Evening star., 1945-04-20
Pacific Bases Declared
VitoI to u. S. Security
Russian and American Demands
for Territories Compared
By David Laurence

for Territories Compared
BY David Laurence
Is the security of the United States
any less important to the American
people than the security OF Russia is to
the Russian people?
One would think that question was
easily answered and yet there are in
the Government here persons who argue
that Russia may annex almost third
OF the territory of Poland, an ally, but
that the United States shall not be per-
mitted to obtain tiny area of ground
from the enemy less than 80 miles
square for future strategic bases in the
Pacific. a
1t seems that what Russia got out Of
the Yalta Conference by way of addi-
tional territory is not violation of the
Atlantic Charter or, If it Is, it doesn't
matter, but at the moment spokesmen
for the Army and Navy of the United
States ask for possession of Two Jima
and the Bonin Islands, as we'll as the
islands formerly held by Japan north
OF the Equator, they are criticized for
wanting to violate the Atlantic Char.
ter's provision forbidding territorial
aggrandizement"
why" Is Not Clear.
Just why it is all right for Russia to
take territory from an ally but not all
right for America to keep a small
group Of islands wrested from the Japa-
nese at heavy cost of American lives
Is not clear, but the fact is that such
conversations 60 on behind closed doors
in some Of the conferences which are
being held to determine future Ameri-
can policy.
There is distinct difference between
strategic areas such as would give us
bases in the Pacific and territories that
are annexed as in the case of Poland.
In the former there are no large groups
OF people who have had their independ-
ence and no economic resources to ex-
plolt. All that is wanted by our Army.
Navy and Air Forces are bases for
airplanes and carrier task forces 50
there can never be another Pearl Har-
bor
The late President Roosevelt assured
the Army and Navy that they would
have complete control of the bases. but
ne suggested that title be vested in
some kind of trusteeship. The question
was never finally settled because the
Army and Navy folks were debating it.
All that has been settled is that the
specific areas to be put under trustee
ships" will not be brought up at San
francisco. That agreement was reached
at Yalta, but pressure has come lately
to upset it, and the American delega.
tlon was lmportuned to discuss the
whole trusteeship problem. Only the
formula OF trusteeships and machinery
OF administration in the abstract will
be discussed.
This correspondent did not voice ap-
proval OF the Yalta settlement, but 1t
is decision made by the late Presi-
dent and the heads of the British and
Russian governments, and the United
States Government is apparently bound
by it. BY that Yalta Conference one
third OF Poland was to be awarded to
Russia and the so-called Curzon Line
was stanchly defended by its support
ers as one way to give Russia the Sc
curlty she wanted. Advocates of the
settlement were not in the slightest de-
gree disturbed by the outcry that the
annexation violated the Atlantic Char
ter. But some of them today are argu-
ing that "trusteeship" which gives
America outright possession of vital
bases is quibble and a subterfuge.
Surprising Matter.
1t is surprising that where the safety
OF the United States is concerned the
matter becomes quibble but when the
safety of Russia is concerned there is
approval on the ground that Russia
must have her security.
1t may be argued that two wrongs
do not make right, and there is logic
in such criticism. But If the Soviet
government would be willing to rectify
the Yalta arrangement and agree to a
"truSteeship" over one-third of Poland.
instead OF outright annexation, it might
be that Americans would be free to
consider the same kind of trusteeship
for the islands in the Pacific north of
the Equator. Certainly there is no rea-
son to be less generous to the United
States than the Yalta Conference has
already been to Russia.
There are many complicated problems
of annexation of territory, but there is
a difference between land grabbing for
economic reasons or for exaggerated
ideas OF what constitutes the spoils OF
war-something which the Atlantic
Charter really described in its prohibi-
tion against aggrandizement-and the
plea for security bases involving tiny
islands that have no political, ethnc-
logical or economic problems and can
be used solely for defense against at
tacks from the sea or air against the
American people.
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