RUSSIA CALLED ON TO DISPLAY SINCERITY

Chronicle (Levin), 18 March 1946, Page 8

RUSSIA CALLED ON TO DISPLAY SINCERITY

Press Assn.

W ar Not Inevitable or Imminent

By Telegraph

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Received Sunday, 9.50 p.m. NEW YORK, March 15. ' ' When I spoke at Fulton ten days ago I f elt it was necessary for someone in an unofficial position to speak in arresting terms about the world 's present plight. I was invited to give my counsel freely in this free conntry, and I am snre that the hope, whieh I expressed for the inereasing association of our two countries will come to pass, not beeause of any speech whieh may be made, but beeause of the tides that flow in human affairs and in the course of unfolding destiny," said Mr. Churchill, speaking at an official dinner in his honour tendered by New York City. "The only question whieh in my opinion is open, is whether the necessary harmony through aetion among the American and British peoples will be reached in a suffieient plain and clear manner and in good time to prevent a new world struggle, or whether it will come about, as. it has done before, only in the course of that struggle. I remain convinced that this question will win a favourable answer. "I do not believe that war is inevitable or imminent. I do not believe that the rulers of Russia wish for war at the present time. I am sure that, if we stand together calmly biit resolutely in the. defencemf those ideals and principles embodied in United Nations' Charter, we shall find ourselves sustained by the overwhelming 'asset of the world's peoples, and that, fortified by this evergrowing moral authority, the cause of peace and freedom will come saf ely through and we shall be able to go on with the noble work — in whieh the United States has a glc-rious primacy — of averting famine, of liealing the awful wounds of Hitler's war and rebuilding the scarred aiid shattered structure of huinan civilisation."

"Let me cleclai:e, bowever, that the progress aua freedom oi ali the world s peoploS, imder the re.gn oi law euforced. by tue world Oigan.sation, wiu uu'u come to pass, nor wili the age of pleiity begin, withoat pcrs^stsnt, fu,i:him, and. and, above ail, fearless exercions oi ihe British and American systems oi society. ' -j.n the last ten days the situation has greatiy changed as a resulc of deoisions wnich must have been taken some time ago. Instead of cairn dis^ussion of broad, long-term tendjncies, we now fmd ourselves in the presence o-swiftly-movmg events whieh no oue ean measi.re at the moment. "Thore are a iew t.iings whieh I am bound to say toiught lest the good cause snould sutt'er by clefault. If any words tbat I have spoken have conimanded attention, that is oniy beeause i tliey liiid an echo in the breasLs of tnose of every land and race who love freedom and are foes of tyranny. I certamly won t ailow anything said by cthers to weaken my regard and adnuration for the Russian people or my earnest desire tnat Russia shoulcl be safe and prosperous aud should take^ an honoured place in the van of world urgan.eat.v.11. Whether' we will clo so or uoc aep^nds oniy on decisions taken by a handl'ul of aole men who, under their renowned cliief, hold all the 180,000,u00 icussians, and many more millions outside Russia, in their grip.

"We ali remember wnat nigntiiu losses Russia sutt'er ed in the Hulerfte ! invasion and how she survived and : emerged triuniphant from injuries j grea-ubr than have ever been intticted on any otuer community. There is a deep and widespraad 'syinpathy throughout the English-speaking world for the people of Russia and an ahsolute readiness to work with them on fair, even terms to repair the ruin of war in every country. If the Soviet Government does not tane advantage of this sentiment — if, on the contrary, they discourage it —the responsihility will he entirely theirs. There is, for instance, a very good wa'y in whieh they couid brush aside any speeches whieh they dislike. It is a way whieh is open to them now in the next fortnight. , CAsfe FOR SECURITY COUNCIL. "The British Government, of whieh I was head, signed a treaty with Russia | and Persia soiemnly undertaking to res pect the integrity and sovereignty oi' Persia and to evacuate that country by a certain date. This treaty was reaf firmed at Teheran by a tripartite agreement signed by the head of the Soviet j Government, Mr. Roosevelt and me. In fulfilment of this agreement, the British and Americans have already left that country, but now we are told that the Soviet Government, instead of leaving, is actually sending in more troops. Now this is one of those casss for whieh j United Nations Security Conncil was especially devised, and I am very glad ti read in the newspapers that the Soviet re.presentatives will attend the meeting of the Security Council to take place on March 25. "There is no reason why Russia should feel ill-rewarded for her eflorts in the war. If her losses have been grievous, her gains have heen magn fi cent. ' Her two tremendous antagonists — Genuany and Japan — have been laid iow. Japan was overthrown almost entirely by Ameriean arms. Russia re covered almost without striking a hlow all she iost: to Japan 40 years ago. In the West the Baltic States and a large part cf Finland have been reincorporated in Russia, and the Gurzon Line is no longer questioned.

DARDENELLES QFFER. ' ' Then we come to the Straits of the Dardanelles. I welcome the Russian ttag on Russian ships on the high oceans. I have always told our Soviet allies tbat Britain would support revisiqn of the Montreux Convention about the straits. At Potsdam the British and the Americans offered Russia a joint guarantee of completa freedom of the straits in peace or war, whether for merchant ships or v/arships. To this guarantee. Turkey would gladly have subscribed, hut we weer told that was not enough. Russia must have a fortress inside the straits from whieh she ' i 1

could dominate Constantinople. This was not to keep the straits open, but to gxve the power of closing them to a Angle nation. This was out of harmony with the principle urged hy the United States representatives of ,the freedom of Europe's great waterways — the Dan ube, the Rhine and other rivers whieh tun through many countries.' At any rate, there was an offer and 1 have no cloubt it is still open, and if Russia persists m putting pressure on Turkey, the matter must, in the first instance, be prQiiounced upon by United Nations Security Council.

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT "It has been frequently observed in tlic last fov; days that there is a. great measure of misUndcrstanding, I entirely agree with that. Could you have a better example of misunderstanding t..a_i when \/u arc told that fcho pros„nt British Government is not a free, democratic Government beeause it consists only of representatives of a singie party, whoreas Poland, Rumania, Bulgaria aud cthcr countries have representatives of several parfcies in the Goveinment. Tliis also applies to the United States, where one party is in

oui.ee and wields executive power, but ali this argument overlooks the fact tnat democratic Governments are hased on free elections. The people choose i'reely and fairly the party they wish to have in oflice. They have every right to criticise that party or Government based upon it and can change it by conslitutional processes at any time they like or at frequent intervals. it can hardly be cailed a democratic eiection where candidutes of only one party arc a.lowed to appear and where the voter has not even secrecy oi the ballot to protect him. "These misundcrstandings will he swept away if we get through the presoiit ditticulfc period safely and if the British, American and Russian peoples are allov/ed to mingle freely with one auother and see how things are done in the respective countries. No doubt we ali have much to learn from one another. FRATERNAL ASSOCIATION. "Now I turn to the other part of my niessage — relations between Britain and the United States., Unless they work togetner in fuli loyalty to the Charter, United Nations wili cease to have any reality. Nobody will he able to put his trust in it and the world, will be left to the clash of the nationaiisms whieh led us into two frightful wars. I have never asked for a British- American military aliiance or treaty. I asked for something different and in a sense I asked for something more. I asked for a free, voluntary fraternal association. I have no doubt it will come to pass, as surely as the sun will riss tomorrow. but you do not need a treaty

to express tlie natural affinities and i'riendships whieh arise. in a fraternal association. On the other hand, it would be wrong that the fact shouid be concealed or ignored. Nothing can prevent our nations drawing ever closer to one another and nothing can obscure the fact that in their harmonious companionship lies the maui hope of the world instrument for maintaining peace on earth and goodwill to all men. AMERICAN TOLERANCE. ' ' I thank you prof oundly for all your . gracious hospitality to me during this visit to your shores. Mine is nofc the ttrst voice raised within your spacious bounds in the cause of freedom and peace, nor will it be the last that will be encouraged by the broad tolerance

of America. We in the British Commonwealth will stand at your side. in a powerful, faithful friendship and in aceerdance with the World Charter, and together, I am sure we shall sueceed in lifting from the face of man the curse oi war and the darker curse of tyranny. Thus will he opened even more broadiy to anxious, toiling millions the gateway to happiness and freedom*" The Waldorf-Astoria, where the dinner was held, was picketed by more than 2000 members of C.I.O. unions, under the watchful eyes of several hundred police. The pickets marched up and down holding plaoardk denouncing Mr. Churchill. { L .