American Imperialism

May I congratulate you on the progressive character of last week's editorial. I also welcome your invitation for comments on such a vital issue as American Imperialism. The latest news from overseas has indicated clearly the American intention of advancing its predominating influence as far as the Balkans and the Black Sea. It would certainly not come as a surprise to hear the U.S. press claiming the latter as "mare nostrum.

No fair-minded citizen will deny Russia's right to secure participation in the defence of the Dardanelles which very conveniently could be used as a spring board for aggression against the Soviet Union. A country that has had 20,000 of its cities destroyed and eight millions of its citizens killed by the Nazi invader surely has not only the right but solemn obligation to defend its frontier. I wonder what Mr. Byrnes' reaction would be to a Soviet claim to participate or decide over the control of the Panama Canal. Let us recall how the defenders of Western democracy staged a local "uprising" in the district of Panama which in 1904 belonged to the Republic of Columbia. The local inhabitants declared their independence from Columbian "tyranny," established a Republic and called on President Th. Roosevelt for help.

Beyond doubt such rattling of the sabre is designed to intimidate smaller nations in order to secure concessions for Wall Street money gangsters. Sir this looks to me like a continuation of the game so successfully played by Hitler in the thirties. But the outcome of it can only be war.