The Ypsilanti daily press., 1945-07-12
The Regional World

II all peoples OF this earth were
on the same economic, political. So
cial and intellectual levels. this
would be a simple world. II Long
Island and the Fiji Islands were
peopled by the same kind Of hu.
man beings, with the same Ian
guAge, the same culture, the same
religion. the same everything, we
should have fewer problems than
We have today-although trouble
develops even among those VINO
are similar in most respects as our
recent war in Europe proves.
It is the differences, not the
similarities, among peoples that
make regionalism so important
Soviet Russia, for instance, is cary-
ing out vast region In the Slavic
World and that region will in some
manner or other be held tightly
under Russian hegemony. At San
Francisco, the American Region
held together and there was no
mistaking its attitude and charac-
teristics. The basic plan OF the
Russian Region appears In the
Treaty bewteen the. Soviet Union
and CEechoslovakia: the basic do
cument OF the American Region
is the Act OF Chapultepec. The
countries most concerned with
them have no intention OF permit
ting them TO be replaced by the
San Francisco Charter.
In fact, the Charter itself protects
the regional agreements. II says
in Article 50:
Nothing in the present Charter
precludes the existence OF region
al arrangements or agencies for
dealing with such matters relating
TO the maintenance of international
peace and security as are appro-
pirate for regional action, provided
that such arrangements or agen-
cies and their activities are con-
sistent with the purposes and prin.
ciples OF the organization"
The Charter goes even further.
II provides that nations within a
region may settle their own affairs
without reference to the Security
Council and II instructs the Coun-
ell to encourage peaceful settle.
ments OF this type. Therefore, II
two countries OF the American Re-
gion wish to handle their own az.
fairs in their own way. no one can.
under the Charter, interfere with
them providing the arrangements
do not start world war.
For both the United States and
Soviet Russia. the clauses dealing
with regions in the San Francisco
Charter are OF tremendous import
ance because although the Act OF
Chapultepec has in many respects
replaced the Monroe Doctrine, the
concept that the American contin.
ents are not subject to European
colonization or European hege-
mony. still holds. Similarly, So
viet Russia is carving out a Slavic
and a Tartar area within which
she intends to brook no interfer.
ence from outside.
tau lne san FRANCISCO COuIer-
ence not recognized the realities of
these regions, there would have
been no Charter. For were the
United States ready to scrap the
theory OF the Monroe Doctrine and
the reality of the Act of Chapulte-
pee. the Latin American nations
would have resisted the destruc.
ton OF their regionalism9 Similar
ly. while Soviet Russia is moving
somewhat out Of the isolation Of
the past quarter century. the Rus.
SLAMS are taking no chance on
surrent schemes going awry. There
will be a Soviet Region stretching
from the Elbe TO the Yellow Sea
and it will function on It's own
axis within the framework Of the
world organization.
The Charter goes still further.
II says, in Article SO:
The Security Council shall,
where appropriate, utilize such
~ Io D