Evening star., 1945-08-28

cOntri b u ! o n 4,
than has generally been recognized
the longtime Secretary OF the
Treasury is entitled to be heard.
He thinks the American boys are
not tough enough to serve as an
army of occupation. They are toe
inexperienced in international BAN
ditry to serve as guard In the
German reformatory," he says, ano
he tells of the CT who remarked
"These Krauts amt so bad" after
receiving a glass of beer from
fraulein and a flower from a small
child.
It is possible to agree with Mr.
Morgenthau that the American
troops should be brought home very
soon, without agreeing with his rea-
sons. There are better reasons.
Deserve Something Better.
For the sake of the boys them
selves it is better that they re-
main as they are, disposed to see
the decent qualities in other hu-
mans. Regardless of what the Ger
mans deserve our American young
men deserve something better than
a training in cynicism as reward
for their service to their country.
For the sake of America it is bet
ter that we make the business OF
occupying other countries as brief
as possible. lest it become a habit,
That way lies the urge to imperial
ism. Nothing is likely to grow faster
than the notion that since We can
lick the world we should keep in
practice. There will always be some
misguided nation that seems to
need licking.
For the sake Of the world, the
happier, healthier world OF oul
hopes, it is better that every country
be left free to find it's own salvation.
National salvation, like personal
salvation, comes from within. We
talk a good deal about democracy
these days, but democracy can nc
more be imposed on people than
can Christianity. Neither can be
shot out of a gun. We talk q
good deal about re-educating the
Germans and the japanese, but II
what has happened to them does not
provide the needed education, all
the revised textbooks and other pro-
posed propaganda will not change
them.
But following this line of thinking
does not mean that Germany anC
Japan would be left free to plot and
plan and finally launch another wal
against the people who prefer peace
Something new has been added te
what we call civilization. We now
have on paper, signed already by
the principal powers and ratified
by their legislatures, a charter tc
which each is committed, bringing
into existence an international Sc
curity organization. This organiza.
ton, administered with reasonable
intelligence, can make certain that
neither of those countries ever again
starts the processes that lead to war
Easily Isolated.
Once the terms of peace have
been named and agreed to, once
the flow of reparations has begun
The need for occupying armies will
have ended. From that time on
it will be unnecessary to interfere
with the domestic life of any former
enemy nation. 1t will be necessary
only to guard neighboring countries
against attack. Utilizing the ma
chinery of the United Nations, it
will be possible to isolate any aggres-
sive- minded people as completely
as We have learned to isolate GER
tain diseases. The worlds naval and
air force, not forgetting the atomic
bomb, can serve If required. But
before it becomes necessary to bring
them into action there always will
be available the economic blockade.
Means of preventing the japanese
from getting out of control are
simple. Her three small islands are
easily subject to the three-way
blockade suggested. The task should
be no harder in the case of Ger
many. Surrounded on all sides by