Evening star., 1945-11-14
churter Distrust Seen !.
In Peterson S Words
Statement on Need Of Force
Contrasted With Attlee's
By David Laurence

By David Laurence
Distrast OF the future effectiveness Of
the United Nations has come for the
| first time from any responsible menu
ber OF the United States Government.
Secretary Of War Patterson. who IL
looked on as the man who Is to be
| chosen secretary Of q Single Depart
ment Of Defense II that plan is adopted
by Congress. has announced that mill
tary foree and more military force IL
the language in which Americas re-
lations to other. nations are hereafter
to be conducted.
Presumably Mr.. Patterson speaks for
President Truman. for it Is hardly like
ly that the President would retain in
his cabinet any one who expressed such
an important view either indiscreetly
or without sanction Of the White House
and State Department.
I'm the world today" Secretary Pat
terson is quoted as having told the
Senate Military Affairs Committee, ats
military power that talks and think
that Is why the President wants action
now"
Mr.. Patterson was advocating the i'm
mediate passage OF the compulsory
military training bill and said he want
ed it as foundation for national Sc
curity. He added:
III I were perfectly certain that We
would never have another world war
and perfectly certain that the United
Nations Organization would work right
from the go-off, I'd never advocate
this program"
Unpleasant World News.
This is unpleasant news to be cabled
around the world. The American Sec
retary of War doubts the efficacy of the
United Nations even before 1t holds
its first meeting and doesn't hesitate
to express his lack Of confidence in
public before committee Of the United
States Senate.
The peoples Of other nations cannot
be expected to have much confidence
in the charter Of the United Nations
II . member Of President Truman's
cabinet has already lost confidence In
that charter.
What Secretary Patterson says In
eject Is that America needs q military
training program to impress some Do
tential enemy right away. Inaxmuch
as Germany and Japan have been rem
dered helpless and defenseless - at
least Tor decade or more-and the
only nations Of any power which could
ofier resistance to the United States In
the immediate future are to be found
among the victorious allies, what nation
Is Mr.. Patterson afraid will not abide
by the provisions Of the United Nations
charter in preserving peace?
Could Mr.. Patterson possible have
had IN mind Russia? He probably
would deny this vehemently and it
would be tactful to do 50, but the leaders
OF the Russian people are not stupid
observers OF American affairs. A state
ment such as Mr.. Patterson made to
the Senate Military Affairs Committee
can have but one meaning-that the
compulsory military training program
Is being advocated as q means OF ward
ing on possible aggression by major
power-and since Britain Is not likely to
attack us, the only major power left is
Russia.
Cause for Lament. "l0s
There is cause for lament that Presi-
dent Truman's cabinet members are
talking force and more force. That is
not the way to build friendship. How
great, therefore, Is the cause for re-
Joicing over the simple words Of Brit.
AIMS Prime Minister, who, on the same
day the Patterson testimony was given.
was saying to the joint session of
Congress:
The greatest task that faces lis To.
day is to bring home to all people be-
fore 1t is too late that our civilization
can only survive by the acceptance and
practice in International relations and
IN our national life OF the Christian
principle we, are members one of
another"
Mr.. Attlee was using not the language
OF bluster or threat, but words of moral
influence. He added:
I'm facing world problems as We
must 1t Is q great mistake in my view
to think constantly of war and the
prevention of war. We have to think
rather OF the best means of building I'm
peace. I hold it true that the
more the citizens of the world can get
to know each other the less likely are
we to have the emotional condition IN