m erica a s o c i a l

l i t e w i t h h i g h pow ers o f Judgment and o f c o n s c i e n c e w hich com p e l r e s p e c t and a d m i r a t i o n . Here i s a f u r t h e r p r o o f o f t h i s :

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I n th e G a z e t t e de Lausanne11 o f 20 j a n u a r y 1944 I r e a d th e summary o f an a r t i c l e on R u s s i a w r i t t e n by Mr. Eastman, P r o f e s s o r a t C olum b ia U n i v e r s i t y and p u b l i s h e d i n t h e " R eade r s ' D i g e s t '^ The a u t h o r who f o r th e p a s t 18 y e a r s has s p e c i a l i z e d i n th e s tu d y o f Marxism and o f R u s s i a , w hich he knows p e r s o n a l l y s a y s : "An a s t o n i s h i n g number o f our p e o p l e , our r e v i e w s , a n d our i n f l u e n t i a l new sp apers pay s e r v i l e f l a t t e r y t o R u s s i a . I t has become th e p r i n c i p a l p r e o c c u p a t i o n o f many i n t e l l e c t u a l s and o f f i c i a l s t o d i s c o v e r v i r t u e s i n S t a l i n ' s t y r a n n i c a l rég im e" .And h a v in g n o t e d t h a t the R u s s i a n c o n s t i t u t i o n g u a r a n t e e s no l i b e r t i e s , i t only- g u a r a n t e e s th e d i c t a t o r s h i p " , Mr, Eastman c o n c l u d e s : "The w hole system i s e n f o r c e d by a s e c r e t p o l i c e w h ich would have a r o u s e d envy i n th e h e a r t s o f th e P h a r a o h s i "

I w is h t o pay homage t o th e co m p e te n t and c o n s c i e n t i o u s a u th o r of th e a b ove a r t i c l e , and I warmly c o n g r a t u l a t e t h e g r e a t A m e rica n r e v i e w fEhs R e a d e r s ' D i g e st," on h a v in g had th e c o u r a g e

t o p u b l i s h such an a r t i c l e a t t h i s tim e«

I t i s by c o n s u l t i n g and h e e d i n g th e a d v i c e o f men cf that calibre t h a t y ou c o u l d p e rh a p s save th e w o r ld fro m an immense d i s a s t e r w h ich i s com ing n e a r e r w it h g i g a n t i c s t r i d e s . The a u th o r o f t h i s m odest a r t i c l e h op es i n a l l f r i e n d l i n e s s and fro m th e

b o tto m o f h i s h e a r t t h a t y o u w i l l p e r f o r m t h i s m i r a c l e w h i c h , a t th e moment, seems w h o lly beyond r e a c h ! But t h e r e i s a D i v i n e P r o v i d e n c e i n f i n i t e l y more p o w e r f u l than human t h o u g h t s and w i l l . The D i c t a t o r a t th e K rem lin and h i s i l l - f a t e d com panions may s e t up museums t o i n s u l t God, th e y c a n n o t remove Him.

I t i s a l s o an e r r o r - t h e most t r a g i c o f a l l - t o b e l i e v e t h a t th e whole u n i v e r s e i s the p r o d u c t o f b l i n d c h a n c e . How th e n a r e we t o e x p l a i n a l l th e c o s m ic l a w s , o f w hich we know o n ly an i n f i n i t e s i m a l p a r t ? B l i n d ch a n ce o r th e u n c o n s c i o u s a c t i o n o f e l e c t r o n s e x p l a i n s n o t h i n g . But l i v i n g and c o n c r e t e th o u g h t c a n d i s c o v e r th e S p i r i t i n m a t t e r , and d eep i n t u i t i o n f i n d s i t i n th e v e r y inmost o f our b e i n g . There i s an i n t e r d e p e n d e n c e , a h i d d e n s o l i d a r i t y i n th e u n i v e r s e w h ich works i n s p i t e o f a l l a p p a r e n t c o n t r a d i c t i o n s . On th e human p l a n e we c a l l i t C h a r i t y . G e n t le as i t i s , i t c a n n o t be f l a u n t e d w it h im p u n ity , f o r i t w i l l triumph in the e n d . H i s t o r y , s t u d i e d fro m t h i s p o i n t o f v ie w , p r o v e s c l e a r l y t h a t e v e r y t h i n g b a s e d on v i o l e n c e , on ty ra n n y and on v en g e a n ce d o e s n o t l a s t . .

We c a n n o t t h e r e f o r e rem a in I n d i f f e r e n t t o the s u f f e r i n g s o f th e German p e o p l e , any more th a n t o t h o s e o f any o t h e r p e o p l e - I would ev e n add, t o t h o s e o f any l i v i n g c r e a t u r e . . . W ith ou t c h a r i t y , w it h o u t t h a t " h i g h e r r e a s o n " t h e r e would be no r e a l p e a ce ; b u t t h e r e would be a t r a v e s t y o f p e a c e w h ich i t3e l f

would p r o v e th e s o u r c e o f f r e s h d i s a s t e r s , as were th e t r e a t i e s o f V e r s a i l l e s , o f S a in t-G e r m a in , o f S è v r e s , e t c . . . God p r e s e r v e us fro m i t !

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