Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-01
Only One Kind Con Endure

In his recent letter to Congressman
Taber, former President Hoover referred
only incidentally, and with qualifications,
to the possibility of separate American
peace" with Germany and Japan. The
reference has been taken SO seriously In
some quarters, however, that Mr.. Hoover
must be surprised.
Actually-at least at this stage-it would
be highly unrealistic to try to write a
separate German or japanese peace. J"
How could it be done? And what good
would it do If it were done? AS far as
Japan Is concerned, Mr. Hoover has merely
suggested that an international confer
ence be called at once for the writing OF
treaty by as many countries as might
be willing to adhere. AS for Germany.
he has said no more than that we might
even contemplate" treaty for the Anglo
American zones If the November meeting
OF foreign ministers turns out failure.
Wholly apart from the fact that separate
peacemaking would violate our interna-
tional pledges and wreck the United
Nations, there are numerous immediate
and practical considerations that rule out
such procedure at this time In the first
place there is little likelihood that Britain
would join us in it. In the second place,
as high officials in the American military
government have observed in Berlin, 1t
would gain us nothing in a political OR
economic sense. Instead, placing us in a
lone-wolf position, it probably would uia-
dermine our leadership and create new
complications for us throughout the world.
Thus, assuming the improbable, assum-
ing that Britain would go along with us,
while France and Russia remained aloof,
separate peace" for the Anglo-American
zones would have the effect of creating
two Germanys. The Russian and French
zones would be occupied by the Russian
and French armies. Could we withdraw
our troops in such circumstances? Would
the long-term economic and political
future be improved? Would there be any
thing In such setup that could bring
about better world? Would we get any
where by doing the same thing in Austria?
Would we be serving our own interests by
negotiating treaty with Japan and pull
ing out with the Soviet Union sitting where
1t does and with China in state OF acute
instability?
The questions answer themselves. We
cannot have separate peace" with parts
of Germany and Austria and with pros
trate and exposed Japan. Such an arrange
ment would not make peace; 1t would
make trouble. It would solidify present
divisions into highly explosive alignment
of powers arrayed against each other in
two worlds-a split that would almost GER
tainly lead in time to the most terrible
war in history. 1t may be that that is
how everything will work out; it may be
that Russian obstructionism will make it
inevitable. But it Is too early to give up
trying to establish the only kind of peace
that will endure-a peace established by
all nations together. a ~
1t needs to be emphasized that Mr.
Hoover's reference to separate treaties
was incidental and qualified. His chief
point was that we should do everything
we can now to revitalize the German and
Japanese economies for the well-being Of
Europe and Asia. We can do that without
playing lone-wolf role. If the Russians
eventually force that role upon us, the
world will be headed for another war. In
this day and age, peace cannot be made
separately; there will be either one peace,
an indivisible peace, or there will be no
real peace at all.
F.I