Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-11-04
NEWS
BEHIND
The News
By Paul
MaIIon

MdllOn
WASHINGTON, Nov A.
w There has been much COM
menting but little analyzing
of what Messrs. Hull and Eden
got at Moscow.
The cheering has been prac-
tically unanimous. Hull implied
the big point was the eXtrlca-
ton of Russia-and us-from
iSolationism.
IsolationiSt Senator Vanden-
berg spoke of the results as
splendid" Administrations
moderator Tom Connally said it
meant exactly what was in his
resolution, Not at all, said in
ternatlonaliSts Ball. Burton,
Hatch and Hill; it meant the
stronger international military
preservation Of peace they adj
Vocate.
NOW, certainly, this is either
~ unity or else some one is
mistaken about what the agree
ments mean. In either event,
the situation demands utmost
analyzing.
The agreements fundamen-
tally are designed 10 get the
big four nations to consult each
other regarding political action,
but do not define or pledge Spe-
cific action. The hope expressed
is that Britain, Russia, China
and the United States will act
in concert, but all they pledge
is consultation for cooperation
before acting.
For example, they agreed
against postwar military occu-
pations of other states, but
added except for the purposes
envisaged in this declaration
and after joint consultation"
IN EFFECT, then, all they
Il securely pledged is to do it
only after consultation" Rus
STA could notify us she was
occupying Germany or Poland
and consult with us about it,
but her freedom of action would
not seem 10 be impaired by the
language of the agreement.
This is the theme running in
termittently through all the
agreements, the core of the sys-
tenn now accepted for the war
and armistice periods and pre-
sumably TO be the basis of ac-
ton after the war is over.
"a general international or
ganization" is mentioned as a
desirable postwar nucleus, but
at a practicable date" and on
I h @ principle of sovereign
equality"
On its face, this does not
pledge a League of Nations with
an international army, at least
not TO the extent of superSeding
the nationalist sovereignities of
Russia, the United States, ct al.
II does promise consultation"
again after getting "a system
of general security" but only
that.
NOTHING is said about han
= ' ding Germany after the
war. or the perpleXing problems
of Poland, the Baltic states,
Finland, Czecho-Slovakia, Ru-
mania. Bulgaria, France, or the
lowlands. To me this means
Russia will hold the major hand,
particularly in eastern Europe.
Nothing is promised about
handling Hitler, Goering, and
the other Nazi officials whose
crimes are general.
Comforting and cooperation
also are promised 10 regulate
postwar ornaments las far as
practicable. Presumably, this
would allow us TO keep our
prospective 5 10 / navy over
Britain in the postwar unless
it is scaled down by conferring)
and our unrivaled aircraft pro-
ductioin potentiality.
Russia also could keep her
superior army, which no one
suspected was so superior UNI
Ill Stalingrad.
THE prospects of diSarma-
Il ment necessarily are vague.
and even the hope expressed ia
the text has somewhat disturb
ing connotations in view Of
what Japan so recently has
done 10 us before this war IN
amasSing superior secret anna
ments we did not suspect.
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