Evening star., 1945-01-14

1t Is not hard for me to understand
Great Britain's difficulty in understand
ing America. The British ought to
realize that the American people have
never accepted this war as our war
despite the statements of our prominent
internationally minded columnists and
high governmental personages. The
American people still believe that this
is Europe's war and that We have only
intervened for the idealistic reasons
embodied in the Atlantic Charter.
We are confirmed in this detachment
from the war by the administration
policy of military Intervention combined
with political nonintervention. If the
British people really desire to strengthen
their relations with the United States
they must accept this Interpretation Of
American psychology as basic premise.
Britain no longer is riding the crest
of wave of popularity in America.
The British people must bring them
selves to see that for Americans to give
their lives for an idealist goal and then
to be frustrated In their efforts to
achieve it fosters nothing but a bitter
disillusionment.
Open Dealings Demanded.
For the good of both countries all fu-
ture dealings between Great Britain
and the United States must be trans
acted openly, honestly and candidly.
There can be no more secret agree
ments, commitments, or covenants on
al M 1HA
herans. America wants no more de-
ceptive slogans such as "Give us the
tools. We'll finish the job" We are not
going to tolerate any condescending
attitude on the part of any one that
implies, or assigns us the status of poor
relations.
If Great Britain wants to remove the
causes which could easily lead to mis-
understanding and friction between our
two peoples, would suggest the follow
ing future course of action for her con-
sideration:
/. Britain should abandon her tradi-
tional practice of playing power politics
both in Europe and throughout the
world, balancing one nation or group of
nations against another, and sowing
dissention between them. I think Mr..
Churchill once defined Britain's policy
as very simply supporting the weaker
power" The alternative is genuine eco
nomic and political collaboration among
equal sovereign states. as envisaged in
the scraps of paper which made up the
Atlantic Charter and the Moscow dec
laration. The American people have
taken the principles of both OF these
documents seriously.
Refers to Churchill Statement.
2. While 1t NAV be said Americans
have no right to meddle In the internal
policies of the British Empire, never
theless, good feeling between our peoples
requires the frank admission on our part
that our boys are not dying in the Orient
to restore the old British, Dutch or
French Empires, or to establish new
American Imperialism; after all, Church.
Ill in his early January. 1942, speech
tacitly admitted he had worked to get
us into this war to guarantee protection
of the internal situation satisfactory to
the British Empire. In view of this,
hold our people are entitled to know
every detail of such internal situation
as applied to their foreign policy. The
attempt must not be made to formulate
Pacific charter" for Asia, in conflict
with the universal principles of the At
lantic Charter
Britain should reorient her traditional
io1 in, no ~ r1x
restoration of those rights and liberties
which are necessary to establishment of
a democratic order in the world.
Opposes Sphere of Influence.
3. In the economic field We hope that
Britain will join with us in loyal fulfill
ment of the fourth and fifth points of
the Atlantic Charter. Both Of our ma
tions should have learned the folly of
economic nationalism as expressed in
the Hawley- -Smoot tariff bill and the
British system of imperial trade pref
erences.
4. believe that Britain should aban-
don her attempts to establish sphere
of influence to reach apparently from
Scandinavia to Greece, in the futile
hope that the United States will back
her in the conflict with Russia which
would inevitably follow. The alternative
is, believe, general federation of Eu-'
ropean nations, within which disarma-
ment and economic unification will be
combined with sovereign equality and
cultural self-determination. Such q
federation would be no threat to Russia
nor to Britain, and would greatly IA
cilitate Americas participation in uni
versal and democratic international or
ganiZation.
S. If such a European federation
should be formed might not Russia, with
her noble written record of efforts for
universal total disarmament, want to
join with Britain and the United States
in calling world conference for the
universal abolition of conscription and
the progressive disarmament of all ma
tions?
g. Finally, will not the British people
join with the people of America in de-
manding the immediate reputation Of
the costly slogan, Unconditional Sur
render? I am not advocating here
peace negotiated with Hitler, but am
urgently advocating the immediate
broadcasting to the world Of our peace
terms-peace terms which will form a
minimum essential of principles upon
which to build our future dealings with
Germany. After all, it is not question
of hard or soft peace. Whatever the
peace is, the situation is such in Ger