Evening star., 1948-02-28


Fervor for Cooperation
Held Needed So Nations
Will Accept Sacrifices
By Dorothy Thompson
The preamble to the European
Recovery Program draws an ana
logy with the United States. Mind
full Of the advantages which the
United States has enjoyed through
the existence of a domestic mar
ket with no internal trade barriers
and believing that similar advan-
tsges can accrue to the countries OF
Europe, it is the hope :. that these
countries will speedily achieve
the economic cooperation which
is essential for lasting peace and
prosperity"
The fallacy here is, again, the
belief that economic developments
precede political and social insti-
tutions.
The United States was not Great
ed by q previous economic union.
Economic union was created through
the political fact of the United
States. A unified trading complex
with q common currency came about
because the national spirit had been
born requiring unified forms for its
expression. We did not create eco
nomic cooperation" We created
o nation.
Actually, some 80 years later, con-
flicts in economic interest brought
on the Civil War. The Southern
States, feudal and agricultural, con-
cluded that it was not to their eco
romic interest to remain within the
union and pay protected prices for
industrial goods in return for un-
protected prices for agricultural pro-
ducts. They believed they would be
better off in the world free-trade
area created by 10th Century Bri-
tain.
Slavery Extension Feared.
The Northern States, with a rapid
ly growing industrial capitalism
based on wage labor, regarded with
concern the extension OF chattel
slavery. The sentimental issue OF
human slavery added q powerful
interest" Most powerful of all, how
ever. was the idea Of the integrity
of the nation. In the end the Un-
ion was preserved at the cost-for
decades-of the economic interest OF
the Southern part.
1t is dubious whether Pan-Eu-
ropean customs union would be to
the economic advantage of each and
every participating state. After
World War I, it was not to the eco
nomic interest Of Czechoslovakia-
for instance-to join a Danubian
confederation, which would nave
diverted trading and banking inter-
ests to Vienna. It was, however,
highly to the overall interests OF
the Danubian states to create a
federation, because they were sur
rounded by two aggressively minded
powers, Germany and Russia. These
two powers had just fought over
them and would, in all probability,
struggle again to make them booty.
But the economic interest OF some
prevented the political cooperation
Of all.
Today, it is not the economic in
terest of the separate states which
should be driving to create the Eu-
ropean nation, but the military and
geographical situation Of all Europe.
It is situated between two great pow
ers, Russia and the United States,
one of which already has Partition
ed Europe, both of which might
make Europe a battle-ground; and
the struggle between them threat
ems to deprive Europe-in the best
case-of freedom Of action.
Unity Should Go First.
If there is a good European" he
should therefore wish to create such
united strength as would put Eu-
rope on a par with the Soviet Un-
ion and the United States, and en-
able Europe to maintain neutral
independent position. But for this
parochial economic interests would
have to be sacrificed, as the East
ern economic states-under pres
sure of the Soviet Union-have been
compelled to sacrifice national eco
nomic interests for the sake of con-
solidated power.
II, therefore, a unified Europe Is
ever created Except by the Russian
knout after the Nazi knout has fail.
e0, It positively will not be done by
economic planners.
These manners will retreat wher
national interests are implicated
The French devalued the franc de-
spite the fact that It is embarrassing
to Britain and that Mr.. Schumar
and Mr.. Bevin subscribe to the tdes
Of economic union"
If United Europe comes Into
being. 1t will be under leadership not
pre-eminently economic-minded but
filled with fervor for the idea Of
Europe-able to tncarnate anew Eu.
ropes spiritual essence and raise q
banner for which men will even sac
rifice economic interest.
For, before nations will Cooper
ate" economically, they must know
what they are cooperating for
They muslin short-love some
thing they hold in common, over
and above economic interest.
(Released by the Bell Syndicate
Inc)
Chew Chase Baptist