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THE TECHNIQUES OF SOVIET PROPAGANDA 37 slphe and omega of our time. It is nothing of the sort, Actually, e overriding problem of the modern world is dictatorship in Moscow. If this did not exist; if the presently Communist world were controlled by representative yoyemmments like those functioning in London, Bonn, Paris, and Washington, further development of nuclear tech- nology could rogress With all desired speed and scope without the least concern by anyone in the world. Conversely, if nuclear @ had not been discovered and the nations were armed only with the superbombs and Roses of Hitler’s day, the threats of Moscow end 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 bas brought to man, is in fact of the greatest service to the Kremlin. Once upon & 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 # collection of jagged tocks, 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. Jt is nonexistent, as is any other free expression of public opinion, in those nations which are initiating repeated and continued essions. ° 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 had won World War J.” In those times it was, therefore, a badge of civic responsibility for a political leader to “rise above the ‘melee,’” and condemn bis 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. Totalitarian power alone bears the pitt of aggressive and hegemonistic designs and if it wins, mankind will have entered into p protracted and horrid night. Jt is no longer noble or courageous to assert the equal culpability of both camps, because it is no longer true. To equalize the responsibilities of Washington and Moscow hes today become blatantly fraudulent. aren ee erage ai em pete ere ae ne