The Wilmington morning star., 1945-12-11
No Excitement


Perhaps the most notable feature OF this
country.s progress toward participation IN 'he
United Nations Organization is the lack OF
excitement which, to date, has accompanied
that progress.
There was some feeling of tenseness and
expectancy before the San Francisco Confer
ence got under way. But once the delegates
had settled down to the occasionally dull task
of pulling causes apart and putting them
back together, the public pulse returned to
normal Even the occasional spats and dlsa-
greements didn't cause undue stir
The Senate ratification of the United Ma
tons Charter was a one-day story in the
newspapers last summer, and seemed 10
cause. no ripple on the surface of the average
citizens life And recently when the Senate
was considering the role and responsibility OF
our representatives on the Security Council,
the lack of excitement even seemed to affect
the members of that body. There were days
when they had trouble getting more than
handful in to listen to the debate.
BuL IL unQOuDteQly WOulu pS WIoIlS W SoiA-
fuse the lack of excitement with a lack of in
terest on the part of Congress or the public.
A year ago almost anyone would have bet
that there would be plenty of fireworks when
the Senate took up the question of our joining
new world organization, and that isolation
lists, encouraged by the Senate's two-thirds
voting rule would put up bitter, last-ditch
fight.
1t would be difficult to realize then quite
how well the American people had learned
the lessons of this war. Only after the UNO
Charter was ratified with only two dissenting
votes, and our UNO representatives were Civ
en- the tools of strong, speedy action by 65-to-
7 Senate majority, was it fully evident that
isolationsm as a strong national force was
dead, in and out of Congress.
Where isolatonism existed it now seems to
have been replaced by mature, realistic,
rather grim hope which might be called a ma
tional emotion as far as our hope for future
peace is concerned. We know already that the
United Nations Organization will not be ar
association of wonder-workers operating ir
perfect harmony. We know that its task is bit
terly difficult and that it will bring many
disappointments.
We also know that a successful search fol
peace can only be conducted by an organiza
ton of nations. We know it because the pain
full ordeal of war has given us perspective
Ehelped us to reshuffle values and face facts
We have seen where quick, decisive, united
action might have ayerted war, and so WI
know that machenery for such action mus
now be set up. We have seen that future il
which we could ignore the rest of the worle
and its troubles is not only unsafe, bu
impossible. And we have reached these con
illusions almost without giving them conscious
thought.
Thus the American people and their elected
lawmakers have calmly, almost casually
launched the country upon one of it's mos
portentous courses of action. They have don
this with their eyes open. Some may hav
regretted exchanging self-sufficiency for col
lective security. But they have seen that tn
first belongs to the past and that the second
though it brings great responsibilities an
4 limitations, offers the only discernible hop
for safety
The lack of excitement then, is under
standable. But perhaps the present nationa
mood offers greater promise Of success.