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"USSR Policy Discussed by Forum"
Harvard
Law Record - November 6, 1946 - Page 1
reprinted by permission
Those who believe that Russian foreign policy is being consciously directed toward an ultimate conflict between the Communistic and Democratic nations, and those who take the opposite view that Russia's foreign policy is purely defensive, fostered by distrust and suspicion of the Western powers, could have found ample argument in support of either conclusion at the opening meeting of the Harvard Law School Forum at Sanders Theater last Friday night.
Proponent of the view that Stalin will not discard his deeprooted antagonism toward the Western world and its free political system was David Dallin, himself a Russian who left the country in 1922 to avoid arrest because of his political views, and who is currently engaged in publishing a series of books on Russia.
Mr. Dallin based his argument chiefly on what he regards as current Russian attempts to kill off the friendly feeling toward America which was built up in the Russian people during the war. In support of his premise he cited instances of Soviet writers being reprimanded for "worshiping bourgeois culture," and the proclamation of one of Stalin's nearest aides that "it is the duty of Soviet writers to attack bourgeois culture."
The maintenance of an army of four million men and the precedence given to military over civilian needs in industrial production were further cited by Mr. Dallin as indications of a new anti-Western Drive.
The opposite side of the picture was presented by Arthur Upham Pope, biographer of Maxim Litvinoff and a student of Middle Eastern affairs.
Mr. Pope expressed the belief that Russia's current policy is motivated by the desire for security against the Western powers, the apparent need for a security program being based on well founded suspicions as to what our ultimate aims might be.
As sources of suspicion and ill will, Mr. Pope cited Winston Churchill's proposed British-American alliance against Russia, anti-Russia magazines and newspaper articles in this country, the talk of a "Holy War" against Russia, our 150 military bases throughout the world, American-Canadian Arctic maneuvers, and our stock-pile of 600 atomic bombs.
Mr. Pope feels that the fundamental responsibilities of the American people are to do what we can to eliminate misunderstandings, to correct our own shortcomings instead of trying to justify them on the basis of similar shortcomings in Russia, and above all to be fair in appraising Russia's position.
The third speaker, Harrison Salisbury, a United Press correspondent who is a first-hand observer of Russia and Russian diplomacy, did not enter the controversy between Mr. Dallin and Mr. Pope. He presented a comprehensive analysis of Russia's strengths and weaknesses, and concluded that since Russia is not strong enough to withstand another war, her current foreign policy is based on fear of a war with us. As to Russia's long-range objectives, he made no comment.