Evening star., 1945-01-10

HranQlZcmenC.
"We still propose, outside the Axis,
that there shall be no territorial
changes which do not accord with
the freely expressed wishes of the
people concerned Similarly we still
propose to respect the right of all
peoples to choose the form of gov
ernment under which they will live
We still propose to see sovereign
rights and self-government restored
to those who have been forcibly de-
prived of them,' if it lies within
our power.
Discusses Atlantic Charter.
"In word, the first thing we must
do Is to reassert, in high places, our
American faith in these particular
elemental objectives of the so-called
Atlantic Charter which was officially
issued as a signed document by the
State Department on August IA,
l941; which was officially communi-
Gated to the Congress as a signed
document by the President of the
United States in his message of
August 81, 1941: which was embodied
in joint resolution of all the United
Nations on January /, 1912; which
was commemorated by the President
on August IA, 1943 in a Lroclama-
ton on the second anniversary of
its Signing (his world; which had
tragic sinking spell when it's formal
authenticity was amazingly depre-
ciated in a White House press con-
ference fortnight ago; but which
the President re-embraced In his
message of January 6, 1945.
II am sure the President did not
anticipate the shocking results of
his recent almost jocular, and even
cynical dismissal of the Atlantic
Charter as mere collection of
fragmentary notes. 1t Jared Amer
lea to its very hearthstones. 1t
seemed to make mere pretense out
OF what has been an inspiringly &C
cepted fact. 1t seemed almost to
sanction alien contempts. It seemed
to suggest that we have put too
much emphasis upon a fighting
creed which did not deserve the
solemnity which we have been
taught to aScribe to it.
Coming at particularly criti-
cal moment when these pledges
seemed to be at least partially par
alyzed in Moscow-and when even
Mr.. Churchill's memory about the
Charter was proving to be admit
tedly fickle-the Presidents state
ment was utterly devastating in its
impact. He has since sought to
repair this damage. I hope he has
succeeded. With justification he
reminds us in his annual message
that there are no rules of easy
application (of the Charter to each
and every one of this War-torn
worlds tangled sisua tions. He now
says we shall not hesitate to use
our inf1uence-and use it now-to
secure so far as is humanity DOS
siole the fulfllment of these prin-
ciples.' That's the indispensable
point. These basic pledges cannot
now be dismissed as mere nau-
tical nimbus. The first reuui-
site of honest candor, respectively
suggest, Is to relight this torch.
Appeal to Allies Urged.
THE next thing we need to do, if
may be so bold, in this spirit of
honest candor, is to appeal to our
Allies, in the name of reason, to
frankly face the postwar alternatives
which are available to them and to
us as means to preserve tomor-
rows peace for them and for us.
There are tuyo fa la Nna
way is by exclusive individual action
in which each of us tries to look out
for himself. The other way is by
joint action in which we undertake
to look out for each other. - We
cannot tolerate unilateral privilege
in a multilateral peace. Yet that
seems to be the fatalistic trend to-
day. I think we must make our
choice. I think We need to make it
wholly plain to our major Allies that
they, too, must make their choice.
Believer in Self Reliance.
Il hasten to make my own per-
sonal viewpoint clear. have always
been frankly one of those who has
believed in our own self-reliance. I
still believe that We can never again
regardless of collaborations-
low our national defense to de-
teriorate to anything like a point
of impotence. But do not believe
that any nation hereafter can i'm
munize itself by its own exclusive
action. Since Pearl Harbor World
War No. 2 has put the cory science
Of mass murder into new and sin
lister perspective.
II World War No. 3 ever un-
happily arrives it will open new
laboratories of death too horrible
to contemplate. I propose to do
everything within my power to keep
those laboratories closed for keeps.
I want maximum American CO.
operation, consistent with legitimate
American self-interest, with consti-
tutional process and with collateral
events which warrant it, to make
the basic idea of Dumbarton Oaks
succeed. I want a new dignity and
a new authority for international
law. I think American self-interest
requires it. But, Mr.. President, this
also requires whole-hearted reci-
procity. In honest candor I think
we should tell other nations that
this glorious thing we contemplate
is not and cannot be one sided. 1
think we must say again that un-
shared idea1ism is q menace which
we could not underwrite in the post
war world.
Nov, am not so impractical as
to expect any country to act on any
final motive other than self Interest.
= The real question always be-
comes just this-where does real
self-interest lie?
Russia Seeks Protection.
Here we reach the core of the i'm
mediate problem. Without remotely
wanting to be invidious, / use one
of many available examples. would
not presume to use it except that it
ultimately involves us, RuSSia'S uni