The Nome nugget., 1947-03-19
Pinning Germany
(By Barnet NOVer)

Britain and France signed at Dunkirk has more of symbolic significance at this time. Its potential inn portance is not that to be discounted how ever. In signing the pact, neither Great Britain France assumed any obligations The heart of the treaty is the clause formally pedgng the two nations to act together to insure that Germany will be disarmed and demiltarzed and generally, that she will mot again become menace to peace"
 Yet Great Britain and France already separately pledged to just such by their respective alli- ances with Soviet Russia and by their membership in the United Nations
 From this point of the pact of Dunkirk is for mai manifestation of the diplomatic axiom that two na- tons that individually allied to third are in effect allied to each other.
 Soon Belgium proposes to conclude treaties with France the Netherlands Great Britain and Russia, whose purpose will be in line with the purposes of the Russan-French, Anglo-Russian and Anglo-French al- dances. Together with the RussianCzechosovak and RussanPolish alliances there interockng pacts will bind all of Germany neighbors with the sole but prob ably temporary, exception of Denmark to act as one should the former reich show signs of again going the Warpath
 The pact of Dunkrk also expresses the hope that all four of the powers at present occupying Germany will sign long-erm pact to keep Germany from breaking out. Such pact proposed by former Secretary Byrnes last year and that American offer doubt will be renewed at the Moscow meeting of the Big Four for eign ministers by Secretary Marshall.
 If Germany is actually kept disarmed, demtarzed, and peaceful during the next twenty thirty or fifty years it will be only incidentally and indirectly because of the solemn pledges which Germanys neighbors have made to do just that. .-.- .... '--
 The determining factor will be whether not the
 Ons that allied against Htlers reich consider to their respective interests to keep Germany dsarmed demiIitarized and peaceful That in turn will depend on their relations with one another.
 Those relations today particularly the relations be- tween Russia and the western powers anything but good There is hardly policy which the United States or Great Britain is pursuing anywhere in the world which the Kremlin does not view with suspicious eyes Great Britain and the United States are equally suspi- cous of the aims, ambitions and policies of the Soviet Union.
 At Moscow the four major powers will be dealing with the central of all questions concerning them name ly, the organization of power in central Europe.
 If they succeed in achieving proper balance in their respective interests if they manage to reconcile their conflicting points of view regarding the political organ ization and the economic future of Germany there will be peace in Europe If they fail the split between Rus sia and the western powers will unquestionably widen
 It is because of this possibility that the Russians have viewed the negotiations between Great Britain and France for the alliance that has just been consummated with notable lack of enthusiasm.
 THcv c""'d mt object to it since. the surface