Evening star., 1941-08-15


man MAJ b. brother ,t
hood, the heads &AsAsk@@
of the two great David Lawrence.
democracies have proclaimed eight
points that will win the universal
appreciation of mankind.
The significance of these peace
aims, among other things, that the
German people are being notified
they do not face dismemberment
and humiliation Ii they eliminate
the Hitler government and make
peace with their opponents. This
pledge before the whole world must
inevitably penetrate German morale
just as reiteration of the IA points
of President Wilson'S program has
tened the end of the war. 1t was
no fault Of President Wilson that
the politicians of France, Britain
and Italy as we'll as the isolation
lists in the United States interferred
with the effectiveness of an inter-
national organization to maintain
peace. 1t will be noted that In the
new peace aims there are stronger
assurances of world association to
maintain peace than were given In
the League of Nations covenant.
Universal disarmament has been
abandoned as an immediate aim
and there doubtless will be strong
military, naval and aerial force un-
der Joint international control to
maintain the peace of the world
once Hitlerism is crushed.
Master Stroke of Planning.
But while the eight peace aims
are magnificent statement of de-
mocracy's purpose and will be
printed far and wide, they do not
in themselves reveal all that hap
pened at the meeting between the
President and the British Prime
Minister. 1t was a master stroke of
planning to have the meeting un-
der such dramatic circumstances,
for 1t furnished background of
unprecedented publicity throughout
the world and probably was the
best possible propaganda to drive
across boundary lines into the coun-
tries occupied or controlled by the
Nazis.
1t certainly did not require the
presence Of .high-ranking army, navy
and air force officers of both the
United States and Britain to write
the statement of peace aims. Sum-
ner Wells, Undersecretary of State,
wrote virtually the same thing in his
recent memorable address at the
Norwegian Legation. If the eight
points were all that were discussed,
there need not have been anybody
else but State Department repre-
sentatives present.
The other matters under discus
sion at the historic Roosevelt
Churchill conference cannot be di-
vulged now. They doubtless relate
to military precautions to be taken
In the event that Japan moves to
disturb the status quo in the Neither
lands East Indies or the Far East,
or in case the Vichy government
under Admiral Darlan undertakes to
make any move in Dakar or along
the eastern Atlantic shores which
the United States might consider
hostile to Pan-American security
and especially the Monroe Doctrine.
Since "blitzkriegs" happen over
night and without chance for con-
gressional debate, President RooSe-
welt as Commander in Chief of the
Army and Navy, acting fully under
his constitutional obligation to pro-
tect the Republic against any con-
tingency of a military nature that
might arise, developed doubtless de-
tailed plans of cooperation and per-
haps joint operations in both the
Atlantic and the Pacific. These
plans which might involve shooting
war are presumably in the theo-
retical stage and are purely defensive
now but they must be taken in order
that America should not be caught
off guard.
Consultations Needed.
Anybody with the slightest knowl-
edge of naval strategy knows that
two navies cannot be ordered over
night to work together without
some previous consultations. From
now on the two navies presumably
will be in closer touch than before
and will place themselves in readi-
ness for joint defense of the At
lantic and the Pacific.
Does this mean war? Only II
Berlin and Toxic choose to take the
initiative. 1t is hoped here that
the President can steer the country
through the crisis without any
shooting war. The announcement
of the eight peace aims shows ever
now that the American Government
is ready to assist the British in max.
ing peace. But the Hitler plea fol
peace which is expected to follow
his occupation of a considerable
area of Russian territory will fal
on deaf ears. The Berlin propaganda
ministry expresses wonderment that
the Churchill Roosevelt meeting
took place at the time of Nazi an
nouncements of military successe!
in Russia. The answer is that such
successes were expected just as Hit
ler's plea for peace is expected once
he gets the upper hand in Russia.