Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-06-26
Department of Peace
Declared 3. S. Need

declared y. }. NeeQ
Writer Would Form Commission
Headed by Stettinius and Byrnes
By David Laurence
Yes, President Truman will sign the
United Nations charter, the Senate will
ratify in due time-and then what?
Will the nations Of the world settle
down to wait for q dispute to arise
before bringing the machinery of the
new league into action? Is that the
way to prevent war-to let disputes de-
velop over the years and see positions
and prejudices harden, and then, when
passions are high. try to nnd way to
cool them down?
Billions are spent for war and war
preparations, but virtually nothing is
spent to prevent war except when a
crisis arises. Thus the State Depart
ment is in charge Of our relations with
foreign governments and has q multi
tude Of business chores to do for Amer
lean business and the individual with
interests abroad, but there is no de-
partment Of the Government which
gives its undivided attention to the
subject of peace.
Senator WiIey's Idea.
Senator Wiley of Wisconsin, Repub-
hcan, had a good idea about this and
made speech about it in the Senate
year ago. He suggested that a de-
partment Of peace be established, to
concentrate and specialize on the main
tenance Of peace. Nothing came Of it
because at the time America was en-
crossed in war. Now the United Ma
lions has set up an organization and
the time has come for America to take
the lead IN establishing a special de-
| partment of government to carry on
the all-important work of our particle
| patton in such a league.
| The American Commission to Pre-
serve Peace might we'll be its name. 1t
should consist not merely of repre-
sentatives of the State Department,
but also OF the Treasury and Com
merce Departments, as well as Of both
houses of Congress. Such an overall
commission should have a special staff
in the interest of efficiency and to
avoid any wires being crossed all COM
munications should clear through the
State Department. There Is not the
slightest reason why any duplication
should occur between the State Depart
ment and the new commission. They
can and should work together.
A man cf cAhirot laval .hn,,,l
up the American Commission to Pre-
serve Peace and become thereby the
head Of the American delegation to
the United Nations Conference. The
nrst man to be given the post should
be Edward r. Stettinius, who not only
has served for nearly two years in the
State Department and knows the back
| ground of that organization, but who
has headed up the American commits
sion at San Francisco. He now has
made the acquaintance of diplomats
throughout the world and knows the
technique of conference and the mean
ing OF the provisions of the new league 8
| charter.
More Than Documents.
With James F. Byrnes as Secretary
OF State and Mr.. Stettinius as execu-
tive head Of the American Commission
to Preserve Peace, President Truman
would be carrying into instant effect
the desire Of the American people to
do more than just sign documents In
order to prevent a third world war.
The chairmen of the Senate Foreign
relations Committee and the House
Foreign Affairs Committee should be
automatically members of the new COM
mission which, Of course, ought to have
statutory sanction and be given a stable
appropriation by Congress. Such q de-
partment or commission with an ade-
quate staff should constantly study and
survey conditions, economic as well as
political, throughout all countries in
order to make reports to the American
people OF situations which, If agra.
waited, could become threats to the peace
Of the world.
Since moral force-and that means
full publicity and free press-is to be
the chief instrument of prevention, in.
asmuch as major nations will not con.
sent to be coerced by physical force or
threats OF such force, there is no
reason why the American commission
should not begin at once to exert such
moral force
(ReprodLction Risht, ae..rv.xH