The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1945-06-12


Conference - voting. trustee
ships, regional security.
There was a hope that the
United States would take a firm
stand as the champion of all
small nations, all oppressed peo-
piles, all the colonial territories
whose natives want to be free
of foreign domination.
If the United States had taken
this position, it would have met
opposition from the British,
Russians and possibly the Dutch,
French and other colonial pow
ers. But the rest Of the world
would have been united behind
the United States, and it is en-
tirely possible that the resulting
combination would have been
strong enough to make the other
great powers recognize its force.
HOW STRONG ARE WE?
The feeling that 1.-The United
States does not know its own
strength" is all too prevalent
among delegates from the small
er nations. Their reliance on
Roosevelt, which at one time
amounted to near-worShip, Is
now just memory. In its place
is much more substantial re-
spect for the United States as q
country. This has been aug
mented by the trip to San Fran
cisco which revealed the size,
and the resources and the unbe-
lievably high standard of living
which the American people en-
joy. Now more than ever these
delegates from the smaller coun-
tries would like to see the Unit
ed States step out to assume
world leadership.
The responsibilities which the
United States would assume by
sunch action would obviously be
tremendous. 1t would put a bur-
den of military guardianship on
this country at time when the
American people are sick and
tired of war.
1t is doubtful if American
public opinion would for long
support foreign policy calling
for United States interference
in the affairs of other nations.
even as a protector of the op-
pressed against exploitation.
American foreign policy will
never be able to run much ahead
Of what American public opin-
ion will support. The idea that
the Truman or any other admin
istration could step out too far
in front as a world savior, i'm
posing democracy even where it
is wanted, protecting anybody,
any place, any time, is preposter-
Gus.
In spite of this obvious con-
clusion, there is a decided feel
ing that the policy of the u. S.
delegation at the Conference
has been governed too much by
two motives:
First: The desire to produce a
Charter which will be politically
and practically acceptable to the
United States Senate when the
work at San Francisco comes up
for ratification.
Second: The desire to make a
document which will be accept
able to Great Britain and Russia,
regardless of how it appeals to
the rest of the world. This is
predicated on a belief that un-
less The Big Three can agree in
principle, peace of any kind will
be impossible.
1T TAKES TIME
1t is entirely conceivable that
both of these premises are way
behind and way below foreign
policy which a majority of the
people of the United States are
willing to support. Only due
time, the close-mouthed old hus-
sy, will tell. The telling will be
done when the United Nations
Organization is actually estab-
lished and at work, and the
United States, member of that
august body, takes its seat in the
general assembly to defend and
extend the principles on which
this country was founded and
hifi1t