Evening star., 1945-05-25

IL Is nOC making s8#
many converts. ''''
For one thing, Frank R. Kent.
arbitrary effort to class Britain as
a second-rate power is patiently alb
surd. For another, the necessity of
complete cooperation between the
English-speaking nations is palmer
than before.
Only the incurably anti-British
dissent from Mr.. Churchill'S recent
declaration that sit would be an Ill
day for all the world if Britain and
America did not go on working to-
gether and marching together and
sailing together and flying together
whenever something has to be done
for the sake of freedom and fair
play all over the world"
Realistic Concept.
This does not in the least mean
that the British and ourselves are
to form an alliance against Russia.
It does not imply any degree of unr
friendliness toward Russia. 1t does
not in any way indicate that there
is not full realization of the vast
power of Russia as a nation: nor
failure to appreciate the gallantry
of her fighting forces, the greatness
Of her war losses and the high
desirability of living in concord
with her. There can be no realistic
concept Of permanent peace in the
world without Russian co-opera-
ton.
Conceding all this, it still is true
that for us British cooperation and
understanding remain the prime
necessity First, there are the tre-
mendous bonds Of language and re-
ligion. There are the additional
bonds of the same basic law and
essentially the same system of gov
ernment and economics. There are
also the facts that nearly 40 per
cent of our people are of English
descent; that internationally we
have the same great objective-to
wit, peace-the same adherence of
tyrants and bullies.
To cap it all, it is unthinkable
that the British and ourselves
should ever war against each other
or line up on opposite sides.
Our interests are so similar. our
mental processes so alike, our goals
so Identical that to argue otherwise
does not make sense. Our differ
ences are superficial. In the basic
things we occupy common ground.
In any international organization it
is inevitable that, except in details,
the British and American delega-
tions act as unit. That is the way
it has been at San Francisco. That
is the way it probably always will be.
But that does not prevent either
us or the British from loving the
Russians-if they will just make
that possible. We all want to love
Russia, but it must be admitted
that since Yalta she has been max
ing it pretty hard. 1t isn't only the
Polish question and the quite clear
fact that Russia has not kept her
Yalta agreements Perhaps we can
do nothing about that and it should
not stand in the way of the San
Francisco charter and cooperative
relations.
ouG ID l1lOlC llldll tlldL
There is the refusal to permit
American or British correspondents
and military observers to go into
Russian-occupied Berlin. There is
the refusal to let the American
Minister to Czechoslovakia enter the
country to which he is accredited.
There is the curtness with which
Dtycctotoc Ayoorioov,
British notes requesting informa-
ton. And there are many other
things of similar character.
Few Dispute Facts.
Hardly anybody disputes the
facts. Nor do many defend the
Russian course since Yalta and the
Russian diplomacy at San Francis
co. Of course, there is Russian
answer to every complaint-fnost OF
them plausible and some of them
sound. But not even those who
most strongly urge that we must
learn to live" with Russia and in
sist that the Russians, rather than
the British, are of first Importance
to us defend all the Russian acts
since the Crimean Conference.
AS a result, there now are two
schools of thought about the Rus
slams, both conceding that we must
live with them" One contends
that we must recognize that Russian
standards are not the same as ours;
that they are sensitive, proud and,
properly, put their own interests
first; that the situation calls for
sustained tolerance on our part. The
other school says it is mistake to
continue coddling and appeasing
the Russians; that they regard this
as weakness and are encouraged to
make further demands; that they
would respect us more If we
showed more f1rmness and less
fear; that it is absurd to think that
Russia does not need British Amer
lean friendship more than we need
hers.
Plausible arguments can be made
for both views, but it seems impos-
sible to dispute that whatever
course is pursued our position will
be stronger if we have unbreakable,
unshakable bonds with other Eng
disappearing nations. 1t may be