Evening star., 1946-05-05
Public Opinion Found
Fovoring Byrnes' Ideo
Five Men Of Standing Cited
In Support for Treaty Plan
By Raymond Moley.

year LTedCy 10 Keep 1eTLldIly Ill lldllu
has been a realization of the boldness Of
the thing. 1t is a complete break with
diplomatic traditions OF a century and .
half. In light OF new world situation,
the United States Government repeals
Washingtons farewell address.
A second reaction is two questions:
. How is this plan to be implemented?
What are to be our obligations? The
answers must await discussion in Paris
and Interpretation to the American peo-
pie when Secretary Byrnes returns.
A third question, occurring to persons
with an eye to the future, is this: What
will be the reaction of the American
people to this bold and forward looking
policy?
I took a quick look at this question
through the eyes of group of prom
inent Americans whose success in life
has depended upon their capacity to
know the nature of public reactions to
public issues. I talked over the tele-
phone with five men in States where
past sentiment about European involve
ments has been anything but cordial
These men were willing to be quoted.
Here is. a quick summary Of their re-.
actions: -
John w. Bricker. who now is run
ming for the Senate. in Ohio, may be
present when the Paris-made treaties
come up for confirmation. He was de-
cidedly not a member of the Inter-
nationalist wing of the Republican
party but, back in 1943, he clearly de-
cided that Americas place in the world
required new duties and responsible
ties. He says today, The Byrnes treaty
idea is impaired by the uncertainty In
the minds of people out here about the
purpose of Russia. They haven't had
time to examine the treaty idea. But
one thing is certain: Ohio opinion 10
not what it was Is years ago. People
feel that we must participate in interna-s
tional efforts for peace. They are will
ing to grant anything to prevent 4
recurrence of war"
ALI M. Landon, who knows his Mid
west like book, brought out an I'M
portant point of view on the treaty Is
sue: The treaty must not be created
to enforce a Morgenthau plan or even
Potsdam plan in Germany. 1t must
be more than policing plan. No
four power alliance can support a per-
manently crippled Germany. We must
watch Germany, but we must let her
operate as an economically self-sup-
porting nation. Stability In all Of Eu-
rope and the world depends upon that.
and no armed camp can hold together
a stymied economy. There is no ques-
ton out here about the need for broad
international cooperation, however.
There is no reaction toward isolation"
In Minnesota, Gideon Seymour, ex-
ecutive editor of the powerful Mime
apolis Star-Journal and the Tribune.
believes that the Byrnes proposal will
be well received He said, Opinion
would vastly prefer it to 4 British
alliance. People out here adept the
fact that any successful international
organization requires close relation
ship of the major powers"
Mr.. Seymour's view of a new attitude
in the Northwest is important in light
of the fact that confirmed isolationist.
Senator Shipstead is about to be chal-
leneed by Mr.. Stassen's candidate, Gov
Thye. Mr. Shipstead has had no real
opposition for years. Now he must face
a popular Governor who is helped by
former Gov Stassen. found, two weeks
ago. that some people in the Twin
Cities felt that MIR. Shipstead was un-
beatable. But a larger number feel that
a new outlook on world problems will
overwnelm him at the polls.
Roy Roberts of the Kansas City Star
SAYS, Il would not be afraid to support
the treaty. If were running for ONCE.
We shall have to back the Byrnes pro-
posal We must put police power behind
the U N. If we take the position that
Russia is making big demands we must
offer our help toward the legitimate
security, that Russia says she is seeking !"
Governor Earl Warren is a popular
son of the State which never rejected
the leader of all isolationists, Hiram
johnson. But Mr.. Warren, while loyal
to the memory of the man who once
held the governorship himself John
sons is the single portrait in Warren's
ONCE realizes that times have changed.
Californians realize that without peace
in remote Europe, there can be no peace
in the Pacific. Mr.. Warren said:
people out here are not unfriendly to
the idea of an alliance. But they want
ing and praying for the U. N. Remem-
ber the U. N. was born out here. They
realize that the u. N. must be made to
succeed, and if a treaty fits into the
u N. pattern, it will be we'll received
This generalized picture of public opir,-
ion on our international policy confirms
what personal contacts in the Middle
west and Far West have revealed in q
number of visits have made to Illinois.
Ohio, Minnesota. Wisconsin and Mis-
souri, since the first of the year and to
California somewhat earlier. American
opinion is convinced that the U. N. IL
the last. best hope on earth.
A Chicago man, who was sincere
and outspoken isolationist in 1910, put
it this way: Il am not sure about alli-
ances, even now. But I like the U. N.
It's more democratic. 1t Is not secret.
It permits discussion. And 1t is all
we have now. The American people
are betting everything on its success u
There is danger, of course. in long
delay in Paris-danger of growing
American pessimism. And reports
from Paris indicate that that con-
ference of foreign ministers may last