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advance
news
in the wake of today's WORLD EVENTS
•
Superpower Chess
Watch for srepped-up acriviry on che internacional
relations front during rhe coming year. The rwo super–
powers, che Unired Scaces and che Soviet Union, along
with three superpowers in che making - China, Japan,
and Western Europe - will be jockeying for positions of
advanrage as never before in a highly complex world.
Much of che scurrying around will be as a result of
che dererioraring relarionship between che Soviets and che
Chinese, which in each camp bordees on paranoia. Mos–
cow is renewing ics call for a "European Security Confer–
ence." Soviet aims for such a conference (or a series of
conferences) cenrer around rhe Kremlin's desires ro nor–
malize its relations wirb the West in order ro obtain
greacer freedom of action ro dea l wich rhe China problem.
Peking, on rhe orher hand, swearing under che pres–
sure of
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Sovier Army divisions srrategically placed along
che 4,000-miJe Sino-Soviet border, is deeply worried thar a
detente
in Europe will enable the Russians ro shift more
manpower and firepower ro che Easrern fronr.
To counrer such a developmenc, Chinese govern–
mem leaders are open ly voicing the ir opposition ro che
Europeao securicy concept ro rop American officials
whenever rhey visir Peking. According
w
some rravders
from Washington, che Chinese are "absolmely rcrrified"
wirb che prospecr of having George McGovern as Presi–
denr wirh his advocarion of a major troop pullback from
Europe and an i.mmense cut in defense spending. Even
should President N ixon be reelected, che Chinese fear
"dangerous" U.S. croop withdrawals from Europe.
According ro che Chinese, tbe United Stares muse
nor only "hold che line" in Europe, bur also muse con–
tinue full-scale developmenc and production of nudear
weapons or risk falling behind Moscow, making che
Soviet Union che undispured No.
1
world power.
In 1973, as a furrher counrermeasure ro expecred
Soviet pressure, che Chinese will very likely cry ro improve
relarions wirb Japan. And noc ro be ourdone, che Soviets
migbt play rheir own Asían rrump card - dangling again
before che Japanese che prospecrs of rapping che immense
mineral weal th of Siberia.
PLAIN TRUTH November 1972
Tbe Soviet Union also appears ro be moving coward
a call for an Asían Securiry Conference similar
to
rhe one
slaced for Europe. The aim, of course, is ro preven
e
China
frorn filling rhe milirary vacuum resulting from gradual
American disengagemenr from Asia.
•
Democratic Chaos Grips ltaly
Fears are growing thar che Tralian general elecrions
earlier in the year may have serded noching. No party
received a majority of voces in rhe confusing election,
which was held a full year ahead of schedule. Premier
Giulio Andreotti of che Christian Democraric Party
(Iraly's largesr) has pieced rogerher a ncw governmenc, an
"all-cenrer coalirion" excluding, for rhe firsr rime in ten
years, che Marxist Iralian Socialisr Parry. The former cen–
cer-lcfr coalition which induded che Socialisrs broke up in
January in a birrer feud over rhe economy and rbe Social–
isrs' l inks wirh che Communisrs.
The presenc coalition is birrerly opposed by the
Marxisr Socia!isrs and che Communisrs on che lefr, as well
as by the Neo-Fascisc lralian Social Movemenr (M.S.I.) on
rhe right.
The May elecrions showed a general shift ro rhe
right. ltaly's Communisr parry - rhe counrry's second
largesr with nearly one quarrer of rhe elecrorare - losr
ground sl ighdy. The Neo-Fascisr M.S.L led by Giorgio
Almirante, 57, a former aide of rhe lace d ictaror Benito
Mussolini, doubled irs represenration in parliamenr bur
did nor score che big vicrory ir had hoped for. les gains are
viewed more as a backlash aga inst polirical insrabiliry,
econornic decline, nationwide srrikes, and increasing srreer
violence which are plaguiog rhe councry, than as a posi–
rive affirmarion of fascisr ideals.
In a poli conducred in April, a week before rhe
nacional clecrion, it was discovered that more rhan 73
percenr of ltalian vorers would
be
willing ro give full
political powers cemporarily ro a "srrong man," so long as
he was honesr, jusr, and operaced wirhin che framework of
democracy.
The survey, published in a weekly Italian magazine,
9