The Wilmington morning star., 1946-11-17

The News
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE
AP Foreign Affairs Ana,vs+

The campaign Of left-wingers in
the British House Of Commoos -
force the Socialist government II
associate its foreign policy from
that Of the United States, 50 as +,
avoid what they describe as a,
inevitable conflict between Pn,.
STA and America, gives interesting
emphasis to the metamorphosi'
which John Bulls empire is under'
going.
This rebellion apparently receiv.
ed a FLIP from the announcemon,
in the Kings speech from tbs
throne at the opening of Parli..
ment last Tuesday that conscrin.
ton for the armed forces would h..
continued - this being the first
peace-time military conscription in
[Britain's history. Prime Minister
Attlee gave point to this in hi,
statement that developments nj
modern weapons made England es.
pecially vulnerable to attack. Ha
said the country was now a mar,
of the European continent and i've
must have trained reserves who
can take their part straight aWav
without waiting six months for
training"
Direct
That's plain talk. 1t means that
as things now stand there is Gang.
err Europe may be heading into
another war. Further conflict isn't
inevitable, but it's a possibility
Mr.. Attlee is playing the part Of
a wise man in seeing that his coun.
try is prepared for contingencies.
And the prime minister has given
no indication that he thinks tbe
dangers Of another war rest in the
relations between Russia and
America. Europe is as full of peace
traps as a hedgehog is Of quilts.
Attlee is too well informed to agree
with the amazing statement by one
Socialist member of Parliament
that the United States was the only
nation in the world where some
Ordinary people wanted war"
and that America was inflamed
with war fever" Just in passing
he might remark that this sounds
very much like the language we
have been hearing from another
great European capital recently.
OF course strange ideas about
America still prevail in some quar-.
tiers Of the British isles. I've even
encountered people who believed
that savage Indians still roam the
plains close to Chicago. However,
the average Briton is better in.
formed about the U.S.A., than that.
And he knows that we don't want
war with anybody, though we hope
he will give us credit of being able
to put up a fight if it is necessary.
So far as John Bull is concerned,
his position is such that it's good
to have a friend-meaaiag Ameri-
ca-but his policy is of prepared
ness and his foreign relations
aren't inspired by any "war fever
in the United States. His policies
arise from two pressing personal
situations( I'd the postwar r~eali9n-
ment of the European spheres Of
influence has created a definite
threat to peace: ca the British
empire itself is undergoing a
mighty change which involves an
alteration in political relationships
and an upheaval in its global de-
lenses.
There is Britain's recent momen'
tous recognition of the indefeaslol'
ity of her Mediterranean lifeline
to the Far East in any further
World war. This involves the shift
ing of the weight Of her imperial
defenses from the Eastern Med
terraaean to a line through British
West and East Africa-a tremen-
dous undertaking. There will be
other defensive adjustments in the
Orient. And there are political
changes-for one, the granting OIL
independence to the vast sub'con'
tinent Of India.
No, it isn't Americas war fe"
er" that impels John Bull to keep
his powder dry. He las troubles
Of his own and finds it very com
forting to be On close terms win
Uncle Sam.