Evening star., 1948-11-21

ACCORDING 10 G0ONc ClOSc tO btiS
Of "firm patience" supported by
ablishment to support it, will be
continued regardless OF trends and
views in this country. Should the
U. 8. s. r. show clear and unmis-
taxable evidence that 1t intends to
abandon its present policies Of ter
ritorial aggrandizement and hostil-
ity to anything we propose doing to
improve world conditions, the Amer
ican Government will be glad to
accept 1t in good faith and col
laborate fully.
No Appeasement
But according to those who are
close enough to President Truman
to read his mind and separate GER
tain eyrations which have charac-
terized him in the past from views
which he has held all along. he will
not embark on 4 policy OF appease-
ment whereby we stand to gain
nothing but shame and Russia
stands to gain complete control OF
the world.
The future Secretary OF State,
regardless Of who he is, will have
free hand tc conduct our foreign
relations after Mr.. Truman has set
the course and indicated clearly his
detectives. Unlike the period before
the death of Mr.. Roosevelt, the
White House no longer will be also
the State Department. After the
choice of = Secretary Of State Is
made that person will have complete
latitude to implement our foreign
policies a. set by the Chief Execu-
tive. According to those close to
Mr.. Truman, he still hopes to pre-
vail on Gen. George c. Marshall to
continue. But even If Gen. Marshall
il determined to end his public
career, the policies which are now
being formulated will remain In
effect.
Matter of Foreign Aid
President Truman hopes, but Is
not certain, that the Marshall Plan
can be continued in Europe. 1t de-
pends entirely on what the Euro
pean people themselves decide to DO.
If they fall prey to Soviet intrigue,
As appears possible in France, and
bring Communist, Moscow-spon-
sored governments into once, the
benefits Of the ERP will be denied
to them.
So long as the Western European
countries hold the line" they can
expect not only complete fulfillment
Of the Marshall Plan. but also an
even more important type Of assist
ance. President Truman Is said to
have decided to comply with the
request OF the Western defensive
alliance and place at its disposal
reasonable quantity Of essential mil
itary equipment to bloster resist
ance to pressure from the East.
It is now clear to most American
observers that the ERP cannot be
fully successful so long as the peo-
pies Of Western Europe remain in
continuous fear Of what tomorrow
will bring. They fear an invasion
from the East and realizing that
their national forces are too weak
and unprepared to offer any resist
ance to protect the men who work
behind the lines, they have no real
incentive to DO what is required to
reha Affiliate their economy In spite
of the vast amounts which are being
poured into their countries by
American taxpayers.
|Long.RanSe Strategy
All Western governments without
exception have put the $e4 question
to us: What will you do In the
event that the Russians change the
cold war into a shooting war?" The
French government has told us
bluntly that only formal declara-
ton by the United States at the
present time that we would imme-
diately intervene could restore q
certain degree Of confidence In
France. We have pointed out to
the French government that such a
declaration is impossible since 1t
should know as we'll a. We do that
we could not keep It.
We don't have at the present
time the necessary forces to rush to
the rescue OF any nation and our
military strategy is based on long
range. But what we can and in
all probability will do is to supply
the Western manpower with the
wherewhithal to stand the first
shock should the Russians decide
on war. And at the same time We
will consider the extension OF the
present Western European defense
bloc to Canada. the United States
and possibly the whole Of South
America.
The blueprint for providing mill
tary equipment to Western Europe
has been on President Truman's
desk since last March, but was not
presented to the Eghtieth Congress
for fear that 1t might defeat the
appropriations for the ERP. The
new Congress. which is entirely
sympathetic to Mr.. Truman, I'M
questionably will approve the ex-
penditure of some $2.500, 100000 for
military supplies to Western Europe
in the same manner 1t approved Mr..
Roosevelt's request for lend-lease.
Today 1t is far more true than eight
years ago that the borders Of the
United States are on the Rhine.
Military Pact Doubtful
An outright military alliance be-
tween the United States and the
Western h]oc anpears less feasible.