Book Review
Russia And The West
Under Lenin and Stalin
By GEORGE F. KENNAN
Published by Harper & Brothers,
May 15, 1961. A Book-of-the-Month
Club selection.
Ever since the Russian Revolu
tion, the Soviet regime and much
of the outside world have been bit
terly at odds. The reasons for this
unhappy relationship have been
little studied by Western scholars.
At the same time the record of
Soviet foreign policy has been elab
orately documented and inter
preted by Russian historians in or
der to discredit the West and to
reflect honor and glory on their
own Communist state.
An attempt to rectify this im
balance is found in Russia and the
West Under Lenin and Stalin.
Unlike Soviet historians, Kennan
does not plead a special ease nor
distort the fasts. He points out
straightaway that the Western na
tions have made grave mistakes.
One of the greatest, in his opinion,
was the refusal of the Allies to end
World War I in 1917 with a com
promise peace. Instead, hostilities
were dragged out for another year
because of insistence upon the un
conditional surrender of Hohen
zollern, Germany.
Kennan also points out that the
Western world is too prone to ac
cept its own war propaganda. “It
tends to attach to its own cause an
absolute value which distorts its
own vision on everything else. Its
enemy becomes the embodiment of
all evil. Its own side, on the other
hand, is the center of all virtue.”
Kennan does not underestimate
the tremendous difficulties of try
ing to get along with the Russians.
As the historical record shows, Sov
iet leaders have seldom indicated
any real desire to get along with
the West, except strictly on their
terms. Further, they have engen
dered a global atmosphere of fear
and suspicion, not so much because
they themselves have built a social
istic state as because they have an
nounced repeatedly that the Soviet
system must ultimately prevail
throughout the world.
In spite of all this, Kennan re
minds us in the bcok, the atomic
bomb has brought home the lesson
that a modus operandi between
Russia and the West must be found.
It does not follow that just because
you have an enemy you are obliged
to destroy him, or can afford the
luxury of all-out attempts to do so.
Coexist we must, and to coexist we
must understand our foes as well
as our friends.
Kennan’s unbiased, judicious
narrative, representing many years
of first-hand observation and study,
spans three decades of violence
and change.
Kennan is recognized as an au
thority on Russia. Graduating from
Princeton in 1925, he entered the
United States Foreign Service just
in time to become one of a group of
young officers being trained as ex
perts in Soviet affairs. Kennan
later served in various American
diplomatic posts on the periphery
of the Soviet Union, and was sent
to Moscow as Third Secretary un- ,
der the Roosevelt Administration.
Kennan’s rise in the diplomatic
world was rapid, and Truman ap
pointed him Ambassador to the
U.S.S.R. in 1952, from which post ^
he had to make a hasty retreat due 1
to remarks he made which were I
unfavorable to Soviet leaders.
He was recently appointed as
Ambassador to Yugoslavia by Pres
ident Kennedy.
Rainbow Girls
I Officers
Installation of officers of the
Rainbow Girls was held at the Ma
sonic Temple, Sunday, May 14.
The following officers were in
stalled: Beth Acheson, Worthy Ad
visor; Polly Perry, Worthy Associ
ate Advisor; Charlene Frost, Char
ity; Carolyn Rockstad, Hope; Elana
Ross, Faith; Candy Wilson, Chap
lain; Susan Gilbert, Love; Tanya
Kraft, Religion; Allison Rickey, Na
ture; Virginia Valley, Immortality;
Dale McKinley, Fidelity; Anne
Hall, Patriotism; Mary Huston,
Service; Janice Hall, Confidential
Observer; Carolyn Golemon, Outer
Observer; Alberta MueUer, Drill
Leader; and Cindy Thompson, Bi
ble Bearer.
The Friendliest Place in Town
MECCA LOUNGE & 49 ROOM
The Finest Selection of Cocktails and Liqueurs
Always a Good Selection of Fine Table Wines
Dining Room Open Daily
EXCEPT TUESDAY
5 p. m. to 1 a. m.
Serving Full Course Dinners
Featuring Airborne Fresh Steaks
FROM THE CHARBROILER
Sunday Special — Prime Ribs of Beef
GENE RICH
On The Organ
MASTER OF THE KEYBOARD
Saturday Evening
WATCH FOR OUR TREMENDOUS ★ BEGINNING
* MAY 2 6
(
NAME-BRAND
Blouses
★ ★ ★
Slacks
Skirls
Sweaters
Latest Fashions
in Wool, Arlon, Nylon
Kraft’s
SAVE UP TO 50
/
Drygoods Dept.