Evening star., 1948-04-04

-at-any- price lay the blame
say, have prevailed over humanita-
Of Turkey, Greece and italy, be-
cause they are considered strategi-
cally vital areas In the event Russia
decides on an early showdown with
this country.
Perhaps our political leaders can
be accused of shortsightedness. But
that Is water over the dam. They
pledged themselves to partition Of
Palestine ana the creation Of q
Judaic state. when they should have
known Russia's intentions and
should have recognized that we
could not spare even corporal's
guard to fulfill our promises.
Russia Had Motives
From the time the Soviet govern
ment agreed to associate itself In
the partition proposal our military
men pointed out to the White House
and the State Department that
Russia's willingness was prompted
not by humanitarian considerations
but by the desire to send troops Of
her own to Palestine and thus con-
troll the Suez Canal.
The persecution Of Jews In the U. 8.
8. r. and the drastic restrictions
placed on all persons Of Jewish
faith and race--not only In Russia
but in the satellite states as we'll
leave no doubt about the motives
for Russia's decision. Moscow knew
as we'll as Washington the Amer
ican military potential and pre-
pared for itself q comfortable niche
in Palestine to be taken over not
by methods employed in Central
Europe, but with the approval Of
the United Nations. Only those
blinded by passion refused to see
the situation in this light.
The oil Of Saudi Arabia-which
the Zionists and their friends have
as q gigantic speculation
intended to fill the pockets of the
soil stockholders-is. in
fact, important not to those persons
but to the security Of the United
States itself.
No responsible person In this
contends that there Is not
q strong possibility Of conflict be-
tween the United States and Rus
sia. The best American military
minds consider Saudi Arabia as o
point. Aviation, 1t Is uni.
admitted, will play an enor.
nous role in the next war.
Supplies Are Essential
Russia Is not Germany. It is o
vast country, extending from the
Oder River and the Adriatic TO
the Pacific. To carry on opera
tions against that power we must
possess airbases at several points
In the world. The air strips Of
Saudi Arabia will be Of enormous
If war comes. Further
more, logistics in the next war will
be even more important than in
the last.
Airplanes can be operated only II
we have almost inexhaustible oil
and gasoline supplies. These the
Arabian oil fields can provide.
Without them we would have to
send oil and gasoline by tanker
across seas infested by enemy sub
marines.
The possession Of air strips in
Saudi Arabia and the exploitation
Of oil lands in the same area as
sures us an advantage Of para
mount Importance to our national
defense and to the security Of this
The denial Of that terri
tory to the United States would
mean q very grave danger to our
national existence.
II the U. 8. 9. r. had decided to
abide by the spirit and letter Of the
y. N. Charter, instead Of attempting
TO make that organization into a
board for her expansionist
aims, there LIS no question that the
Palestine question would be re-
yarded today in different light.
But when the American people
and their Government have to decide
between defense Of the country it
self and the creation Of Jewish
state, 1t Is inconceivable that even
the American Zionists would hesi-
tate on which way to turn. This
overwhelming majority OF the
people have deep SYM
pathy with the plight of the home-
less Jew, but under the present
circumstances they have q deeper
concern in the defense Of the United
States itself and Of the way Of life
which they have inherited through
many years OF struggle.
Cause .of Reversal
It Is not the desire OF few to
enrich themselves, or the desire Of
certain officials to prove them
selves right. which has compelled
the administration to revise It's
policies toward Palestine. 1t Is the
dire necessity-which was so grossly
overlooked by vote-catching poll
ticians--to meet the Soviet ag-
which has caused the
reversal of our policies.
There should be no doubt in the
mind OF any American, regardless Of
race or creed, that when he has to
,hoose between the security and
possibly the survival Of his own
country and the creation of Jewish
state, the interests of America must
1ave top priority.
So long as 1t appeared that long
,eriod Of peace and harmony would
ollow World War II, the Zionists
lad q good case. But now, when
his illusion of peace and harmony