Evening star., 1944-12-14
THE Unhappy Past

Inc OnnuPPy TuS(
Ernest Bevin, Britain's Minister of
Labor, has shed some light on cur
rent political developments in Eu-
rope, both in liberated countries and
IN areas that have been occupied by
the armed forces of the United Ma
tions.
Lacking access to all of the facts,
1t is difficult to say how much i'm
portance should be attached to the
disclosures which have come from
him. Obviously, Mr.. Bevin was
weighing his words. Long before
this" he said, 1--WE had an agreement
with Russia whereby Russia under
took the main problem of Romania
and we undertook the main problem
OF Greece" This agreement was
submitted to President Roosevelt at
Quebec, and was agreed to and in
itialed" by him.
That is statement which implies
more than it actually reveals. Much
depends upon what is meant by the
words, undertook the main prob
lem" OF Romania and Greece. They
will carry a sinister significance to
some people; to others they will be-
speak an arrangement which is both
practical and necessary. But at the
very least, it seems clear enough that
Greece, with the Presidents ap-
proval, has become British
sphere of influence" and that Ro-
mania has similar status with re-
spect to Russia. It also is reason
able to believe that the Anglo
Russian agreement is not confined
to these two countries, but that it
will apply throughout much if not
all of Europe.
This is an arrangement which is
not necessarily harmful-it even may
be helpful-so far as Europe is con-
cerned. Everything depends upon
whether Britain and Russia can live
harmoniouSly within their respective
spheres or whether eventually there
will be collision of conflicting in
terests. There is good reason to be-
lieve, however, that there will be an
unfavorable reaction in this country
to the unfolding picture of Europe's
practical" settlements. The Amer
lean people tend to think in terms
OF the Atlantic Charter and its state
ment of high principles. They have
been encouraged. perhaps unduly en-
couraged, to believe that there will
be a literal application of the doc
trines of. the charter and of the
Moscow declaration to the settle
ment of the enormously complex
problems that will inevitably arise
during and after this war. If they dis
cover that this is not to be the case,
and that seems indicated by the trend
OF current events. there is almost
certain to be a reaction-a turning
away from our wartime Allies
which will place in serious jeopardy
our bright hopes of a secure and
prosperous world.
A year ago, lacking but few days,
Cordell Hull, then recently returned
from the promising negotiations at
Moscow, told joint session of Con-
gress: "As the provisions of the four
nation moscow declaration are
carried into effect there will no
longer be need for spheres of influ-
ence, for alliances, for balance of.
power or any other of the special
arrangements through which, in the
unhappy past, the nations strove to
safeguard their security or to pro-
mote their interests"
A year later, there is no justifica-
ton for futile pessimism. But in the
light of the special arrangements"
which have already become public
property. as well as those which may
not yet have been revealed, it is not
surprising that fears of the "un-
happy past" of which Mr.. Hull
spoke, arise to plague and distract
us. We must be careful, however,
lest this fear turn to cynicism and
distrust. We should constantly re-
mind ourselves that complex situa-
tions do not, overnight, lend them
selves to perfect solutions. 1t will
be years after the war ends before
necessary stability is restored in
Europe as foundation for our
hopes.