SOVIET PRESTIGE GROWS

Chronicle (Levin), 8 November 1948, Page 5

SOVIET PRESTIGE GROWS

(N.Z.P.A*-

—Reuter*

Molotov Speaks To Russian People

Copyright)

Reeeived Suitdfty, 7 p.ip, LQNDON, Nqy. 6. The speeess of the Tussian. people- in building up Ootnmuuism w^s inereasing, the Soviet U^iqp's ecortopiie Tflfght wq.a expttvdipg, ^nd frfepdship atUQpg the people o.f the Soyiet Uniop was growing, said Mr. Molotov when adtlressing the annual meeting of the Soviet in the Tolshoi Theatre, to celebrate the anniversat'y Qf the 1917 revolution, . aeoordiug to. the Mosepw radio. "Sinee the Seeond Wqxid War eountries suGh as Poland, Rumania, Buigai'ia, Albania, Yugoslavip, and Hungary have fallen away from capitalism, " said Mr. Mol.otQv, " the freedom movement among the eolonial peopies is growing. The inter-national prestige of the Soviet Up.ion is growing as the bulwark of peace apc| demoeracy. Under the bapner of Lepin and Stalin our people are going forward cqnhden-t in their fn^ure. " Mr. Molotoy^qnoted Marshal Stalip's statement that after the war the -Soviet would eonsolidate its economic policy. "Now we all see that the Union is carrying out Marahal Stalin's peacefui programme, " he said. "If the hrst year qf the ftve-year plan was not fnlly carried out beeause of circ.umstances arising out of the war and owing to the drought, the situation has improvqd in the second year. In 1947 our industry not only fulfilled its plan but at the end of the year our industries had also rea'ched the 1940 level of produe- ! tion. The Party ealls on us to organise i still better the struggle for the suc- ; cessful carrying out of the five-year i plan in four years. ' ' The c.ountries of the people 's demoeracy are also consolidating their economic position but in the Western eountries the situation is different. The United States has not yet reaehed pre- , war production levels desqrite huge I orders received during the war. American wqrkers' wages are lagging behind prices, whieh indicates deteriorai tion in the standards of living, " Air. Alolotov claimed that although official figures put U.S.A. qnemployed at 2,000,000 there were three times as many without counting those partialty employed. "Beeause of the efforts of collective farm workers, our harvest is bijjegr than pre-war. Everything in Europe is based on the infinx of American eredits for Europe 's rehahilitatiou. I American dollars don 't, however, raise Europe 's level of industry. They ean 't becaus^ they are only meaut to ensure the sale of American goods in Europe. The fui'thering of the aggressive aims of jSimerican monopolies doesn't serve Europe welfare. " Arr. ATolotov stressed the need for improved production whieh would lead ; to the streugthening of Soviet power. | He said last year's currency reform, the abolition of the rationing system, the geueral lowering qf pidces in C'qoperaI tive trade and on the collective farm market, had increased the real wages of the workers and intelligentsia to i mere than twice as much as in the preeeding period. "During the past year f a great patriotie movement has sprung | up for the consolidation and improvement of production, " he. said.* "A'll are workers in our country. There aren't any parasites and we must not have any. Some say that in bringing this about we didn't act democratically but we are a friendly multi-national union and we have a strong and invint'ible army. " Air, .Molotov contimied: "One cannot close one's eves to the situation in Germany where the United States, British and French Zones are putting Nazi leaders back into their old places, The Soviet Union regards this as quite unpermissible. The Peace Treaty has not been elaborated. The demilitarisation and democratisation of both tliese eountries must be carried out to prevent their rising again as aggressors. The war industry of Japan must be eompletely anni'hilated hut this does not meart thqt aU the ipdustries of these CQuntries should he destroyed. Only those who want to drag out the occupation of Germany and, Japan will take such an attitude. Fear of Atom Bomb. (The other aspeet of the post-war foreign policy problem is that of the regulation of armaxuents in view of the new style of aggression and of propaganda ^or a new war, The General Assembly resolution on the reduction of armaments has been so purged and cleansed that pothi.ng about war incendiaries is left. Nevertheless, the resolution exists. There are many people who.support the Soviet demand for the destruction of atomie weapons and it cannot be-doubted that the overwhelming majority in most eountries are for the destruction of atom bombs although this is not refleeted in the General Assembly. The Soviet Union, leading the struggle for the destruction of the original atomie weapons, stands at the head of all peace loving people throughout the world." Air. Molotov said the Soviet Union demanded that decisiong reaehed at post-walr conferences be carried ^out in unison as they were during the war years. "No one can question the consistency of the Soviet Union 's foreign policy. On the other hand the pctfition of the United States and B;itain has altered considerablv. They seem to think that now the'danger of war has passed it is pqssible to ignore the Soviet," he added. "They consider the field has been cleared for their domination pver the eutire world although they don't say so openly. The Soviet Union is.sqlidly against attempts at aggression and war incendiarism. That is why the Berlin question remains unsolvod." Mr. Molotov said: "War incendiaries are trjfing tq unleash another wa?. Why are therq United States hases all oyer ,the world? Why is the United States' military budget this year the same size as during the war? There has been a great deal of glamour about the Westerp Uniqn, Atlautjc Union and' Mediterranean Blocs. Although no qpe , is thi'eatening the eountries who shout ahout thase things, this is part and I

parcel of the war aggressorrJ' plans. The aims of these unions and blocs are to prepare new aggressions and the unleashing of new wars in whieh one or other ruling groups -is interested but eertainly not the peopies of the United States and Britain or any other country. As for Britain and France, they stand in contradiction to the pacts qf friendship and mutual assistance they CQneluded with the Soviet Union, "The great forces whieh stand against war are big enough ko finish with Mr. Churchill and his ilk. The time has passed when the people were mute tools for anti-Soviet propaganda. "Russia is still '.arrying on its policy independent of all foreign influence and aiming at assuring lier own security. De'spite all obstacles tlie democratic forCes are growing and becoming tempered in the struggle against tlie ftfrces. of reaction in the capitaJistic eountries. Russia 's prestige internationallv is growing coutinuously as the niain bulwark of the democratic and anti-imperialist camp opposed to the camp of imperialism and aggression." -Referring to Yalta and Potsdam, Mr. Alolotov said: "One must not forget bhese international agreements were won at the cost of the blood of our peopies. Sinee then the Soviet has insisted and continues to insist that these obligations be fulfilled. One cannot say they all remained on paper. United Nations is working- elespie the various hitches whicli, occur. " The meeting sent the following mes--sage to Alarshal Stalin: ' ' While carrying out their work of peacefui construction, t'he peopies of the Soviet Union are vigilantly wntching the machiyations of international imperialist reaction whieh are striving to loose a new bloody war on mankind. The best and most hqpeful assurance Of peace consists in the further strength--enin g of our country Js might. " Soviet newspapers, on tke eve of the celebrations, stressed Russia 's d'esire for, peace. Pravda declared: "The people long for peace. They have fully decided to shackle the warmongers. " Izvestia said: "The Soviet people need peace to realise Alarshal Stalin's majestic progranune. " Alarshal Timosheuko will fake the salute at a mass parade in thq Rod Square tomQi'rQw. 1