Evening star., 1943-04-19
Balance of Power Urged
As Principle for World Peace.

To the Editor OF The Star
There is much discussion these days as
to what we should do after We have won
the war. have views on the subject
that may prove of interest to some at
least, and they are as follows:
When the war ends what is the most
important thing for us to conserve or
protect? Certainly it is the very thing
we are fighting for now, the preserva-
ton of our liberty and independence,
national and individual. Surely it can
not be just to prevent future wars.
War is hell, as Sherman describes it.
But there is something worse than
war. Peace without our independence
and liberty is far worse.
Well, if preservation of independence
and liberty is to be our chief aim after
the war, how can that best be brought
about? BY super-state formed by all
nations? No, think not; it is too dan
gerous. 1t easily might furnish to some
future politician, clever, resolute and
ruthless like Hitler, the very base he
needed to hop off to domination of the
world Suppose that Hitler, before he
had wasted his strength and resources
on Russia, had hoped off such state
to acquire domination Of the world:
How much more dangerous he would
have been to us and to the whole world!
That plan would have helped rather
than hindered the successful domina-
ton of the world by him. Is such
happening unlikely?
If history has taught us anything, it
is that no form of government, whether
democratic or autocratic, is proof against
some individual acquiring chief author
ity, sometimes by political plotting,
sometimes in other ways. History is full
of instances from the earliest times
down to now. To mention few, Joseph
in Egypt, Genghis Khan in Asia, Alex
ander the Great and Napoleon. 1t IS
likely rather than unlikely.
What plan is there, then, that will
conserve or insure independence and
liberty? have one taken from his
tory, hoary with age, but one that has
succeeded in Europe for centuries. 1t
explains the fact that after centuries
of existence practically all OF the ma
tions of Europe were Independent at
the time the First World War began.
The scheme or plan is commonly known
as maintaining the balance Of power
in Europe. In other words, whenever
any nation becomes so powerful as to
endanger the independence of other
states the latter or enough of them
combine against it and hold 1t in check.
How? BY war if necessary, and usually
so as at Waterloo.
Why then, you ask, our present ter
rible situation? Because the suggested
remedy was not applied, or applied too
little and too late" In the First World
War it was applied, and successfully so
far as the fighting and victory were
concerned, but the treaty was not in
forced. That was the first great blum
der the Allies made. When Hitler
began to disregard the terms Of the
treaty the French and British should
have gone in and made him obey it. OF
course, that would have meant war, but
necessary and justifiable war and prob
ably, then, only short and small war.
But the leaders in France and England
at that time were not big enough or
courageous enough and they failed. Be-
cause the remedy suggest was not
applied is the reason for our terrible
situation now.
Ny concluton 10 that W need mot
concern ourselves nov With any elaborate