Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-28
Allied Agreement Now

I OF toronto cllmaXeS q series of
speeches and writings by him on the
! same pressing theme. Mr.. Welles'
thesis is that the members of the
/ United Nations should at once inau-
! gurate a series Of conferences on the
/ framework OF peace without waiting
1 fer the end Of the war. He believes
| that only thus can the victorious
coalition approach the peace table
with basic understanding which will
render possible a truly constructive
and durable settlement
No thoughtful person can question
the necessity for such exchanges of
views by a combination Of nations
today bound together by the stern
compulsion Of a life-and- death strug-
gle against common foes, yet with
widely different interests and aspira-
tons as to how the ultimate victory
should be fashioned. The tragedy of
the Versailles Conference at the close
Of World War I teaches us what
happens when the bonds Of war are
relaxed and unreconciled ambitions
meet in the diplomatic arena
Of this, Mr.. Welles is fully aware
and he has warned Of the contingent
danger on several recent occasions.
A fortnight ago he spoke of the "un-
nitigated havoc which might result
if the Versailles pattern were re-
peated, and in the current issue of
the Atlantic Monthly he writes at
length in the same vein. His Toronto
address carries the argument step
further Failing to begin such Or
gained study and discussion now"
he states, there is danger that
divergent views and policies may be-
come crystallized, to the detriment
of the common war effort, and to the
detriment of efforts to bring about
peace that will be more than a brief
and uneasy interlude before another
even more horrible and destructive
war devastates and depopulates the
world"
As a pattern for United Nations
understanding, Mr.. Welles cited the
successful agreements arrived at be-
tween the United States and Can
adam especially felicitous illus
tration when set forth before a
Canadian audience. He likewise
called attention to the promising
system of international relation
ships which is being worked out in
the Western Hemisphere, based on
mutual security and respect among
all the many New World nations,
great and small. From this success
full evolution, Mr.. Welles concluded
that, despite "age-old rivalries" in
Europe and elsewhere, II think that
we Of the Americas can say that if
twenty-five independent democra-
cieS Of different races. Of diff
ferent languages and of different
origins, can achieve the measure OF
progress we now have achieved ="
that the same form of relationship
can be achieved in all regions of the
world"
Mr.. Welles kept his thesis within
the economic sphere, appealing to
motives of enlightened self-interest.
He avoided raising political issues
founded on strategic, diplomatic or
racial considerations, some of which
! have little to do with economics or
may even run against material we'll
being. Yet, though t2ctfully silent
on such issues, the Undersecretary of
State must certainly have had them
in mind. The current controversy
between Soviet Russia and Poland
over the eventual disposition Of
POland'S eastern provinces occupied
by Soviet Armies cOncurrently with
the German invasion at the start of
the present war is clear illustration
! Of issues which may endanger the
| eventual peace conference unless
some preliminary measure of agree
! ment is reached before the close Of
| hostilitieS between the United Ma
| tons and the Axis powers. Mr.. Welles
| is taking time by the forelOck. What
! ever may be the difficulties involved,
/ the attempt should be made. We will
ont g, of ,r1J.