Evening star., 1944-08-27

The question whether the American
soldiers now fighting to hberate Europe
and destroy Hitler's armies will be re-
turned to the United States after their
job Is finished, or will be kept in Eu-
rope for number of years, is now being
discussed among the major powers of
the United Nations.
Observers who realize that the public
has little to say about the disposition
OF the American forces while the fight
ing is going on believe, however that
the final answer rests with the Ameri-
can people themselves after the present
battles are over.
The first part Of our commitment
the total defeat of the Germans-is
by way of being fulfilled. The wisdom
of keeping American soldiers to police
Europe depends on whether or not our
Allies intend to maintain the peace as
pirations Of the American people as
contained in the first four paragraphs
>of the Atlantic Charter. These para
graphs enunciate policy of no terri
torial aggrandizement," and mo terri
torial changes that do not accord with
the freely expressed wishes of the peo-
pies concerned" and pledge the Allies
to "see the sovereign rights and self
government restored to those who have
been forcibly deprived of them" Unless
the Allies carry out the full meaning
Of these noble promises, Europe will
continue to offer us many headache
after the defeat Of the Nazis.
Russian Reports Considered.
The report that Premier Stain in
tends to present Poland with two Ger
man cities, Stettin and Breslau, in COM
pensation for territories to be returned
to Russia, and the fact that Russia has
decided to keep for herself Konigsberg,
the capital of East Prussia, as naval
base, do not give much encouragement
to those who regarded the Atlantic
Charter as the best available instru-
ment for peace.
Whether by design or accident, the
Dumbarton Oaks Conference among the
representatives of the United States,
Great Britain and Russia to discuss
postwar security Is being held in Wash
ington at time when everyone expects
the German resistance to collapse, pos
sibly before the end of the conference.
There is good deal Of speculation
on what the conferees have in mind. 1t
is an open secret that the main prob
lem before them Is the policing of Eu-
rope after Germany's total defeat.
yyI,ot nr;faiy, apd pyccio boyo IL, Kind
b known to only handful of men in
the immediate encourage of President
Roosevelt and Secretary Of State Hull.
The views of the administration have
been hinted frequently from the White
House and the State Department and
can be summed up in few words. The
United States Government is desirous
of continuing its collaboration with its
Allies after the defeat Of the Axis. For
that purpose it is prepared to maintain
a military force in Europe and Asia
until such time as a peace conference
Is held. According to high American
authorities, the cooling of period" In
Europe will require many years, and
an actual peace conference may not
take place soon. Should the American
Government follow its original idea of
policing the hotheads in the various
states Of Europe, it looks as If such
force will have to be stationed there
for a number of years. Its size is
matter of speculation. A conservative
estimate, however. places it at between
500,0 900 and $50, 900 men.
Whether the American people will