Evening star., 1943-09-14

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The proposal David Lawrence.
on its face looks innocent enough
just q continuation of our present
effective and efficient collaboration
with our principal ally. But the
United States has never entered into
a peacetime alliance with any ma
tion since George Washington S
warning against permanent alli-
ances,, so the experience would be
rather novel.
Thus, for instance, how much of
the cost of the combined peacetime
navy will Great Britain contribute
and how much of the air forces of
the world will each nation main
tain? Also, what obligations will
the United States undertake with
respect to the protection of the vari-
Gus parts of the British Empire, in
cluding far-f1ung colonies and do
niinions?
1t so happens that the United
States had Navy about equal to
Britain's at the outbreak of war in
1889 and we now have arranged to
treble the size of our fleet, entail
ing an expense unprecedented in
world history. Britain has merely
replaced her losses, so that at the
moment her navy is about equal to
what it was in pre-war days.
-. Political Obligations.
This means that If the United
States and Britain are allied, either
the size of the American fleet can
be cut down or, if it is maintained,
that the financial burden will be a
substantial part of any peace time
budget and that that budget will be
considerably increased.
There is no such thing, moreover,
as military alliance" which does
not involve political obligations. Our
foreign policy must coincide with
that of Great Britain, throughout
the world and America must un-
dertake the protection of all Brit
ish possessions if there is to be equal
responsibility for military or naval
action in any emergency that arises.
Will the United States wish to un-
derwrite British policy in India,
for example?
When Gov. Dewey of New York
proposed military alliance be-
tween Britain and America, he may
have had his tongue in his cheek.
As political stroke, 1t was MASTER
fuL He had been accused of being
an isolationist. He was looked upon
by many of the Willkie supporters as
being less in favor of international
cooperation than the 1910 presi-
dental nominee. In one fell swoop,
Mr.. Dewey eraSes that impression
and makes himself a cooperation
list. In fact, he goes further than
Mr.. Willkie ever has gone.
Coy. Dewey took little chance in
coming out for the alliance. There
isn't, much likelihood of it. being
voted on at the polls this year or
next because the postwar settle
ments are not likely to be reached
for . long time and the question
of what kind of a world organiza-
ton is to be set up will probably
come to the fore along with the
military alliance suggestions, so that
Mr.. Dewey, who says he isn't run
ming for the presidency, at least not
In 1914, can say almost anything
about the world situation and not
find himself confronted with any
concrete opposition.
Contrary to u. S. History.
The most important aspect of any
military alliance seems to have been
overlooked by those who are zeal
ously espousing it for America and
Britain as means of keeping world
peace. That aspect concerns the
provisions of the American Consti-
tuition which states that our Con-
gress can declare war and only Con-
gress can provide money for the
national defense. If an alliance is
proposed, it would require treaty
and under the terms of such treaty
the future Congresses would, In ef-
feet, be required to renounce the
constitutional right of ordering our
troops or our Navy into action. The
Congress would, in effect, be dele
eating the war making power for all
times to joint Army and Navy
board or combined command of both
countries.
This is contrary to the whole his
tory. of the United States. Tenn
porary alliances for wartime pur-
poses have been validated in 1917
and In 1s41 by a temporary delega-
ton of power to the Executive by
Congress-good only for two years
but 1t is a serious question whether
Congress could make any treaty
with Britain delegating for all time
the war-making power and prevent
ing. Congress and the American
people from deciding in each in
stance whether the lives of Ameri-
can citizens should be sacrificed and
for what purpose.
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