Evening star., 1943-03-07
Britain, Facing Divergent Paths
In Postwar Policy, Must Decide
Welles Toronto Speech Focuses Attention on Choice
Between Balance of European Power
and Western Hemisphere Plans
Bv Feir Morlev
By Feir M Morley


to harmonic with the principles Of the
Atlantic Charter. The issue, therefore,
should be confronted before rather than
after the German collapse which Is now
beginning to be confidently anticipated.
But the problem Of territorial settle.
ment In Eastern Europe cannot be con-
fronted until 1t Is known whether tho
British plan Is to manipulate the future
of Europe from London, or whether the
basic policy is to let Continental Europe
work out her own regional destiny, &C.
cepting Russian guidance In this area
If the outcome of the war points In that
direction.
This is the underlying question which
Mr.. Welles may we'll have had in mind
when, at Toronto he called attention to
the danger that divergent views and
policies may become crystallized, to the
detriment of the common war effort. and
to the detriment OF efforts to bring about
peace that will be more than brief
and uneasy interlude. = ~ -
By coincidence q Canadian who II
himself graduate Of the University Of
Toronto, Mr.. Lionel Gelber, has recently
written . small but violent book which
gives q very clear-cut opinion on the
question Of whether the United States
should In the long run pun Great Britain
out OF European entanglements, or
whether Great Britain should pull the
United States permanently in.
Entitled peace by Power" and pub.
lished currently by the Oxford Univer.
sity Press, Mr.. Gelber's little study de-
fines itself as THE Plain Mans Guide
to the Key Issue Of the War and Of the
Postwar World" It may be hoped that 1
lot of plain men" will at least skim
through this very frank essay, for it will
certainly give them furiously to think.
Without pulling any punches, Mr.. Gel.
ber tells the, plain man something that
heretofore has been rather bad form to
suggest-that this war is without doubt
primarily struggle for power. He quotes
approvingly Of the much condemned as
sertion Of Charles A. Lindbergh that:
This Is war over the balance Of power
In Europe" Indeed, Lindbersh Is said to
be ION the right track when he treats the
war as one for power-a conflict Of na.
tional systems before It begins to be Z
clash Of ideologies"
Where Mr.. Gelber differs sharply from
Mr.. Lindbergh Is In the almost forgotten
intimations Of the latter to the effect that
the balance OF power In Europe Is not .
primary concern Of the United States.
For on any suggestion that this country
could live alone and like it the Canadian
author erupts passionately. what mat
ters, above all, Is that Britain, her enc
1ire and commonwealth, should retain
their great place In the world
And to maintain the supremacy Of
British leadership, on the continent Of
Europe and throughout the world, IL
therefore suggested a. the predestined
and appropriate role Of the United
States.
While Mr.. Gelber puts the case for
British predominance In Europe In some.
what extreme form. his thinking Is prob.
ably not fundamentally at variance with
the more cool and less fully disclosed
analysis Of Winston Churchill.
And If the primary British war aim a
"a Europe restored through the balance
OF power" 1t should be obvious to all why
Russia Is now anxious to stake out her
claim without delay or hesitation. The
farther West the Russian boundaries Ia
postwar Europe the greater the infiu-
ence Of Moscow In balance Of power
system.
Russian policy, the more important
because Of the inexhaustible physical
strength that nation has exhibited In
recent months. is therefore not 10 b
regarded as divergency from any clear.
cut program indorsed BY the United Na.
tions. It Is, rather, important evideuco
that there is no such unified program.
And IN the absence Of any common policy
1t would seem more praiseworthy than
otherwise for Stain to state his we'll
reasoned objectives frankly at this early
stage.
What Sumner Welles warned against
In his Toronto speech was not 20 much
developing divergencies as the danger
that. In the absence Of q common policy.
divergencies already present win prove
fatal to any enduring settlement. And
the assurance Of the Under Secretary
that our Government intends at once
to undertake discussions" Leading to :
general Qualification Of the purposes az
the United Nations Is therefore Of M.
preme Importance.
In the meantime II was very much In
order for Mr.. Welles ID emphasi,e that
IN the Western Hemisphere It has been
found possible to establish 4 WORKING
regional federation" In which the yery
dubious doctrine Of the balance OF power
as yet plays no part. sThat same form
OF relationship" he states, @can s.
achieved In al regions Of the world.s
Regional agreements can ana sho,,ld
serve as foundations for the deyelopment
OF reliable international system. Hut II
IN some areas. regional agreement proysi
impossible II isxcertatnly someta1lna q
know that n ct1e fortunate .pert 81 tho
globe the exexc1le Of physical power i
not regarded ~ the primary objective
OF natioual policy
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In Shef field War |Ionts
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