Detroit evening times., 1945-04-26
BEHIND
The NEWS
BY Paul
MaHon


ent from the old one we have
known. IS assembling in the
Opera House here for the first
time 10 amend and adopt the
Dumbarton plan.
This is not Versailles with
Wilson, Lloyd George and Glenn
enceau meeting in mirFefed
palace 10 plan a world of par
liamentary democracieS through
a league of them. There was
no nation at the last world
peace conference which was not
a parliamentary democracy or
planning 10 be one Russia was
not invited. Those were the ways
and days before the growth Of
relationships. synthetic econom-
les and pressure politics.
YNHlS is a strange new world,
l. an interesting one, new in
every particular, with its head
quarters significantly in a
veterans memorial Qast war;
instead of the lavish European
palace, its delegates from 81
nations (46 small ones) repre-
senting the marked changes in
methods. ideals and purposes
from the old familiar world of
Versailles, different methods Of
elections, trade money, debts
and economics.
II is led by wholly changed
influences, by the United States
in its newly assumed character
OF world leader, by Russia. the
backward colossus now swiftly
grown to its full political
strength, by Britain. weakened
economically by the war and
changed somewhat in this
respect. but still closer politi-
cally 10 its historic character
than perhaps any of the other
nations, at least altered in its
empire purposes. since the last
world peace conference.
The 46 smaller nations are
different also. few retaining to-
day the full parliamentary,
capitalistic and democr
character they had in the old
world.
THIS is a new world in every
Il way. a new fashioned world
which will not be guided by old
theories, old ways or old fash
ioned diplomacy.
You must understand this
essentially new character of the
world if you are 10 understand
its men here at this conference
because this is its dominating
inspiration, the key TO every
thing that has happened so far
Russia-Poland, etc., and all
international events 10 come.
We are in this from now on.
The old world is dead, gone for
ever.
Now behind the conference.
itself, at the outset is a simple
and apparent inner condition.
The 46 smaller nations have
come here with amendments 10
the formula worked out by the
big three or big five. Their
amendments are also nearly all
of the same basic character.
They want more power for
themselves. more seats on the
council, more authority in the
assembly.
EGYPT, for a typical and clear
IL example, has drawn up 10
points not much different from
the proposals of the Latin coun-
tries. These promise sincere
collaboration" and "a spirit of
cooperation" but suggest four
more seats for small nations on
the council 10 represent regions
of the world.
These changes are not sug-
geSted in a wounded tone, but,
the Egyptian document presents
them, with this thought:
mo doubt a privileged posi-
tion OF the great powers II
normal and justified by the
larger responsibilities they
undertake in the maintenance
OF peace. The experience of the
League of Nations should en-
able us to avoid the mistakes
Of the past which were due to
an excessive division OF re-
sponsibilities. But IL would he
a mistake 10 20 to the opposite
extreme by adopting a scheme
OF concentrating the whole
power in the hands OF a very
few"
TH1S, then, is the core of the
Il conference. The Big Three
have actually written their
charter. Now comes the little
forty-six, caring pleas for
greater powers. The primary
job here will be 10 get agree
ment from all on final formula,
without too many amend
mcnts.
Now the conference is not
supposed 10 90 into the prob
lens of world finance, trade,
borders, cabinet compleXaries of
leftiSts and rightiSts, control of
the small nation or any OF the
real problems Of the new world
but these lie close behind
every consideration.
How freely they will break
out remains 10 be seen, but the
aim Of the leaders is 10 hold
them in the background until
the formula is assured.
II is nevertheless viSibly ap-
parent that whatever details Of
a working order formula are
adopted. the ingenuity of man IS
tho kN