The midland journal., 1943-01-29
VISIONS OF A BETTER WORLD

II the war should come to an early
and unexpected end, Dorothy
Thompson warned, 1t would find us
unprepared for peace. So she ad-
vised the United Nations to get
busy with peace aims, ideals and
terms.
Prime Minister Churchill once
suggested that we had better con-
centrate on winning the war, per-
haps, rather than worry about a
peace treaty before there is any
peace. But more visionary people
or maybe we should say people with
more vision-insist that the aims of
peace should be defined so that the
objects of the war may become
clearer.
The major prophets of the peace
to come are President Roosevelt
and his alter ego, Vice President
Wallace. They represent the big
brother, good neighbor, humanitar-
ian attitude toward the whole
world, which they would conquer
with kindness
To start the New Year right Pres
ident Roosevelt spoke of peace. The
objective, he said, is to maintain
the peace, SO that our children won't
have to go through this again. And
to this end the United Nations, he
said, must carry forward into peace
the common effort which is bringing
victory to their arms; they must
plan and cooperate so that mankind
may enjoy in peace and freedom
the blessings of providence.
Vice President Wallace got down
more to cases, to the ways and
means Of making and keeping the
lasting peace-of making the lion
and lamb lie down together-in a
radio address on Woodrow Will
sons birthday anniversary. Mr..
Wallace is regarded as the most
Utopian, the leading idealist, in the
Administration, but when he advo-
Gated machinery probably a
world council" and an information
al court-"which can disarm and
keep disarmed" those who would
break the peace, backed up with
psychological disarmament" which
would include supervision of the
German and Japanese school sys-
TENS, it was known that he had had
a long consultation with the Pres
ident just before speaking. Mr..
Wallace's main peace cry was
Liberty and Union-Home Rule
and Centralized Authority, by
which he seemed to envision a new
world constructed along the lines
of American democracy. But he
would Genet this peace-loving world
OF good neighbors by having the
stronger nations, like our own,
alleviate misery, provide guidance,
technical advice, capital investment,
and, in general, promote develop
ment and encourage higher stan
dards of living.
''The aim, said Mr.. Wallace,
would be to preserve the liberty,
equality, and unity of the United
Nations in political
sense, equality of opportunity in in
ternational trade, security against
war and business depression due to
international causes, and unity Of
purpose in promoting the general
welfare of the world.
Josef Stain, too, has outlined
worldwide humanitarian aims for
Russia. Calling this "War of Lib
eration", he outlined a program for
a nf oil esx
equality of nations and the integrity
of their territories; liberation and
restoration of enslaved peoples
the right of every nation to arrange
it's own affairs; economic aid to suf-
fering nations and destruction
of the Hitler regime.
China's aims naturally emphasize
equality, which would ban dis
criminatory laws against her ma
t1onals overseas. She also calls for
abolition of the white mans bur-
den" idea. China takes for granted
that Hong Kong and other foreign
possessions in China will revert
entirely to China.
But Prime Minister Churchills
idealism appears tempered with
realism. His laconic statement that
I'VE mean to keep our own, rather
Jared some idealists.
In the United States there appears
to be general agreement that the
country must cooperate In some
sort of international effort to pre-
serve world peace. DIR. Gallup's poll
OF public opinion showed three
fourths of the people favoring such
maintained peace.
Generally speaking, American
opinion seems to favor international
cooperation to maintain peace, but
conflict is in plain sight over how
far Uncle Sam should go in making
over the world.
One thing has already been made
clear, Americans are not again
going to the peace conference un-
prepared. Thought is being given to
the subject; plans are advanced; /;
i discussion ia Wido and ;nf0rvno+;<,,