Evening star., 1943-06-13

that If they gave in they would not be
required to fight and would avoid the
consequences of the Teutonic furor
The Atlantic Charter and the enuncia-
ton of the Four Freedoms was mama
from Heaven to the governments in exile.
The Allied propaganda machine did not
fail to make these fundamental principles
known to all the conquered people,
But their hopes were dealt a severe
blow last winter when the Soviet gov
ernment made known that it would take
advantage of the loopholes in the At
lantic Charter Moscow made it clear
that the Baltic States had joined the
Soviet Union of their own volition.
The facts Of the case are somewhat
embroiled. Whether the people of the
three Baltic republics actually surren-
dered their independent national exit
ence without pressure is an open ques-
ton. We know that before the plebiscite
which decided their fate one or two Rus
sian divisions had been quartered in
these countries to maintain law and Or
der. This fact in itself cast some doubt
about how free of foreign influence the
national plebiscite was.
We hear that the question of the Polish
borders and possibly the existence of
Poland as a sovereign state also is de-
batable.
1t would be foolish to enter into a
controversy at this time about the merits
or demerits of the case of any of these
nations. The only reason the matter Of
the Baltic States, Poland and other
smaller countries crops up in public dis
cussion is because our men fighting across
the Atlantic are welded to the idea that
they are willing to take a chance with
their lives to prevent a repetition of &C
tlons such as Hitler has perpetrated since
1898.
Want Freedom for ALL
Our men are convinced that the only
way to prevent further wars which
might take them or their children over
seas again is to establish a world in
which everybody is master of his own
house, and neighbor can live on decent
terms with neighbor.
Should the higher interests of state of
major powers dictate the future peace
and should the smaller and consequently
the weaker nations be deprived of their
right TO exist the stage will be set for
another war. All European wars of the
past have been caused by the big powers
which have been using the smaller satel-
] lltes as paWns to further their own in
| terests. And the great European powers
have always had selfish and imperialistic
interests.
On the other hand, the weaker nations
which are afraid that they might be de-
prlved of their right to exist are telling
us here that none of the Four Freedoms
is worth the paper it is written on if the
fundamental principle of the right to
exist is not recognized.
They have had a long and bitter expe-
rlence. How can they exercise freedom
OF worship, for instance, if the country
which absorbs them officially or other
! wise does not like their form of Worship
| and describes it as subversive political
caDloufage? How can they enjoy the
| freedom of expression when everything
they will say may be construed as con-
trary to the higher interests of state?
How can they enjoy the freedom of fear,
when political policy will by shadowing
them at all times, as in the past?
They may have freedom from want
with a quart of milk every day. but to
these politically minded people this
amounts to nothing. They would rather
starve, as they have done, than be under
a foreign government. The Four Free
doms in the minds of these millions of
Europeans have no meaning whatever
unless they are accompanied by the right
to exist. And for the time being no as
(See NATIONS. Page B-3)