The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-06-16
The VIII 10 Peace
These Daysss%eSSts 0 5oete? goz6hsR7

For, as long as It is recognized
that war is probably or even pos
sible. the likelihood is that war -
inevitable. AS soon as we recoE-
niEe that peace is effectively at.
tainable, then war becomes repug.
nant to the degree OF adherence.
After what Europe has been
through since September 1899, Il
would seem that no one would ever
want 10 hear the word. war. again.
Yet, that is not the state OF mind
OF those who are either insistent
upon the Triple Alliance or those
who are at work at San Francis
co. They are not assured that we
have learned anything from this
experience. Many OF the smaller
nations are even fearful that the
world has learned nothing in spite
OF the death, suffering and des-
truction this war haA wrought.
The will TO peace like any moral
curb upon the appetites OF man
implies forbearance, forgiveness.
inhibitions. control OF temper-but
most OF all forbearance. II will be
many years before all the conse-
quences OF this war will be known
and visible and therefore there are
likely to be many years during
which every act OF injustice will
arouse violent distrust and suspi-
cion whereas In a peaceful world
such incidents are corrected by n
diplomatic message. At this mo-
metnt, the most violent suspicious
are aimed at Soviet Russia: at an
other. they may be aimed at Great
Britain or the United States, for
these are the only nations which
now possess the power and the
force to act freely according TO
their choice and Judgment. All 9TH
er countries are more or less de-
pendent upon them-and like all
dependents, all other nations are
resentful CT the circumstances IN
which they find themselves. Tho
defeated countries are PROSTATE;
yet men speak already OF prevent
ing them from making another war.
The problem is complicated by
the cold and uncontrovertible fact
that the small nations Of Europe
cannot stand unaided. They can
not defend their boundaries; they
cannot feed their populations: they
cannot maintain their economies.
They are the real defeated ones in
this war.
Yet, these are old peoples with
long and honorable histories and
traditions and they resent depend
ence upon or ABSORPTION within the
empires OF the Triple Alliance.
They need American help econom-
ically but they do not wish the
United States to dominate them
any more than those in Eastern
Europe that cannot defend their
boundaries with Russia to select
their governments for them.
Obviously, this Is nothing that
can be solved with a snap phrase
nor in the twinkling OF an eye.
Men have suffered too much to
respond qlickly to Justice; nations
are still suffering from the shock OF
hopelessness to recognize precisely
what their position in the new
world is. Everybody seems 10
want peace; vet what they define
Is more war. San Francisco affords
for them a forum to express their
| aspirations. The Triple Alliance
seems to be a police power aimed
not only at defeated Germany as at
the defeated small nations. And
they do not know which really will
matter. in the long run.
The Triple Alliance does seem to
he more vital at this moment than
San Francisco. but that does not
mean that II the will to peace
blooms II will always be so. There
is nothing that a century of peace
could not cure in this world OF trou-
BILE.