The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-11
PROPER PACTS
MAY AID MEN
Continued From Page One)

1881 and against Italy in 1885. A
league with teeth a surrender
of sovereignty, and a league with
out teeth is snare and delu-
sion.
The method of alliances avoids
this dilemma. If the alliance is
wisely constructed, it is a con-
tract with a small number of great
powers to wage war together by
their common consent. Thus the
powers that are able to wage mod
ern War, and must bear the brunt
of it, decide whether or not the
issue IS one on which it is nee
essay Tor them to wage war to-
gether By being allied, they have
made it highly unlikely that they
would fight one another, and they
have made it virtually impossible
for any one else to challenge them.
II they are the strongest powers,
their alliance means that there
will be no great war while the
alliance lasts. And it is great war,
not little local remote wars, that
we in the United States are prl-
marily interested in preventing.
Such an alliance Of the great
powers would. by making a great
war impossible, be the nucleus, or
core. as Mr.. Mark Sullivan calls
it, of a larger association OF ma
lions brought together for the set
tlement of local disputes, for the
development of international law,
for the promotion of commerce
and friendship. But l believe we
shall be wise to fix the right to
decide upon the use of force in
an alliance first with Britain, and
then by specific agreements with
Russia and with China.
For I do not believe we can sur
render to the smaller powers the
right TO control the military force
of the great powers. Such a
scheme of things did not work at
Geneva, and it cannot be made
to work now.
The chief objection to alliances
is, no doubt, the fear-to put it
plainly-that if we agree to help
defend the British when they are
attacked, we shall automatically
be involved in all of Britain's dis
putes.
1t can be said in reply that the
British American combination
would be so strong that for long
time to come, no nation could
challenge it. 1t can be said, and
proved by three centuries of his
tory, that whenever Britain is
seriously challenged. the North
American continent is always in
volved anyway.
But the more responsive and the
most important thing to say, l
believe, is that as allies tn e
would be continual consultation
between the two governments in
London and in Washington. Mel
UllSl WOu1d WlS1l, VI 1OSud ollOl u,
to make a move or take a posi-
ton in a major dispute which
might lead to war without the con-
sent of the other. Each partner
would have to be convinced that
whatever was done was being
done in it's own vital interest. For
an alliance is valueless in war if
the ally thinks the war is wrong
or unnecessary.
An alliance, in other words, is
not contract to wage war at the
hehest of the allied power. 1t is
a contract to work together in
peace to preserve the peace, and
if that becomes impossible, to
wage war together so that victory
is certain. An alliance, then, is
not the obligation Of blank
check. It also creates a right
the right to be consulted in ad-
vance and to give consent or to
refuse it before the die is cast.
That, to my mind, is the con-
elusive reason for thinking that an
alliance, properly conceived and
carried on, is the surest of all guar
antics of security and, in t S
phase of history, the best hope OF
peace.