Evening star., 1943-04-04

spoke bluntly about it's constitution
Which considered the Baltic States and
parts OF Poland as portions of the Soviet
empire. it was generally believed that
the Atlantic Charter would be the
fundamental document on which the
future world would be constructed.
A wave of discussions and scurrying
for shelter followed the Moscow declara-
tions. The smaller nations, others than
the Baltic States. became alarmed and
were looking to the United States for an
answer which was never given. In tie
meantime, other rumors, based mostly
on logical deduction and power politics.
became ripe in Washington and other
centers.
The situation in North Africa, where
the Axis is feeling for the first time the
real power of the British and American
forces, is excellent from the military
point of view. But rumors (Which have
never been denied were circulated with
IN few weeks after the arrival of the
Allied forces, that the British had an eve
on the French protectorates of Tunisla
and Morocco. Many persons said-never
publicly hoWever-that the British GOV
eminent does not intend to undergo the
same troubles in the Mediterranean
again And in order to have complete
control over that sea it wished to share
with France the protectorate over Mo-
rocco and Tunls and also to obtain naval
ana air bases on the Algerian coast.
y
such changes in the status of North
Africa, not SO much because they fear
possible loss of their possessions and
control of Asia and want to replace their
ASlatlc empire by an African empire
extending from the Mediterranean to
the South Atlantic Ocean: but they were
said to feel that the French will be so
exhausted after the war that they will
need British support and friendly pro-
lection to stage comeback. There we're
even rumors OF suggestion that France
and Britain pool their resources after the
war and become economically one,"
Rumors Are Discussed.
1t is hard to say how much truth there
is IN these rumors. But there is no CUES
tlon that they are not being discussed
by armchair strategists alone but bv
some most responsible men in Washing
ton. They have never been dignihed by
even a roundabout denial from London.
lhere are, of course, many more oues-
tons which occupy the minds of the pol
lcy-tramers in Washington.
Members of the Senate, alarmed at the
possibility of major rift on policy
among the pillars of the United Nations
rusheo TO suggest legislation defining the
policies OF this country. They intended
10 put on the Statute books certain fun
damental principles for the guidance of
the men who will be in charge of the
peace conference from which they will
not be able to depart.
They considered this essential not onlv
10 assure the people of this country that
they are not fighting war which might
orlng another within a quarter or half
century, but also to reassure those
smaller nations that the pledges of the
United States vaguely contained in the
Atlantic Charter would be fulfilled with.
in reason
These efforts hit snag from the verv
beginning. In the same way that there *
pro1uSlon of blueprints, one cockeved
as the other about the postwar world a
pro1uslon OF conflicting suggestions came
from the offices of various Senators.
They ranged from definite formulae Of
carpet-bag governments in the liberated
or defeated European countries to pro-
posals even more general in character
than the Atlantic Charter itself.
This muddled thinking is not due to
the lack OF vision of the various men who
want to give the Government a helping
hand but to the sad fact that We have
not yet formulated a definite foreign
policy while our Allies have.
Different Viewpoints
The immediate objective of tina
United Nations is to defeat the Axis
This requires military policy But after
this condition has been satisfied, the
three powers contributing principally to
the defeat of the Axis will have wasted
their efforts unless there is a complete
unity of views about the world our chill
dren and grandchildren are going to live
In. The difference between the United
States and Great Britain and Russia is
that while the latters think in national-
lstic terms our leaders think interna-
tionally
America is in this fight with no ideas
or intentions of gaining inch of ter
rltory from anybody. We do not need
1t and do not want it. Our empire is
within the confines of this country If
North Africa or the Netherlands Indies
or any juicy morsel of land were offered
us on gold platter the people of this
country would refuse it with thanks
The only gain we expect to obtain from
the sacrifice of men and the hundreds
OF billions of dollars which we have and
will continue to pour into the war effort
is just peace which will not place us in
the same position in which we found our
selves in the last decade.
We want an honest and just peace
within the limits of possibility as far as
justice is concerned. We do not expect
that the nations which have undergone
such terrific hardships will have other
than harsh feeling toward our enemies
who will have to be punished very Sc
verely. But we do not want this war to
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Germans Go Inland