Russian Reactions and Greek Actions
Second only in importance to the progressive definition of the new American policy is the clarification of the Russian attitude to it. The Soviet Government is still rather tentatively feeling its way. The propaganda against the present regime in Greece continues. The Russian Ambassador, who had never been formally accredited to King George, left for Moscow shortly after his death for no stated reason. The Russian representative on the United Nations Balkans Commission together with his Polish colleague and the Albanian, Bulgarian and Jugoslav liaison officers continued his independent peregrinations in Greece up to the last minute, to the embarrassment of the Greek Government. And Mr. Gromyko, who at least confined his action to a formally correct protest in the proper place, claimed in the Security Council that Mr. Truman's independent decision to assist Greece and Turkey implied a default in American obligations under the Charter of the United Nations. Yet such is the Russian ingenuity in avoiding direct and convincing statements that all these things still do not add up to a clear pronouncement on the exact reaction of the Soviet Government. Mr. Gromyko's protest on behalf of the United Nations sounded particularly hollow. The Russian use of the veto, of which the latest instance in the British- Albanian dispute was particularly partial and irresponsible, places the Soviet Government in no position to act as the advocate of the effective working of the Security Council. Rather it stultifies the whole thing, and leads Western observers to look elsewhere for the true springs of Russian policy. All recent Russian action concerning Greece has been aimed at preventing the existing Government from restoring order on the northern frontier. The latest example was Mr. Gromyko's opposition to the setting up oesa representative sub- cominission to supervise the frontier in the next few dangerous weeks of the spring campaign. Meanwhile the Greek authorities are making their preparations with a new confidence born of the assurance of American support. One sweep has already been carried out against bandits in Laconia. Furtter action can no doubt soon be expected in the north. The testing time for American determination may come sooner than many people expect.
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