International: Eastern Bloc

Stalin wasted few words. Last week, the Molotov plan for eastern Europe was already a fully developed reality.

After Molotov's Paris walkout (TIME, July 14), the Soviet Union hastily buttressed its economic spite-fence. In 30 days, twelve new trade pacts were signed between Moscow and satellites, or satellites and satellites. Shotgun treaties herded satellites more snugly into the Soviet economic pen. One rueful, resigned Rumanian characterized a Soviet trade agreement: "It is more blessed for us to give than to receive."

Economic Pincers. Russian trade treaties, like reparations, were instruments of extortion, and, in method, straight out of the Nazi mold, with which...