Smokescreen

POLICIES & PRINCIPLES

In the Kremlin's white-and-gold St. George Hall, leading deputies of the Supreme Soviet, Russia's rubber-stamp parliament, settled down comfortably while some old friends of Communism spoke of peace. The friends--French, British, Canadian and U.S. emissaries of an organization calling itself the Permanent Committee of Partisans of Peace--were the first foreigners ever to appear before the Supreme Soviet. Their act was part of the current Russian peace offensive, a smokescreen designed to blind the West.

Most interesting performance was that of top U.S. Wallaceite Oetje John Rogge, who has a record of friendship toward many Communist causes. People the world over, said Rogge, ought to be free to criticize their governments. Later, he explained to Soviet newsmen: "My idea of a free society is one in which . . . people can say what they think . . ." Pravda gave Rogge a sharp editorial rebuke for his statement, and carefully edited his remarks so that Russian readers would not be contaminated by the idea of free speech.

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