Evening star., 1947-11-10
'Momentous Decision

No one can accuse the Hartman COM
mittee of exaggeration when it says in
its report to the President that "the people
of the United States face a momentous
decision" The report undertakes to make
clear the nature of that decision and the
disastrous consequences which. could be
expected to follow failure on our part
to arrive at the right decision. If the
report is important in other respects, it is
imperative that this aspect of it be brought
home to the American people
The 10 men who worked with the Secre
tary of Commerce in the preparation of
this report are eminent in their respective
fields. No more competent group could
have been selected, and their conclusions
are entitled to confidence and respect.
In their judgment the cost of the long
range European aid program will be about
$575 billions for the first year, and be-
tween $12 and SIT billions for the whole
program. They have explored the ramlfl-
cations of such a program, including its
effects on our own economy and the pos
sibilities of getting the 16 recipient nations
back on their feet. Their conclusion Is
that we can afford to make the effort and
that, given proper management of the
program on our part and real effort on
the part of the beneficiaries to help them
selves, the chances of success are good.
1t is not in these respects, however, that
this report has its principal value. The
economic phases at best will serve only as
starting point for the studies and delib-
erations which will produce the final, con-
trolling congressional decision What IS
of primary Importance in the report Is
the committees definition of the political
problem involved and its impact on the
future of the United States.
The committee begins with the mani
festly proper assumption that this country
has a vital humanitarian, economic and
political interest in European recovery.
Of the three the last is most Important
There hardly is need at this late date
to document the fact that the world is
split into two theological camps-on the
one hand a system which puts its en-
phasis on the freedom and dignity of
the individual and on the other the
system which proceeds on the assumption
that the individual is merely tool to
be used by an all-poWerful, iron-fsted
state Nor is itsstill necessary to argue
the point that this latter system, stem
ming out of Moscow, is engaged in
full-scale offensive, minus only the guns
and the bombs, against what is left of the
free world.
What may be less obvious is the i'm
portance to us of the Western European
o+,io OCT q
report states, the position of the United
States in the world has been predicated
on the existence in Europe of a number
of strong states committed by tradition
and inclination to our concept OF inter-
national society, and on the ability OF
these states to exercise powerful staolllz-
ing influence. AS result of the war much
of this influence has been lost and there
now is doubt that the western countries
can continue as free states. These coun-
tries are in acute distress. If they cannot
work out their salvation along traditional
lines there is every reasonable expectation
that misery and chaos will throw them
into the Communist camp If that happens,
if the countries of Western Europe, in the
Mediterranean basin, in the Middle East,
and, possibly, Britain, 60 down in misery
and despair, we will soon discover that
the hour has struck for u.s.
AS matter of survival, we will then have
to embrace measure of state authority
such as we have never approached before.
We will live in an armed camp and the
freedoms that we often take too lightly
will be sacrificed to the harsh business OF
staying alive This is the basic reason for
going to the aid of Europe and this is the
basic message of this report. 1t is mes
sage which must be brought home to our
own people and understood by them.
Better In Than Out