Evening star., 1945-10-26
E=1hfs Atomic Age and
SURVIVAL
By ABE FoRTAS
United States Under Secretary
of the Interior

o. the Interior
In this atomic age, if we cannot find way to
live together we will surely perish together. The
people OF the world understand this Their desires
are simple their vision undistorted by the COM
paexities of nationalstic maneuvering. They want
peace; they want reasonable degree of freedom;
they want a reasonable amount of food, clothing,
shelter and security
1t is to these-the basic desires of the people
that we must look to chart our course. We must
build our international relations not upon the
shifting sands of the whims ambitions, personaIi-
ties and policies of governments, but upon the
felt necessities Of people. We must build our do
mestic policies, not upon the pressures and the
pulls of special interests, but upon the welfare of
all people
In this country, we have learned the hard les
that il is impossible for half Of us to be g1ori-
s~sly rich and the other half abjecdy poor; that
industry, for example, cannot flourish while agri-
sa2ture staFves We have now TO learn the equally
difficult lesson that We - a nation cannot hong
prosper while the rest Of he verld Is in despair.
AsnevieoAs Greet Isvssues,ee
Internationally, No natien in modern times has
approached the veneration in which the United
States of America has been held by the people Of
the world We have been the big brother Of all
people. Our greatness and strength have been
benevolent; our enormous power has been used,
not to enslave but to free.
We can use this great moral power and prestige
Of ours TO unity the world. But do this only
If We give the less fortunate people of the world
hope hope for better life; hope that they
viii have food, economic opportunity, and free
dom from fear hope that they will soon achieve
decent livelihood on self-supporting basis,
without reliance upon the charity Of others.
There is no people on earth who will long toler.
ate condition stripped of hope. If we do not give
them the basis for hope, they will necessarily turn
elsewhere - ' A ~
We must assure the decent people Of the world
that we will aid in their economic rehabilitation
and progress. We must tell them that we ' 1 lend
substantial economic and moral assistance to any
democratic government committed to performing
its part in the process Of recovery, and dedicated
10 the ways of peace and civilization :. and w
must make good those assurances
Internotionol Cive-und- -Tol<e
We cannot play Santa Claus to the world; but
neither afford to play short-sightedly We
must require and accept payment for goods
and services other than those supplied TO allevi-
ate starvation: but payment must be based upon
ability 10 pay. That means must accept real
payment, in goods and services deliverable only
as promptly as the debtor nation can furnish them
without seriously imparing its own economic
dition. The fundamental requirement for world
survival is that from our abundance of material
and skill wisely offering and accepting trade and
knowledge, we must help and teach other people
to set their feet firmly upon the road to a better
standard Of living :. the shortest road for us and
them to lasting peace.
live are not willing to do these things, we might
as well again begin to polish gums tune up
tanks planes and ships and devote our best minds,
our manhood and treasure to the frightful task Of
preparing for the horrors of atomic death.
The Promise Of Lastins Peaee
On the other hand, if we can firmly establish
within our own country the economic bases of
democratic living, with full employment as fully
accepted requirement; and if we are willing to aid
other countries to work and build for themselves
stable ecohomies, we shall realize the free and
society which Americans so greatly
cherish.
The American people are equal to the task. We
cannot fail in these objectives for in this atomic
age the requirements for democratic living are the
necessary ingredients for the preservation Of civi-
ixed life on earth.