Detroit evening times., 1945-08-02
PAUL
MALLON
Behind
The News

V l4uIftilOhSC SlhiilS ANHiFNth'-
ative rules Britain and the
empire.
It's man, Clement Attlee. won
control on a platform against
free enterprise, and in favor OF
the government taking over fuel
and power. inland transport,
iron and steel manufacturing
and the Bank of England. The
world effects of Britain's elec-
togsl revolution are being con-
fusingly forecast. Continuance
of the Churchill international
policies, for instance, has been
promised, yet the Attlee labor
party campaigned in favor of
closer collaboration with Russia
than Churchill could provide.
Similarly, the ensuing fear of
the Socialist program through
out the world has prompted
modifying suggestions that the
program will be long in enact
ment, if ever attained, although
strangely the sincerity of its de-
votees is not questioned. From
such circumstances, anything
but confusion in forecasts would
be difficult 10 find To gauge
accurately the extent of the
electoral revolution, it will be
necessary 10 await Attlee'S
steps. Statements issued since
the election can safely be dis
counted AS inspired for political
effect. Only in definite action
can uncertainty be dispelled.
MY INFORMATION suggests
4'I the commonly published
guesses are more logical than
sound. The only justifiable con-
clusion yet apparent is that
Britain has weakened herself as
q world power. A more accurate
way to put ii is that she pub
licly proclaimed her existing
weakness. Her money was
gravely shocked by the war.
Without the Breton Woods
agreement it might not now
have its deprecated stability.
Her war effort materially had
to be largely sustained from the
outside (by us, Canada and
Australia). 1t was able TO sus-
tain itself only psychologically.
It's navy, which ruled the world
for several generations, is now
a fraction of ours (one-fifth to
one-eight, whereas ii was equal
at the start of the war;. It's
army is a minor world entity
as armies 60 in size and equip
ment these days.
It's foreign trade, which
furnished the only economic
reason for its world position,
has become matter for its
gravest postwar concern. The
Breton Woods agreement was
designed to help restore it, but
we have most of the ships on
the seas and the manufacturing
capacity, while Russia has great
raw materials and industrial
ambitions.
The election is likely to lead
to a further elimination of
these too-glaring conditions.
Mr.. Churchill, as world figure,
was able TO maintain facial
front above them, to cover them
while he extemporized. This
will be much more difficult for
Mr.. Attlee, especially in view of
his program.
LIS platform. for instance,
II does not advocate more
coal production, more power,
sounder money or finance by
the Bank of England, greater
or better iron and steel and in
land transport. 1t proposes that
his Labor Party use the peoples
money to buy these enterprises
and operate them. not to make
them bigger and better. but to
give his party followers
greater share of the profits of
operation, in short, higher
wages.
This brave new world of post
war measures national wealth
in production. Money does not
mean much any more. The price
level in an inf1ationary period is
apt to be a greater influence on
the wage paid than the amount
of the wage. At any rate, ma
tional production means ma
tional wealth and is the indis-
pensible factor in the economic
we'll being of its citizens. Britain
will not get production under
the Labor party program. 1t
does not aim TO. Its purpose,
indeed, is less work.
Most American officials ex-
pect Russia TO fail on this point
also. The common fears popular
in this country that Russia will
overrun Europe and Asia. and
eventually relegate us to sec
ond class power, are not shared
by m any of our government
men in the know. They do not
believe Russia can get produc-
tion, although she is in a better
position 10 get it than Social
iSt Britain. as she has the power
of compulsion over her workers.
PUSSlA never got enough
IL production on anything TO
compete with any one before
the war. Not until Nazi inva-
sion brought her unity did her
production become satisfactory,
and even then her backward
mechanical methods prevented
her from getting the full meas
ure of effort from her limitless