Evening star., 1942-03-01
Core of United Nations Setup
Is u. S.>British Cooperation
Allies Major Errors Called Miscalcuation of
Axis Strength, Failure to Make Clear
Their War Objectives
By Feir Morley.

must be anticipated If the pendulum Is
not to swing dangerously In the opposite
direction.
The closest possible cooperation be-
tween the British Commonwealth of
Nations and the United States is essen
tial for the successful waging of war. 1t
is essential for the establishment of at
tainable war aims. 1t is essential for the
solution of the gigantic and urgent prob
lens which the conclusion of hostilities
will Immediately bring to the fore every
where.
What Are Russia's Objectives.
The importance of Anglo-American
collaboration in the framing and conduct
Of policy is the more pronounced be-
cause it is preliminary to any permanent
understanding with Russia. At best,
that understanding will be difficult to
achieve. 1t will prove impossible if
Great Britain and the United States are
pulling at cross purposes.
Russia is counted as one of the 26
United Nations and is unquestionably
one of the most important members Of
the group. But Russia is so far scrupu-
lousy observing its treaty of friendship
with Japan, so that the Soviet Republic
must also be regarded as both in and
out of the bloc which is otherwise aligned
against the Axis as a whole.
This anomalous situation illustrates
the fact that what is a world war from
the British and American viewpoint is
not world war to Moscow. In both its
political and economic aspects the Nazi-
Communist conflict is separate struggle
to determine which brand of dicta atorship
shall be dominant on the continent OF
Europe.
1t follows that there can be no real
prospect OF any durable postwar settle
ment until the Russian objectives, over
and above the expulsion of the invader
from Russian soil, are known with some
precision. And it is clearly impossible to
expect Stain to declare Russian war
aims explicitly until there has been
some further definition of the pattern Of
reconstruction for which Great Britain
and the United States are fighting.
Ever since the Chamberlain and Da-
1oN4C4 SONCl IeluCIdILly went 10
war in defense of Poland, two tragic mis-
takes have been continuously repeated
by the democracies. The repetition goes
far to explain why democracy is now
everywhere an imperiled institution.
Axis Strength Miscalculated.
The first of these mistakes was the
pathetic miscalculation Of Axis strength.
which has done 50 much to pave the
way for Axis victories. That mistake,
for which the average citizen certainly
cannot be blamed, is primarily respon-
sible for the alleged public complacency
which the Japanese have now finally ex-
ploded.
The second and equally unfortunate
mistake Is the failure to make clear
what objectives, other than restoration
of the status quo and the destruction
OF Hitlerisn," the war is being fought to
attain.
The time is past for constructing neat
balance sheets seeking to prove that
| since the democracies apparently control
some 30 per cent of the worlds popu-
lation and some 80 per cent of its raw
AAoCSAAdAo, ILlcy CdIlIlOt lose. IrOW-
ing realization that the war can and
may be lost is perhaps the first tangible
step towards winning it. But another
step Is needed and is already overdue.
That step is some realistic definition,
in concert with Great Britain, of the
precise aims for which the English speak
ing peoples are fighting. Only after such
definition can successful offensive be
waged, and only on such definition can
durable postwar settlement be
planned. What is now wanted is poll
tical counterpart Of the common-sens
economic agreement with Great Britain,
which was made public in Washington
on February a.
For George Washington, as for Lin
coin, the ultimate objective of the ma
tional sacrifice which they demanded was
always clearly in mind and clearly voiced.
1t is unfortunate that President Roose-
welt let the anniversaries of both these
men go by with a mere repetition Of
certain broad principles in the kind
of peace we seek"
The clarif1cation and definition of those
political principles is now a major re-
sponsibility and also a condition, Of
Anglo-American leadership in the COM
bination known as the United Nations.