Evening star., 1946-02-11


ment elected by the voters and with
authority over all.
Details of the plan vary accord
ing to the imagination of the indi-
vidual. but the assumption seems tc
be that the voters will choose fol
the world parliament only the
noblest and wisest men in all the
world. free from the faults anc
frailties Of the delegates to the
UNO and the national legislatures
And, logically, of course, the worlo
president would be the wisest and
best of the human race. All the
nations would surrender their soy.
ereignty to the true world govern
ment" and thus the world woulo
become fairer and finer than any
one ever thought of.
1t Is an inspiring conception. The
only trouble is that it is Impractical
to the point of Stiffness. Concedine
the splendid purpose of its sponsors
and the distinction of many of them
in their professions, to the average
American this will seem the most
cloudy, visionary and ridiculous
scheme to be seriously advanced ir
this country for long time. But il
Is more than that-it is the mos
Entimely and potentially harmful
idea Of recent years.
Blow to Cooperation.
That it should be so ardently
pushed at this moment seems almost
incredible. That the heaviest blow
to international cooperation shoulc
be delivered by the most enthusiastic
friends of International cooperation
(as all these men and women are) is
explainable only on the ground that
they have been thrown off balance
by the atomic bomb problem and
are In a state of panic.
For here is the UNO, the only
international organization with any
real hope Of success, holding its
first meeting in London and making
slow but what seems reasonable
progress, despite the inevitable OBJ
stacles. This country is its CHIEF
sponsor and prop. With so other
nations we have joined in an effort
to keep peace in the world and, In
the interest of peace, to control the
new and terrible force unleashed
by science. the secret of which is in
our custody. And this is the moment
a group of prominent Americans
committed to its purposes and who
favored its creation, now choose fol
assailing the UNO as wholly made
quate.
1t is just as it is trying to get on
its feet that they declare it doomed
to futility and launch a project fam
tastic and unreasonable. 1t would
not matter If these were the usual
crackpots of politics. But they are
not. True, some of them are cheap
publicity seekers. Some are identi-
fled with the American Labor and
Liberal parties of New York City
And nearly all are leftish in their
tendencies. But many, also, are men
and women of high character, good
reputation and some influence. Nor
would it matter if they were con-
tent merely to promulgate their
plan. That, however, is far from the
facts.
Press Plan on Truman.
Already they have inaugurated
a campaign to poster the terribly
harassed President of the United
States. Hundreds of letters are be-
ing sent all over the country
urging scitizens to sign petitions
appealing to the President to do
something they ought to know is
impossible for him to do-and, If
he could do, would intensity the
confusion in the world.
People will sign these petitions
1t is a weu-established fact that
people will sign any petition for
anything. And there are lots of per-
sons who eagerly will sign petition
solely because it is sponsored by
men or women with more or less
famous names.
Such is the human race. It does
seem a pity that the UNO should
get this sort of kick in the real
from its former friends just when IL
needs the most support. And 1t does
seem too bad that Mr.. Truman
confronted with problems at home
of unprecedented gravity, should
have to cope with group such as
this bent upon reshaping his foreign