The Wilmington morning star., 1946-03-07
Churchill's Address


Mr.. Winston Churchill remains a
world figure. He still exercises ire
mendous influence despite his demotion
to leader of the opposition in Com
mons. It is doubtful if he has lost an
iota of his power to sway public opinion
in the British-speaking world, outside
England's Labor party inner circle,
that he possessed as Prime Minister.
What he says, therefore, concerning
great affairs, whatever warning he
may give of possible trouble ahead,
commands the close attention, not only
in the capitals of the great powers, but
among the peoples of the world where
a free press may transpose his spoken
word into type without elision or mis-
Interpretation.
He issued a warning on Tuesday,
from a platform at Westminster COL
lege, in Fulton, Missouri, where he had
travelled with President Truman to re-
caive an honorary degree. Nobody
knows what Soviet Russia and it's COM
munist international organization in
tends to do in the immediate future"
he declared, cor what are the limits, if
any, to their expansive or PROSECUTING
tendencies"
However greatly this may appear to
unsheath the sword, it is to be admit
ted that Russia's policy since the fight
ing war ended, and long before, has
been to expand and proselyte, to the
very verge of aggression.
Mr.. Churchill's position is easily un-
derstood when it is noted that Russia is
offering definite threat to Britian's
''life line" by demanding voice in the
disposition of the Dodecanese islands,
by holding troops in northern Iran, by
seeking the trusteeship over italian
Tripolitania, by sedulously cultivating
the friendship, which, by the Russian
Interpretation, means support, of the
Arab tribes in Syria and Palestine, not
to mention Moscow's attitude toward
the Baltic states and in the Balkans.
His call for closer relationship be-
tween Britain and the United States is
equally easy to understand. The recent
war demonstrated more clearly than
ever that British and American inter-
ests are too closely allied to permit any
misunderstanding to separate them.
The United States cannot consent to
some OF Britain's policies, particularly
as they affect word trade and commune
cation, but these things must be settled
oy washington and London, as family
quarrels are settled under the family
rooftree, with the two nations standing
shoulder to shoulder, like brothers for
merly at odds, in any emergency Gre
ated by outside, particularly by what
MIR. Churchill calls neo-fascist. activi-
ties.
In principle, Mr.. Churchill's Fulton
address was on the beam. If it is sub-
Ject to criticism, it is not in the terms
OF Senator Pepper or other members Of
the upper house Of Congress, in effect
that he proclaimed British imperialism
as the highest objective. It is that he
took occasion to dwell on the possibility
OF war; for which no major power, Ger
'alnly not Russia, is prepared, instead
OF preaching the gospel of peace.
His psychology was wrong. Moscow
Is all too liable to accept his address al
a threat of war, rather than an appes
Tor better understanding and coopera
ton in creating world security.
g II the {aton) bomb is as powerful and q
cataclysnic as it has been said, bellve 70
i Will find the soldier more than anyone els
v yelling fer international machinery to prote
:, the peace and to make 1t work. --Gener
J Eisenhower