Evening star., 1947-11-08


The stark fact is that. In varying degrees, the
peoples and nations of Europe are enduring
serious economic Ill health.
Besides the war loss of millions of men,
women and children there are the hundreds
of bombed-out towns and cities, the millions Of
devastated homes, the thousands of shattered
industrial plants and buildings, the tens of
thousands OF destroyed bridges for all to see.
There is large shortage of fuel for indus
trial and domestic uses. Plants, therefore, will
not run, people will be cold.
Hundreds of thousands of working people in
European cities and towns are without an ade-
quate, healthful amount of food.
Money values fuctuate widely Every coun-
try's money is worth more at home than else
where. Even internal money values vary
wildly. This tends to slow down all trade.
Over here in the United States, we have our
problems also Taxes are high. Living costs
have gone up. But-and it's a big but-the
United States was not battlefield Our cities
still stand. Our industrial plants are un-
harmed. Our bridges have not been destroyed.
Our currency system is strong Even with
high prices, there is enough food, fuel, shelter,
clothing and work for us all.
In view of these differing conditions at home
and abroad, what course should we take to
insure to the people of the United States a
continuance of our high standard of living
and the way of life we treasure?
Where Our Interests Lie.
Let us be hardboiled about this. Let us,
in sum, find out where our ultimate best
interests lie
First of all. we should ask ourselves: Who
are these Western Europeans-these British,
r,,+o
Greeks, Austrians, Germans, Italians, ETC.?
The world needs their productivity for world
prosperity and security. Then, too. they are
customers for much of our own goods. We
need their normal purchasing power to keep
our farms and factories operating on as high
a prosperity level as possible.
These nations are at present generally demo-
cratic, In a world where police states are
increasing in number and where the threat
of a new war still exists.
These lands, with intermittent exceptions,
have in the past contributed much to modern
civilization, in science, invention, medicine,
music, art, and in the general culture freedom
and progress of mankind.
These nations are possible allies or possible
enemies of the United States, in the event
of another great war.
we nave everything 10 lose, IL we nave 10 AVe
in war-threatened and unprosperous world.
1t cannot be peaceful and prosperous unless
these European nations are peaceful and pros
porous, too.
Then. too, let us look at our own national
budget. Our Federal Government is presently
spending 81 out Of every 80 1t takes in, for the
support of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Why?
Because the world Is as yet too insecure for us
to do otherwise. The war has so weakened the
other democratic nations that the primary bur-
den of preserving world peace now falls on us.
Obviously, if the democracies of Western Europe
were prosperous and strong, our position would
not then be so insecure We would then have
potentially strong allies and defenders of the
democratic ideal, strategically located. to share
some of the burden. We do not have them now.
So, until there is a prosperous and strong West
ern Europe our defense expenditures must con-