The Hollow Men

All the Communist newspapers agreed it was "a great event," but "the All-European Security Conference" was not so well attended as Molotov had hoped. No Western or even neutral country turned up. Across the hollow square of tables in Moscow's Spiridonovka House, Molotov was left confronting the hollow men representing Russia's seven European satellites.

If the West insisted on going through with the Paris agreements, said Molotov, "the peace-loving states of Europe must unite their forces and considerably strengthen them . . . This demands that the countries attending the present conference carry out common measures in the field of organizing their military forces and commands" against "possible aggression." On cue, Premier Otto Grotewohl said that "should militarism be revived in West Germany," his East German Republic "will find itself forced to answer by forming national armed forces."

Set Pieces. The others spoke their set pieces. Premier Jozef Cyrankiewicz of Poland said he viewed revived German militarism (Western, that is) with alarm, and endorsed Molotov's suggestion for a united command. Premier Viliam Siroky of Czechoslovakia said he did, too. Deputy Premiers or Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary and Rumania said they "eagerly," "warmly," "enthusiastically" supported Comrade Molotov's proposals. That took four days.

China's Ambassador Chang Wentien, present as an invited "observer," declared that China stood "shoulder to shoulder" with the Soviet Union. "That is why it is safe to state that if American aggressive circles dare to unleash a new war, they will suffer a fate worse than that suffered by Hitler. So, picking up a stone, they will knock off their own feet, and in the end will taste the bitter fruit of their own mistake," concluded Chang in a Chinese fricassee of metaphors. In other words, if the Soviet Union needed help in Europe, China pledged itself to supply it. "A very, very important result of the conference," said Grotewohl, and went home.

The projected "Eastern NATO" might change some titles but no facts. All satellite forces are already effectively under Russian control. In Poland a Russian marshal is Defense Minister and chief of the armed forces. In Hungary and Bulgaria the Defense Ministers were once colonels in the Red army. All satellite armies have copied the Red army's uniforms, adopted its doctrine and tactics, depend on Russia for their major arms.

Delicate Subject. After all the Soviet propaganda against "guns for the Huns," the Communists found East German rearmament a delicate subject. Czech Premier Siroky suggested that since "the revival of West German militarism" particularly menaces East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Poland, these three countries should "take emphatic, joint measures for the safeguarding of their frontiers." Russia does not usually encourage pacts among its satellites. U.S. experts speculated that the Russians wanted to set up the Poles and Czechs as watchdogs on the East German army. It would need watching. For since the riots of June 17, 1953, no Communist could be sure which way those German boys might point their guns.

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