Evening star., 1945-09-02
A New Era Beqins

~ INSW EIu DcSlHS
Although the end of the war, in
technical legal sense, may not
be proclaimed for some time to
come, our long-suffering and self
tormented world is today actually
at peace again. Now, as General
Macarthur says, "a new era is upon
u.s." and men and nations either will
learn to live we'll together in it or
they will invite their own destruc-
ton.
Today it is not enough merely to
rejoice that Japar-six years to the
day after the start of the Second
World War in PoIand-has surren-
dered formally, just as Germany did
in May, completely, Internationally,
throwing itself wholly upon the
mercy of our Allied power. 1t is
not enough merely to look back over
the long, terrible years since 1889
and remember with the deepest
gratitude the millions of the brave
dead and the brave living who made
this victory possible. Nor is it
enough merely to dwell upon the
happy prospect of peace and seek
refreshment of the spirit in saying
over and over to ourselves, Nov all
the killing is at an end, and our
young men will be coming home,
and a normal existence can be ours
again."
Along with the rejoicing, the re-
membering and the anticipating,
there must be other things. In their
moving talks last night, Admiral
Nimitz, General Macarthur and
President Truman all struck the
same solemn note: Victory imposes
upon us such staggering new re-
sponsibilities that even as we thank
God, on this VI Day, for having
blessed our arms, we must pray to
Him also for the guidance and wis
dom we and our Allies will need
from this point on. Ruling the van
quished sternly and with justice will
be but part of our problem, and it
will be enormously difficult in itself,
because the mentalities that Gre
ated horrors like the death camps
in Germany and Japan are con-
tagion requiring time to eradicate
before either country can be con-
verted into a fit and safe member
of the family of nations.
Under the policies proclaimed at
Potsdam, both the Germans and the
japanese are to have the oppor-
tunity of eventually governing
themselves again. Before that time
comes, however, they will have to be
made over into peace-minded ma
tions, and although certain of their
leaders speak repentantly OF the
past and urge them to embrace nom
militaristic and democratic ideas,
old ideologies die hard. Accordingly,
together with the economic, polit-
ical and other tasks of occupation,
the task of re-education will severely
test the vision and craftsmanship
of the Allies. Years may have to
pass. indeed, before Germany and
Japan will cease being heavy re-
sponsibilities.
But beyond the problem of ham
ding the vanquished, there is what
Is probably the even more difficult
problem of perpetuating the CO.
operation of the victors. 1t is upon
this, really, more than upon any
other single factor, that the face of
tomorrow's world depends. If we
can succeed here, we can succeed
everywhere, and if we fail here,
there can be little hope of avoiding
another conflict far more terrible
than the one that has just ended.
But we cannot fail In an age of
transoceanic rockets and the atomic
bomb lasting peace is essential to
I1lC oul f4Nd1 Va SANAA1dUAOlAs ~ 10
our responsibility-ours, the liv-
ing-to see to it," as the President
says, "that this victory shall be a
monument worthy of the dead who
died to win it," and over and above
that it is our responsibility to our
selves as members of the human
race, and to the coming generations
of that race, to prevent war perma-
nently to save the race itself from
death.
In the words of General MacAr-
thur, Supreme Commander for the
Allies in Japan, eve have had. our
last chance. If we do not now de-
wise some greater and more equita-
BILE system Armageddon will be at
our door. The problem basically is
theological and involves spiritual
recrudescence and improvement of
human character" to keep pace with
our great material advances, espe-
cially in the field of science. This
is the warning from a great soldier,
and its semireligious note seems
peculiarly fitting on this historic
Sunday, this vi Day, this day that
marks the dawn Of peace and the
beginning of new era in which war
will never again be safe for any ma
ton. however strong.
1t is true. In this bright hour OF
victory, there is nothing more i'm
portant for the victors to remember