Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-09-29
BEHIND
The NEWS
BY Paul
Z III MaIIon

" The inner adebate on the
Morgenthsu peace proposal has
been advertised AS a struggle Of a
harsh versus a soft peace, but IT
was hardly that.
The plan Of the treasury sec
rotary 10 deindustrialize Ger
many as well as demlltarize her
was harsh enough, it is true.
The purpose was 10 crush her
completely so she could never
rise again.
But no one around the cabinet
circle IN which the fight re-
volved wants TO he particularly
light on the Nazis. The plan
was resisted by State Secretary
Huh and War Secretary Stimsen-
for another reason.
1t was a reason good enough
10 warrant them fighting even
the Roosevelt okeh which Nor
genthau secured before present.
ing the idea.
The fact is this nation may
have gotten its war propaganda
too much mixed up with its per-
manent peace hopes. The
thought which has been con-
StantlY before us is that the
NaziS must be eXterminated and
the German people held in check
forever to keep the peace Of the
world.
THIS is enough of a goal TO
- win this war, but not enough
To prevent the next one or win
il II II comes to us.
How much more may be
needed is evident behind the
final reports on the Dumbarten
Oaks deliberations before pub
LEGATION of the agreement.
Our people, and presumably
also Britain. wanted TO prevent
any of the big five United Ma
tons France Is eventually to
come into the big four which
becomes involved IN a war
Threatening controversy from
voting on whether 10 take ac-
ton against an sggressorr They
wanted an objective and judicial
decision by Uninterested parties.
but Russia objected.
The mere fact that this con-
troversy arose, bringing the eX-
tensive ramlfications which have
been aired in news accounts OF
the conference, points to the
possibility that the future peace
OF the world docs not rest alone
on keeping Germany on her
back-or Japan.
II there are now no ambitious
men among the United Nations,
who can say when one will not
arise Who can say when ma
tional policies will not change?
THERE may be far more post
u war trouble from r1lS pos
sible source OF internal dlsSen-
sion among present war friends.
who will wind up this war with
the pC Wer of the world. than
from Germany and Japan fiat
on their backs, and 10 be kept
there by continuing our resolu-
ton 10 keep them there. as we'll,
AS by any dismemhorment for
mula.
These are the real Considera-
tions. the inner reasons. behind
the rejection of the Morgen-
thau formula and the trouble
al Dumbarton The crushing
Of Germany and Japan is one
objective The keeping IF the
future peace of the world is
another.
II bespeaks the fact that
many official authorities here
are coming around 10 a broader
and more realistic attitude. For
A time some months back II
looked as If the foresight Of
most Of the cabinet toward the
future world was limited 10
the present circumstances If
the war, and lot Of peace
formula makers obviously have
been merely falling for current
propaganda, their own, and
others, good and had
The maintenance Of 4 rcallS-
TIC foreign policy thus will do
more To keep the peace than
anything that has been or can
he done.
Distributed nv King Features Synd Inc.
Reproduction IN whole or in part
strictly prohibited.