The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-05-10
TODAY and TOMORROW
By WALTER LIPPMANN

saw government as it is. The Eng
disappearing ministers knew that
M. Molotov knew that while they
could refuse to recognize the War.
saw government, they could not
reach behind the lines of the Red
Army and set up 4 government
they liked better.
Therefore the angry disputes
which have been reflected in the
press have never been so serious
as they sounded. No one has been
in position to back up his angry
feelings with angry deeds. All but
a few amateur diplomats and
troublemakers have known all
along that the Soviets were too
strong and that We are too strong
to coerce one another, and that
il one set of diplomats could not
find a diplomatic solution, others
would have to be appointed who
would continue to seek a diplo-
matte solution. Since none of the
three powers could quit, since
they cannot dream Of engaging in
a conflict. diplomatic treatment OF
the Polish question is bound to go
on.
The realities of the situation do
prevail. They are that while in.
tercourse between the Soviet Un-
ion and America is on the plsre
of theology and of etiquette as diff.
ficult now as it has always been,
whether under the Cars or under
the Bolsheviks, the vital interests
of the two countries are not in con.
flict.
There never was a time, begin
ming with President Monroe, when
the United States has not opposed
successfully the extension of Rus.
sian influence in the western hem.
isphere. There never was a time,
and Yalta was no exception, when
the United States could exert de.
cisive influence in eastern Europe
The permanent facts Of interna
tional life are stronger than men S
opinions, and they have shaped
the course of events here at Sar
Francisco. The Russians could moi
prevent the American republics
from dealing with Argentina ir
their own way, and Britain ane
America cannot compel the Russi'
ans to deal with Poland in oul
way.
No nation, however strong, has
universal world Wer which
reaches everywhere. The realm il
which each state has the deter
mining influence is limited by &C.
ography and circumstance. Be
yond that realm, it is possible tt
bargain and persuade but not tt
compel, and no foreign policy il
we'll conducted which does no
recognize these invincible, reali
ties.
Now that we have met the So
viets in Germany and Austria, w
have come as a result Of our com
mon victory to a place where ;
meeting of minds, such as WI
have never yet achieved, is indis
pensable. Without it, we shall
squander the victory, and we shall
have no peace. Unless the four oc
cupying powers can find enough
men of high ability, steadiness o.
character, and great resourceful
ness to solve the German problem
together. the Germans though de
feated will be revenged. They will
have succeeded when they are de.
feated in doing what they hoped
in vain to do while they were still
fighting-to come between the Sc
Wet Union and the Western pow
ers, and in this division to recov
er their position as the most i'm
portant power in Europe.
II by what is happening in Sar
Francisco one were to estimate
the chances of the Germans sue
ceeding in disrupting the United
Nations, one would say - looking
at the progress of the world or
ganization-that they will fail. Blu
looking at the stalemate over Pc
land, one could not say for Ger
tain that stubborness and stupid
ity might not yet give the Ger
mans good reason to hope that
they will have still another chance
Copyright, 1945. New York Tri
bune Inc.