Evening star., 1944-05-07
Nationalisn1s
a Difficulty
By ODen L. Scott.

BY Otoen L.. Sc0tr.
The basic clash Of viewpoints con-
corning the direction to be taken in
settlements growing from the present
war already Is developing In this
country and in England and in Russia
the issues that win become more pointed
in the months ahead are beginning to
be clear.
These issues, essentially, arise from
the opposing views of those who prefer
nationalist or imperialist approach
to settlement after the war and those
who prefer greater degree of interna-
tionalism and cooperation between ma
tions big and small in the settlement,
1t is agreed that there will be only
three really great powers in the world
when the present war ends. 1t is agreed
also that those three powers, the United
States, Great Britain and Russia, be-
tween themselves, can arrange lust
about any kind of world that they
want. The disagreement concerns the
type OF world to be arranged, with Brit
ain and Russia showing definite in
clination toward nationslism and the
United States, strangely, taking what
ever lead there is toward International
ism and cooperation.
The approach that is being taken to-
ward some of the specific problems now
being faced illustrates the clash of
viewpoint.
In world politics the issue, broadly, Is
related to the type of arrangement
that may be made between nations In
postwar. The nationalists oppose a
recreated league or council of nations as
the basis for postwar organization and
favor instead a system of big power
rule and new array of alliances. Tho
British government has shown pref
erence for this type of setup and has
made moves that suggest desire to
have Britain serve as the balancing
factor between Russia on one side and
the United States on the other Britain,
to strengthen her position, would seek
new alliances on the continent of Eu-
rope.
Those who oppose this approach, and
1t Is believed that both Cordell Hull and
Mr.. Roosevelt oppose 1t, insist that the
end result OF any venture into power
balancing on world basis inevitably
will be World War III They insist that.
weak as any such organization may be,
there must be an effort to create world
organization which will subordinate big
power rivalries and give small powers a
voice In policy making.
The same clash of viewpoint runs
right on down the line of issues.
In world trade, the nationalists want
to divide the world into trading blocs.
Prime Ministers of the British domin-
ions are meeting now to consider WAYS
and means to strengthen Empire prefer
ence and to arrange trade bloc for
postwar. Russia already is organized
for using the power of the state to
engage In any sort of trade war that
may lie ahead. The United States, at
present. opposes the effort to divide the
world into trade spheres and is placing
its influence on the side of freer trade.
In world finance, the nationalists
want to create series of currency
blocs. The British are talking of a
revived sterling bloc" that would in
clude nations that align their currencies
with the British currency In Congress,
with strong backing, there is plan
for what amounts to dollar bloc"
offering this country's support to the
currencies of nations that would line
up around the dollar. This Govern
ment's official policy, however, is related
to plan for world currency stabiliza-
ton in which there would be no blocs.
A plan for cooperation, acceptable to
experts of "a nations in principle al
ready has worked out It offers a f1ex.
ible gold standard that would be de-
signed to help restore some freedom of
world trade.
~
In terms of military bases. the ma
tlonalists want to acquire naval and air
and land bases in the name of the big
powers themselves The International
lists would internationalize many bases
after the war in the hope that big
u.
This same division of viewpoint runs
through settlement of issues related to
postwar relief and rehabilitation, to
postwar aviation, to postwar shipping
The nationalist approach has a very
strong pull in all major countries Rus
sias whole economic and political or
ganlzatlon is geared to nationalism,
The feeling of insecurity that has de-
veloped in Britain as the result of a
war that at one time came very near
to being lost is strong factor in Great
ing pressure in that country for ar
rangements and film alliances that will
make repetition seem to be difficult.
There always has been strong nation
alistic trend in the United States.
1t also is true that Britain is not
convinced that the United States, when
the showdown comes, will line up any
more firmly for international guaran-
tees than 1t did after the last war Rus
slams probably have some of that same
feeling. Neither is in a position to
gamble on its future security with the
result that both are inclined to make
their own arrangements. AS result,
Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Hull face diff
cultieS in trying to build a world sys-
tenn based upon collective security, with
both big and small powers having a
voice in policy.
II Congress should show willingness
to go all of the way for American parti-
cipation in a general world organization