Evening star., 1948-03-29
Union Now Wanted Now

TO the Editor Of The Star:
Some who agree that the United States must
federate with the British and Western Euro
pean democracies believe that the best way to
do this Is first to encourage the Western Euro
peans to form a federal union by promising it
full United States economic and political sup
port. This seems a very easy, natural way to
transatlantic union-but this is a most dam
gerous illusion, in fact.
This policy leads to trans Atlantic union only
after the hopes placed in European union
crash. 1t robs the free Of the possibility of
achieving transatlantic union in time to pre-
vent war. Yet surely the objective should be
to avert Third World War, not merely to de-
fer or win It,
Why does European union lead to war before
1t leads to transatlantic union? One big rea-
son comes from the inevitable working of SOW
ereignty when tied to freedom. A European
union, to hold together at all, must seek to be
Observation-Disclosures not merely of the
Soviet Union but Of our American union. No
one wants to remain in begging position to-
ward even his best friend. The fact. that
European union must begin by being dependent
on the United States will make independence
from the United States its popular target from
the start.
Danger in collars"
The politicians in 1t who are attacked as
wearing Russia's collar will say their adver
saries wear Americas collar. To survive, the
Communists will have to disguise themselves
as the champions of the independence Of the
European union against both Russia and, above
all, America. They will pretend to advocate
making the European union "a bridge between
communism and capitalism, East and West" as
in Czechoslovakia before the coup.
The exigencies Of politics in free country
will force the European friends of the United
States to lean backwards to prove by word and
deed that they wear no foreign collar. The
best vote-gettng slogan for all candidates will
be, Europe for the Europeans-a bridge be-
tween Russia and America-keeping them from
war"
The exigencies Of free politics also will force
the United States to lean backwards to prove
that it is not seeking to dominate Europe or
even federate with it before it can federate
with Russia, too: that 1t gives its aid with no
strings. 1t will remain vulnerable to the worst
kind Of milking, for If it balks at giving aid
on a one-way basis 1t risks seeing its friends
lose votes to its foes. The Krenlin faces no
such problem with its allies. 1t does not need
union to knit them to it. for free speech and
free elections do not exist in It's allies-and
and backed by its secret police. Dictatorship
can rely on alliances. Freedom must rely on
federal union.
Two other factors doom a European union
to seek independence from, not federation WITH
the United States. One is that the national
hatreds and passions dividing the Europeans
are so great that to overcome these centrifugal
forces the new unions supporters must do their
utmost to build loyalty to it, and the easiest
way to do this Is to present both America and
Russia as dangers to all Europe The other
factor Is that socialism Is already strong in
Western Europe, and would probably soon con-
troll any Western European union. free
Marxist union placed geographically between a
slave Marxist union and free capitalist union
would be bound to seek to be independent of
both of them.
Questions Hope Against Division.
With such powerful factors working to keep
the house of freedom divided against itself
how can one reasonably hope that any kind
of European union will lead to federation with
the United States-before this division creates
greater pressure of necessity by producing
worse disaster than the free have yet expert
enced?
Why make now again the mistake we have
made at every opportunity the pressure OF dis
aster has given us since World War II began?
Why let the mountain now produce another
mouse?
Why await more disaster? We have enough
pressure of necessity now to produce as great
an achievement as did George Washington and
those who followed him to the Federal Con-
vention in 1887 To harness this pressure to
union of all the free We need but one cour
ageous leader of his stature. The people will
follow him, If he will but prove his faith in
them, stake his reputation on their common
sense. CLARENCE T. STREET.
Lost Art of Courtesy
To the Editor Of The Star:
was interested in the article Courtesy
Awards Presented" just wish that 1t had
been given bit more space, as the campaigns