Evening star., 1943-01-31

( Some responsible Washington quarters
are much less concerned now than in
the past over the possibility Russia may
establish its hegemony over Europe at
the end of the war.
The bitter dispute over political juris-
diction in North Africa was only minor
S Indication of what may be in store for us
If after the conflict is over we attempt
to straighten out the many political,
! racial and social problems which are
certain to beset the countries obtaining
. their freedom as a result of an Allied
victory
For the present, while victory is not
yet ours, there is an apparent cohesion
among the United Nations. Political
matters, balance of power and many
economic and social questions are
shunted into the background. This is
natural Until the enemy has been de-
feated it would be demoralizing for the
armies in the field and for the men and
women ON the home front to be told of
the many differences among the Allies
as to who will be who and what will be
what in the postwar period.
Our association with the enemies of
Hitler and Mussolini dates back before the
time we were attacked by the japanese
1T Pearl Harbor. We were on record as
backing, with all our means short of war.
any nation which opposed the Axis We
are spending hundreds of billions of dol
lars and the blood of hundreds of thou
sands OF Americans will be she'd before
the tragedy is ended.
American Selflessness.
But we do not expect or desire any
material gain. The people of this coun-
Try do not seek any territorial aggran-
dizement or any specific zones of in
iluence" which so frequently hide designs
on lands which belong to somebody else.
Neither are we seeking economic privi-
!eges. The American people have been
told from the very beginning that the
billions advanced to our associates will
-,ot be repaid and the bitterness caused
BY the defaulting of our Allies in the last
var will thus not exist.
We have already written off colossal
funs. The only repayment we are en-
titled to expect is peace and freedom
throughout the world with equal oppor-
tunities for all and no restrictions of any
sind to our traders and trade carriers.
This, in short, is the position adopted
by the legislative and executive branches
Of the American Government. There
are few optimists who believe that this
is war to end all wars. This Utopian
thought might eventually become
reality provided there is no idea in the
minds of all our associates to seek the
same type of strategic and economic
security which made the last war the
cause Of the present one
For the time being, while the armies
ere fighting, there is only little talk
shout what any Of the United Nations
members would want after the war is
over. The Atlantic Charter is the docu-
nent which might regulate the desires
Of the individual nations. But the At
lantic Charter in many ways is nebu-
lous charter which needs many explana-
Nons and amplifications. President Will
son's 14-point program also had offered
the world an ideal solution for its ills.
It was torn in so many shreds that the
former war President himself could
hardly recognize it. There were no ter
ritorial conQuests, but there were man
dates: there was no war indemnity, but
there were Preparations" which far ex-
teeded-nominally, at least-any lump
sums the Allies may have asked of their
former enemies as indemnity.
Britain's Perilous Position.
The situation from the few hints and
Indications we have received so far, is
not much different from that of quar-
ter of century ago.
Great Britain had undergone diff
cult and dangerous period since 1910.
The empire was at stake The Mediter-
fsnean, her principal artery to her vast
colonial empire, was closed to her men
O. war and merchantmen. She has in
dicated to us. not officially, of course,
that she would not like to see a repeti-
tion of the old days. Since France has
proved herself unable to defend her COL
o,1ies-the surrender of Indo- China
made possible the japanese blitz in the
Pacific and Indian Oceans-she would
like to control at least some of the key
naval and air bases in North Africa and
also in Asia, if the japanese are de-
feated. 1t is difficult to say how Brit
aims strategic needs and they are irref-
utable, can be dovetailed with the
American peoples ideals that we are
lighting for the reconstruction of all
~ xf,t,NC
stroyed by the Axis. We know that the
French, once liberated from the Nazi
yoke, would fight to the last man to pre-
kerve at least their African empire
Should they be unable to regain SOW
ereignty over Madagascar and the other
overseas possessions there will be much
bad blood in France against her asso-
ciates who have deprived her of what
the Frenchman considers his own. As a
result the much-needed harmony in Eu-
rope may not be achieved easily and
those who make career of fishing in
troubled waters may bring up these mat.
ters as another excuse for war Another
~league Of nations" is being advocated by
eur idealists.
The Moscow government so far has
given the world as few indications of Its
aims after Hitler is defeated as the Rus
sian high command has given military
Information about its operations and
supplies. But there have been hints
from Foreign Minister Molotov and other
high-ranking Russians that Russia in-
tends to settle once and for all the
question Of her frontiers The ideology
Of common boundary for all nations