Evening star., 1947-02-23
British Need
United edEurope
Churchill's Prediction
Is Beginning to Be
Borne Out
By Hal O'Flaherty

a prophet. He is gifted with vision
of world affairs far above states
manship of his time.
When he began preaching the
need for a united Europe, he at
tanned new heights. Long before
any one else was aware of the new
world alignment, Churchill saw it
coming.
He saw Russia consolidating a
great new area bullying far into
Eastern Europe. He saw the United
States, on the other side, growing in
power and drawing together the
Western Hemisphere into a tight
alliance.
Now, looking east or west, this
nation can see and almost feel the
shadow of the Jwu greatest powers
on earth. 1t lives today between
these two forces, in a valley callet
Europe.
Churchill, who saw World War L
approaching and warned his coun-
trymen time and again, draws a les
son from that disaster: Britain s
place is at the head of united Eu-
rope.
Until 1899, Germany held first
place on the continent and from
that country went out the things
that its neighbors needed, things
that we're produced by Germans in
quantity and at a reasonable price.
Big Entente Coming.
Today, Germany is broken eco
nomically and dismembered polit-
ically. British troops occupy its
most productive area, the Ruhr.
British influence in the continent
will continue for years and with it
will come the opportunity of leader
ship.
If some loose federation can be
established in Europe, beginning
probably with customs unions de-
signed to break down the false trade
barriers, then Europe and Britain
may hope to prosper again. Little
has been said so far about the form
of Europe's new unity but it must
have a start in new treaties.
The projected alliance between
Britain and France may be the
forerunner of others in similar
vein. But this time there will be
no Little Entente such as France
organized after the First World
War. It will be a Big Entente and
Britain, instead of France, will be
its guardian.
There is nothing dangerous in
this movement for unity in Eu-
rope either to Russia or to the
United States.
The fact that the new Anglo
French alliance is being pushed for
ward and should be signed before
the four-power conference in Mos
cow in March can be taken as a
step toward European unity. The
task of making peace with Ger
many and Austria affects Britain
and France far more than it does
the United States. They need to
have some joint plans for Western
Europe to lay before the Moscow
Conference.
Not Self Sufficient.
But Churchill is pleading for
unity beyond that of the two strong
est nations in Europe. He wants
Germany and Austria tc be part
of a new federation.
Events in Britain during the early
part of 1947, especially the disrup-
ton caused by the coal shortage.
the need of closer ties
with the continent. Britain Is not
self sufficient. It's food must come
from other countries. Its raw ma
terials must be imported.
To pay for what it needs, Britain
must send out those products which
it's people make so expertly - heavy
machinery, leather goods, woven ma
terials, farm implements, electrical
The innumerable prod
ucts of the old Germany can be
supplied by Britain and the new
market will be in rebuilt Europe.
These thoughts and plans for a
United Europe will come out in the
struggle over Germanys future.
Britain and France cannot be ex-
pected to seek the restoration of
strong German group of states under
a powerful central government. They
are far more apt to want loose
federation In Germany. with British
1See OFT IAHERTYsPage C-5J