The Wilmington morning star., 1943-10-10
For Peace Or War?

Roscoe Drummond, who is among Washing
+;on,s most astute observers ana reporters, oe-
,;oves that whether another world conflict Will
come in the next twenty years or so may
well be determined in the next month. mat
is how important the conference OF RUSSIAN
British and American secretaries really isl
He points out that the Allied coalition whlch
beat Germany before fell apart Wlthm
wear after Versailles and any barrier to an
other world war slipped from our hands be-
fore it could even be put into place." The
purpose of the approaching conference is 10
see if the coalition which is winning this war
can be retained when hostilities cease and SO
assure lasting peace.
There have been five developments re-
Gently which encourage him in thinking that
this NAV be achieved. He lists them as:
1. Fully two months ago we reported
that a tWo-way change OF Ambassadors
between Washington and Moscow was
deemed essential to any practical pegm-
ming of a postwar understanding between
the United States and Russia. 1t is Sig
nificant that on the eve Of the conference
of Secretaries this change of Ambassadors
has taken place. It is a good thing. W.
Averell Hartman, former Chairman OF
the Board of the Union Pacific Railroad
and until lately Lend-Lease Expediter in
London, succeeds Admiral William H.
Standby; and Ambassador Andrel Gromy-
ko succeeds Maxium Litvinoff When
Germany attacked the Soviet Union, MIR.
Litvnoff was sent to the United States
because he was popular here, not because
he was popular in the Kremlin. Mr. Harri-
man has not only the confidence of Wash
ington but the high regard Of Premier
Stain.
2: The appointment of Edward R. Stetti-
MUS Jr., as Undersecretary, still further
improves the atmosphere in which the An
glo-Russo-American negotiations will be
conducted. Mr.. Stettinius is a successful
American businessman of a liberal record
who doesn't let his objections to Commun-
ism make him anti-Russian. He has prov
ed that in his administration of lend-lease
in which he has shown himself an alert and
effective friend of Russia.
3. The decisive approval of the Full
bright resolution by the House and the
indications that the Senate Foreign Re
latons Committee will soon report out
foreign policy declaration as good if not
better are tending to strengthen the diplo-
matte arm of the Government
4. The assurance that Cordeu Hull, Sec
rotary of State, will represent the United
States at the conference is full evidence
that the Government is approaching the
meeting with adequate awareness of its
critical importance and with determina-
ton to make it succeed. Mr.. Hull will carry
great prestige and the highest degree of
political and national unity which any
oio al oLo tn no
ference. His decision to attend how
ever large the difficulties and high the
personal cost, is reassuring.
S. Finally, with MoscoW's evident as
sent, new steps are shortly to be taken,
we are told, which will guarantee that
Americas expanding role in the war; both
in supplying more and more munitions
to the Red Army and in the actual fight
ing on all the distant Allied land, sea and
air fronts, is going to be told more fully,
more frankly, and more continuously to
the Russian people. The result should be
mutually beneficial.
These developments, he concludes, do moi
can have it in its grasp to mark either the
birth or death of a secure and dynamic
peace. There are still two important questions
to be answered.: Do we in America intend to
join unfalterngly with Russia, Britain and
China to defend each other from attack by
force if necessary? And does the Soviet Unior
intend faithfully to cast its lot with the United
Nations or play both ends against the middle?
Only the conference itself can reveal whether
we are approaching agreement or disag
ment on these vital questions.
NK24I.9. TI.c Uz1