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American Friends Service Committee — Part 7
Page 70
70 / 94
* Ta ae al a ee ee cae ee seine Ft
U J)
THE TECHNIQUES OF SOVIET PROPAGANDA a: 4
sipha and omega of our time. It is nothing of the sort, Actually,
the overriding problem of the modern world is dictatorship in Moscow.
Tt this did not exist; if the presently Communist world were controlled
by representative Poyemnments hike those functioning in London,
Bonn, Paris, and Washington, further development of nuclear tech-
nology could progress with all desired speed and scope without the
east concern by anyone in the world. nversely, if nuclear en
had not been discovered and the nations were armed only with the
superbombs and gases of Hitler's day, the threats of Moscow and
Peiping would still be sufficient to saturate the world with anxiety.
he diversion of concern, away from political awareness of the
Communist design for the oppression of mankind, to a philosophical
Protest against the tremendous power which science has brought to
man, is in fact of the greatest service to the in.
Once upon 4 time a wise philosopher among the animals was called
to resolve mounting tensions between two species. He proceeded to
the designated location and there, indeed, was a collection of jagged
rocks, poisonous toadstools, and other horrible weapons assembled in
both camps. Not wishing to investigate the rights and wrongs of
the situation he refused to look at the antagonists, and deciding the
armaments were the cause of the trouble, ordered both camps to
destroy them. He was applauded for such Jofty impartiality, but
when he opened his eyes he found sheep on one side and wolves on
the other. Whereupon the wolves immediately proceeded to devour
the sheep—and also the “wise” philosopher.
This little fable well portrays the fate of the free world and its
peace crusaders, should the current pacifist movement gain control of
international policy. The movement is achieving considerable
momentum—but only in those free nations which are not threatening
the peace. It is nonexistent, as is any other free expression of public
opinion, in those nations which are initiating repeated and continued
aggressions. *
bviously, many pacifists are unaware of the consequences but all
of them, even those who carefully disassociate themselves from
communism, indulge in a fundamental fallacy which operates only
in favor of the Soviets. It consists in treating both camps “sym-
metrically,” and proclaiming the threat of weapons as an independent
issue, detached from its genesis,
Wars in the pre-Communist era stemmed from conflicts of interest
between nations whose culpability and degree of civilization were both
roughly equivalent. The fate of mankind would not have been
seriously threatened, regardless of which antagonists bad won World
Wer J. In those times it was, theref ore, a badge of civic responsibility
for a politica) leader to “rise above the ‘melee,’” and condemn his own
nation equally with its opponents.
But this pattern, which sustained classical pacifism, is utterly un-
realistic in our time. In the conflicts with both the Nazis and the
Communists, there is not a rift between interests, but an essential
struggle between free civilization and systems of totalitarian power.
Totelitarian power alone bears the guilt of aggressive and hegemonistic
designs and if it wins, mankind will have entered into a protracted and
horrid night. It is no longer noble or courageous to assert the ual
culpability of both camps, because it is no longer true. To equalize
the responsibilities of Washington and Moscow hes today become
blatantly fraudulent.
TT ewer me meneame te a as nerds agen
Wet 3,
i Se
eh a te te
pew er mee
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