Evening star., 1943-06-01

No commit David Lawrence.
ments and no agreements binding
on the Allies-knoWn as the United
Nations-are apparently to be en-
tered into but sort of cropping or
evolutionary process is to set in
after the armistice so that conceiv-
ably five to ten years thereafter
the question of a world organiza-
ton to preserve peace is to be
finally resolved.
This does not fit in with the
lessons of experience in World War
I. When hostilities had ended and
there was no longer need. for the
money or the manpower of the
United States, there was a different
attitude on the part of the victors-
Great Britain, France and Italy.
Secret Treaties Come Up.
The fourteen points" on which
the armistice was based began to be
regarded as a goal rather than a
commitment, and soon President
Wilson found himself up against
spokesmen for the victorious powers
who wanted to divide the spoils in
accordance with secret treaties
And what could Mr.. Wilson do?
The war was over. There was no
pressure he could exert against the
sellshness of the victors.
1t is, therefore, surprising to read
that the main issues of the kind of
organization that will be committed
to keep the peace are to be left un-
settled for a long time Under
secretary Welles of the State De-
partment often has outlined with
statesmanlike vision the bases of
a permanent peace. His latest
speech however, seems to fit in now
with the Churchill-R Roosevelt phi
losophy of regional understandings
and loose framework of nations
for the after the war era.
Tor number of years" said Mr.
Welles in public speech just de-
livered, particularly in Europe. So
cial and economic conditions will be
In state of f1uX. In some of the
presently Axis occupied countries
there will be political instability
Both in these countries, as we'll as
In the Axis countries, millions will be
starving, and other millions must be
repatriated to the homes from which
they have been driven. Throughout
the world there will be chaotic. and
in some areas, an anarchic state of
affairs.
Period Of Transition.
During this period-and no one
can today estimate how long it may
be-order will have to be maintained
by those of the United Nations which
will have to assume these necessary
functions. 1t is during that transit
tion period, as we'll as during the
remaining period of the war, that
the opportunity may presumably be
afforded to the United Nations to
undertake the more specific elabora-
ton of the form Of international
organization upon which they may
jointly determine.
Mr.. Welles then drew attention
to the pan-American agreements,
which. he said, were mot brought
into existence in a day He pointed
out that perhaps The surest course
for the United Nations to pursue
would be the construction of an in
ternational organization by the same
method of gradual evolution
If, therefore, the American
regional understanding is to be
the model, then indeed, it would ap-
pear that the idea of an association
of nations or some other interna-
tional body, pledged solemnly to
keep the peace, is not to be set up
after this war is over but that some
time in the distant future there will
be vague evolution toward that
end.
Puzzling Approach.
There is something puzzling about
this approach. Is it possible that
disorder in some of the presently
Axis-occupied countries" has any
thing to do with the opportunity of
Great Britain. Russia, the United
States and China to get together
and commit themselves. along with
the other countries of the world
which are not in disorder?
If there is to be, as Mr.. Welles
hopes, a combination of armed
forces made available by the powers
which are prepared to do so, which
may be used regionally or on a
broader scale" scant opportunity for
such an understanding will be af-
fected when the war is over and
armies have been demobilized and
America has again given her men
and resources in war to end war. -
Reproduction Rights Reserved)