Evening star., 1944-08-06
Roosevelt and Hull
Plan Peace Formula
Writer Says Difficulties With
Congress Are Anticipated.

By O,Den L. Scott.
President Roosevelt and Cordell Huh
are set to try to lead the United States
into an era of attempted cooperation
with the rest of the world. They have
decided upon their strategy and laid
their plans.
If this country ever is to accept its
place of leadership in the world, these
plans Of Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Hull
should succeed in guiding it to that
place. The plans are carefully made
and simple. They could be followed by
another President and another Secre-
tary Of State, If there should not be q
fourth term.
Two basic methods Of approach to
peace are involved in plans now shaped.
The first method calls for the use of
treaties. A two-thirds vote of the Sen
ate is required for approval Of treaties
and the record of acceptance by the
Senate OF any but the simplest of
treaties is very poor. To try to over
come some of the difficulties that attend
treaty making, Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr..
Hull plan separate treaties of peace with
each nation at war with the United
States. These treaties will be very sim
pie. They win not wrap up everything
IN one package of the Versailles Treaty
type.
A separate treaty will embody the
slmplifled League of Nations that will be
evolved in conferences getting under
way at present. This league, or coun-
Gil, or federation will represent the low
est common denominator of all plans for
world organization and will be designed
especially to draw the votes of at least
two-thirds of the membership of the
United States Senate. 1t has been de-
termined that any new league must be
In the form of treaty.
The second method of shaping post
war plans and organizations, however,
calls for avoidance of treaties. It is
based upon use of executive agreements
which are effective when approved by a
majority Of the two houses of Congress
rather than by two-thirds of the Senate.
y \
Congress already has approved the
f1rst of the executive agreements, that
setting up machinery for relief and re-
habtitation. An agreement involving
machinery for postwar money stabiliza-
ton and another creating a world in
vestment bank both are ready for sub
mission to Congress, probably early in
l945 Agreements are being worked out
in the field of world aviation, in oil and
in communications. One Is under study
In the field of commodity price stabiliza-
ton. Another probably will emerge for
world shipping.
BY oHerlng executive agreements, each
separate from the other. in the field of
world economic adjustment, Mr.. Roose-
welt and Mr.. Hull hope to gain a ready
acceptance from Congress that could not
be obtained If all were wrapped up In
one treaty for approval by two-thirds of
the Senate. BY taking one at a time
there is less chance for log rolling by
minority groups to prevent acceptance.
Agreements, too, appear less formidable
to members of Congress than do treaties
and, in event that they prove onerous,
they can more easily be abandoned.
BY this divided approach, the Presi-
dent expects to be able to avoid repeti-
ton after this war of the experience
with the Versailles Treaty after the last
war. Every problem is being approached
with Congress in mind. knowledge That
Congress is likely to be critical tends to
cause negotiators for this country to
watch out most carefully for American
interests.
There Is good deal Of official on
timism about the prospect for acceptance
oy Congress of the peace plans now
being laid. This optimism is based upon
the idea that minority in Congress will
hesitate to destroy the individual treaties
or agreements, each of which seeks an
objective that will have broad appeal
to people in this country.
1t is going to be difficult for a Senate
minority, for example, to DESTROY what
Will be very simple piece of machinery
Tor cooperation Of the United States
Great Britain Russia and China IN as
sure world peace. The issue as 1t will
confront the Senate will be most SIM
pie one and will not be cluttered IN
with all kinds of economic issues and
issues Of boundary adjustments and
politics.
Likewise, majority in Congress will
take heavy responsibility upon itself
II 1t destroys the individual executive
agreements that will be offered to try
TO bring order out of what could be dis
order in the economic affairs of the
world. Many other nations in the world
are prepared to set up trading systems
modelled after those of Russia and of
preWar Germany unless the United
States is willing to assume responsibility
Tor helping the world to get back on its
feet after the war. If the rest of the
world does adjust itself to a controlled
basis OF trade. the controls will be de-
signed to limit trade with the United
States and will be at the expense of this
country
Mr. Roosevelt and Mr.. Hull, however.
OeneVe tnat they have formula that
Will result in approval by Congress of
plans for large degree of American
leadership IN the postwar world. This
leadership would be both in the political
field and in the economic field and
would reflect the power that the United
states can exert In world affairs If only
1t is willing to accept responsibility.
Whether or not leadership is under
taken by the United States will be de-