The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-06-09
Interest In Syria

WASHINGTON.-Not many years ago, it
would have seemed surprising strange for
the United States to be busylng Itself about
far-off Syria and Lebanon But today the for
eien policy of nation which has become
one of the worlds giants finds compelling
interests in these sun-sWept Levant States.
Washington is interested because it is
anxious to see France rise up. again as a
Great Power. 1t is interested because the
Middle East has oil and the United States is
becoming oil-poor 1t is interested because
Russia is interested And it is interested be-
cause bludgeoning. colonial behavior BY
France or any other Power doesn't augur
well for the success of San Francisco.
World peace needs the presence and influ-
ence of strong, liberal, democratic nations
Washington has been helping to make France
strong In Syria-Lebanon, France was hardly
being liberal or democratic. With so much
at stake at San Francisco and in Europe
this was a poor time for an ally to rock
the boat. The United States said as mucn
when it backed Prime Minister ChurchilrS
note to General de Gaulle
Washington does not object if France op-
tains or retains military bases, landing fields
or oil Pipelines in the Levant, so long ss
they are secured by something better than
browbeating and bloodshed. But the Use Of
harsh force toward a segment of the political
lily awakening Arab world harms not only
French interests but Americas future in the
Middle East. and our diplomats conscious
of this fact.
The United States is concerned with Middle
Eastern oil and trade opportunities, but from
observations made during my coverage of the
Middle East a year ago, I don't think this
interest could be called imperialistic.
The United States has never gone after
Arab oil rights by landing Marines or push
ing cruiser into the harbor. To date it has
won concessions chiefly by doing favors for
native rulers in the way OF irrigation prof.
ects, expert engineering advice and suchlike,
and by drawing on its big reservoir of native
good will. Middle East oilfields are a long
haul from Main Streets gas Stations but if
American companies could draw on them for
servicing their overseas customers, they
would not drain oil wells in the Western
Hemisphere as fast I
year ago, James NJ Lands, American
representative on the Middle East Supply
Council, told press conference that the Unit
ed States was convinced that big trade op-
portunities could be uncovered in the Middle
East if the Western Powers would advance
loans, education, engineering advice, and
technical equipment to these backward States
and thereby raise their abysmally low stand
ards of living. American influence has sought
they would gain more profits and products
from the Middle East if they treated the
countries less as colonies
Now, when newly-formed Arab League
is meeting, and Russia is showing deep in
terest in the solution of the Franco-Syran
impasse, this American program takes on
new responsiveness. Russia is close geo.
graphically to the Middle East-the land
bridge to India and the Far East There is
the distinct possibility that, unless the West
ern Powers exercising sway adopt
steadily more enlightened policy the millions
of Arab peasants and poorly-paid workers will
eventually find a communist design for living
not unattractive.
Washington is aware CT ali these issues. It
is also aware that General de Gaulle has
cleverly suggested Big-Power- and Arab con-
ference which would settle all issues threat
enng Middle East harmony. Such confer
ence seems premature There's plenty Of
spadework to be done yet In pacifyng Pales-
tine. for instance. there's need to find out
whether any large portion of Europe's re-
naming Jews wish to emigrate to this Zionist
homeland.
But the Middle East, because of oil and
an economic vacuum. Some kind of politica
ideas an6 some brand of economic modern
cation will be called in. Whose will it be-
Christian Science Monitor.