Evening star., 1947-06-18
On the Record
Consistent Policy Held
vitoI in Foreign Affairs
Lesson Of British Doctrine in 10Th
C~rfur,y C:t@d
On the Record
Century Cited
By Dorothy Iho,np pson


Even bad foreign policy which is con-
sistent is better than good policy which
wavers and fuctuatesp The remark is not
cynical but sane The external policy of
great power affects all other states. II 1t en-
courages hopes which 1t fails to fulfill or in
stigates policies which 1t abandons, it throws
the globe into chaos.
great" power-as contrasted with big
one-can be counted on by all nations, who
thereby are able to gauge their own behavior.
Thus, while Great Britain-for about cen-
tury-was indisputably the first world power.
all knew, for better or worse, what behavior
they always could anticipate.
Doctrine Of World Interest.
All knew that Britain would not tolerate the
subsection of Europe by a single European
state or attempt such subsection herself AL
knew that Britain would not intervene in the
domestic affairs Of established states All
knew that even at the risk of certainty of war
Britain would keep open the sea routes to her
empire. All knew Britain would use the pound
sterling to stabilize currencies and trade rela-
tions.
Through whatever changes of government
this policy was consistent. Some states did not
like it, but all knew that by opposing it they
were taking 90 per cent risk of war. None
takes that risk without reasonable hopes Of
winning. This was the leading factor contrib
uting to world peace In the 10Th century.
1t was doctrine Of limited but clearly defined
world interest.
With the emergence of new chronological
and other factors in this century, it is harder
to define world interest. We still live in
world of power politics patiently inadequate
for modern realities. Not until this century
could one consider soberly that war might end
civilization, nor could one anticipate previously
that the absolute victor would be reparations
payer to the defeated and less fortunate allies.
War, by its totality, has reached the point Of
vanished returns. Yet no world leader has
taken one step to abolish war, and it there
fore. OF necessity, occupies a primary place
in all calculations.
Bolshevist Technique.
Also, in the power struggle the Russians have
introduced form of war which will not yield
to previous concepts OF how war between states
can be abolished. Civil war whereby power is
expanded by outcomes of domestic politics. This
technique, which the Boshevist revolutionaries
attempted to apply in Europe in the chaos
following World War I, was copied by Hitler,
who also made peace dependent on the struc-
ture and personalities of other governments.
This did not lead to peace, but to intense ex-
acerbation Of political struggles within states
and, eventually, to war.
When we criticize our foreign policy 1t Is we'll
to bear in mind that never has any government
inherited such task, and that no human mind
can propose q solution which would guarantee
positively both international peace and Ameri-
can freedom and security.
But one thing think is obvious II O
policy is enunciated, such as that of Secretary
Marshall at Harvard, 1t must be backed up or
the results will be disastrous. Already Mr..
Bevin has accepted the challenge OF taking the
initiative in Europe. Senator Vandenberg Is
right in proposing thorough survey of our
resources-that should have come earlier rather
than later-and calling for a citizens advi-
sorry council. The price will be five billion dol
lars at least per year, but the alternatives are
infinitely worse.
But worst of all would be to promise what
we fail to deliver and encourage only to disap-
point. In that way lies the certain ruin Of our
world.
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