Evening star., 1943-12-26
Policing the Peace

AAiC AACoAOCIIG, All Ills CIlTlSLIlldS
eve address. places himself unequiv-
ocally on the side of those who be-
lieve that there can be no assur-
ance of lasting peace after this war
unless the United States, in concert
with other nations, is prepared to
use force to keep the peace.
In an apparent reference to his
conversations with Prime Minister
: Churchill. Marshall Stain and Gen.
eraliSSimo Chang Kai-shek, the
President said they had rejected the
enemy doctrine that the strong shall
dominate the weak. But at the
same time" he added, 1--WE are agreed
that If force is necessary to keep
international peace, international
force will be applied-for as long as
1t may be necessary" And at an
other point in the address he de-
clared: II believe. and I think can
say, that the other three great ma
tions who are fighting so magnifi-
Gently to gain peace are in complete
agreement that we must be prepared
to keep the peace by force"
These two statements should be
read together. The second sets out
the necessity of being prepared to
use force; the first is declaration of
intent to use the force that has been
prepared if and when need arises.
Here Mr.. Roosevelt takes his stand,
serving notice of his intent to fight
to the end for both obiectives. And
1t Is well that he has done so, for it
Is around these fundamentals that
the battle OF the peace will be fought
within the United States.
1t is not going to be an easy thing
to sell" this program to the Ameri-
can people. They want peace, as
they have always wanted it, but
when this bloody war is over and
the reaction sets in, the old doctrine
that we should mind our own busi-
ness and attend to our own affairs
Is going to prove as attractive as it
Is dangerous. The contention that
American armed forces should be
used to police the peace, for that Is
what 1t amounts to, is not apt to be
received with open arms throughout
the length and breadth of the
country.
Although it may seem self evident
now, it is going to be necessary to
hammer away again and again at
the proposition that peace is not to
be had merely by wanting peace.
Pious hopes will be of as little avail
in the future as they have been in
the past. The way to prevent wars,
so far as military measures are con-
cerned, is to put down the would-be
war makers before they start to
march.
There are many Americans who
once believed they could have peace
If they would only return into their
own homes and lock their front
doors behind them" The President
referred to these people as cheerful
idiots" and it is very much to be
regretted that he used this phrase.
These people were not idiots, even in
a flgurative sense. They were ordi-
nary men and women who simply
took their own Government at it's
word when they were told through
such things as the Neutrality Act
that they could have peace by stay
ing at home and locking the DOORS
But, as can be seen now a serious
mistake was made 1t must not be
repeated The thing to be done now
and the burden of the Presidents
address is an important move in
this direction-is to keep alive the
teaching of all human experience
namely, that there will always be
some men to start wars unless the
great majority of peace-loving man
kind is ready. willing and able to
compel them to keep the peace.