Evening star., 1942-08-14
Charter Anniversary


When the Atlantic Charter was
agreed upon by President Roosevelt
and Prime Minister Churchill a year
ago today, the ideals to which they
set their hands were little more than
pious aspirations. True, the signers
were the responsible heads of their
respective governments. Each oc-
cupied position of leadership justi
flying action of the sort contemplated
in the proclamation. If they lacked
specific mandate for such a declar-
alton Of principles, whatever iusti-
fication they needed was supplied by
the reception accorded their work
The only question now is that of
ways and means for carrying the
vision of the sponsors to fulfillment
Certainly, Mr.. Roosevelt and his
colleague did not attempt to devise
anything new They merely sought
to put into plain and simple language
the objectiveS of the democratic
societies involved directly or indirect
ly in the Second World War In
summary, they rejected "aggrandize-
ment, territorial or other; they dis
avowed territorial changes that do
not accord with the freely expressed
wishes of the peoples concerned:
they acknowledged "the right of all
peoples to choose the form of gov
eminent under which they will live"
and expressed the wish to see SOW
ereign rights and government
restored to those who have been
forcibly deprived of them; they
pledged themselves to "endeavor,
with due respect for their existing
obligations, to further the enjoyment
by all states, great or small, victor
or vanquished, of access on equal
terms, to the trade and to the raw
materials of the world which are
needed for their economic prosper
ity," and they promised to help ito
bring about the fullest collaboration
between all nations in the economic
field with the object Of securing, for
all, improved labor standards, eco
nomic advancement and social secur-
ity." Specifically, they announced
their hope for "a peace which will
afford to all nations the means of
dwelling in safety within their own
boundaries, and which will afford
assurance that all men in all the
lands may live out their lives in
freedom from fear and want"
After remarking that such a peace
should enable all men to traverse the
high seas and oceans without him
drance," the authors explained their
major purpose in these solemn and
profoundly significant words: They
believe that all Of the nations of the
world, for realistic as well as spiritual
reasons, must come to the abandon
ment of the use of force. Since no
future peace can be maintained II
land, sea and air armaments con-
tinue to be employed by nations
which threaten, or may threaten,
aggression outside Of their frontiers,
they believe, pending the establish
ment OF wider and permanent sys-
tenn Of general security, that the dis
armament of such nations is essen
tial. They will likewise aid and
encourage all other practicable meas
ures which will tighten for peace
loving peoples the crushing burden
Of armaments"
Events OF the past twelve months
have not altered the basic meaning
OF the charter. 1t still proclaims the
determination Of Great Britain and
the United States to labor together
for the destruction of the power of
the Axis aggressors to injure their
neighbors. Similarly, it forecasts a
universal society predicated on mu-
tual confidence and justice. To the
attainment of that goal all the
United Nations, Russia and China
included, have joined since January
last. Successive 1end-lease cove
nants ratify and reafflrm the essen
tial premises OF the agreement
OF course, the charter will remain
merely "a scrap of paper" until the
imperative victory Of the Allies has
been achieved Whether or not such
triumph for civiliza ton, for free
dom, for everything that makes life
tolerable for men OF decent instinct
depends upon the willingness OF in
dividuals in the United Nations to
toll, to spend, to fight and. If neces-
sary, to die in the days and the weeks
Of struggle which lie Immediately
ahead. By August IA, 1943, the fate
NJ b,yy,, pitu will hove beep decidad