Evening star., 1942-01-03
United Nations

1t is both appropriate and signifl-
cant that the twenty-six countries
which have joined forces in COM
mon front against the Axis should
have chosen to designate themselves
as the United Nations. 1t is appro-
pirate because, almost for the first
time since the start of the war, there
exists real unity of purpose among
Hitler'S intended victims. And it is
significant because it draws the cur
tain upon an era of hesitation and
indecision in which the aggressors
were able to isolate their victims and
overwhelm them one by one.
If Hitler, at the outset, had been
faced by the determined coalition OF
powers now arrayed against him
there would in all probability have
been no war. But no such unity
existed. Instead, the nations marked
for aggression permitted themselves
to be played off against each other.
While one was clinging to a precari-
Gus neutrality the Nazi war machine
rolled over some helpless neighbor,
only to turn then upon the "neutral'
state whose timid vacillation had
made the initial conquest an easy
one. This was a modern application
of the old technique Of divide and
conouer-a technique which was
brought to a new level of perfection
bv the Nazis and which accounted
for much of their early success.
But there will be no more of these
easv victories. Henceforth, instead
of being able to engage his enemies
In detail. Hitler will be faced con-
stantly with the combined strength
of tWenty-six states-some great
and some small, but all pledged to
stand together and fight until the
Axis and all of the evil things 1t
represents have been utterly de-
stroyed. Hitler and his satellites
may yet win a battle here, battle
there, but the time in which they
might have hoped to realize their
dream of world conquest has passed.
The nations which have been marked
for destruction finally have realized
the nature of the threat to them
and they have acted upon that
realization.
Russia, it is true, is committed
only ITO unremitting war against
Germany and the minor European
adherents to the Axis. BY the Ian
puage of the declaration her peaceful
status with Japan is recognized and
she is not obliged to make war on
the Far Eastern Axis partner
But this is no immediate cause for
concern. Russia, by beating back
the Nazi legions on her European
front, already has made great con-
tribution to the common cause. II
Is on that front that her energies
should be concentrated for it is
there that the United Nations have
their best opportunity to break the
power of Germany. Once that is
accomplished Japan will not presen,
an insurmountable obstacle.
Neither Germany nor Japan viii
be beaten down WITHOUT a great
waste of effort, however, if the
United Nations should be lulled into
a sense of complacency by the vas
resources at their command. Time
is still a critical factor and 1t l!
essential that not day be wasted
Too much ground has been lost II
the past by a blind reliance or
potentialities which mean nothing
until they can be brought to bea
against the enemy in the form o
armies amply supplied with fin
ished weapons. Much blood AM
much effort may be saved If tn
signing of this pact should mark tn
end of complacency as well as tn
end of disunity.