Communism in the East
SIR,—In his interesting article on Persia, Mr. Philips Price paints a picture which, in general outline, is applicable to most of Asia outside the Soviet Union and Communist China. We see the peasants, a prey to landlords and moneylenders, increasingly conscious of their wrongs, dissatisfied with a system which permits such injustice, and impatient for any change that promises to ameliorate their lot. We see also the great mass of the people stirred with a spirit of nationalism and resenting the exploita- tion of their country's natural wealth by the Western Powers. In such circumstances it is easy to understand how strong an appeal Communism must have, promising as it does the liquidation of the parasitic usurer and landlord, and the restoration of the land to the peasants ; also how simple it is for Russia to utilise nationalist sentiment as a means of fostering hostility between East and West. Some few among the wiser and more far-sighted elements may realise that Western democratic methods, if honestly and intelligently applied, are capable, in time, of bringing about the reforms so urgently required ; but the people, as a whole, want something now, and only Communism, by sweeping away at a stroke the existing social fabric and system of government, seems likely to "deliver the goods."
Is it, then, possible to prevent the spread of Communism in Asia ? But why should we try to do so ? Should we not, rather, direct our efforts to convincing Asia of the danger of Russian imperialism ? Should we not support any government—Communist or otherwise—the primary object of which is to free the cultivators of the soil, who throughout the East form the overwhelming majority of the population, from exploitation and oppression ? And might we not point the example of Yugoslavia as proving that a country can adopt a Communist form of government and still withstand Russian domination ?-1 am,
Sir,
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