Evening star., 1948-06-06

ael conflict.
situation and its background, which
hand against the Jewish military
organizations.
The British now are putting their
cards on the table. They warn US
that while they are not opposed to
the creation of a Jewish state, they
are not willing to join in forcing
the Arabs into submission. In spite
of our unofficial pressure the Lon
don government stands its ground
in. regard to Trans-Jordan and Iraq
by refusing to renege on its treaties
with those two kingdoms. The
treaties provide for the supply OF
certain military equipment and mill
tary instructors.
The British have told us frankly
that the Middle East Is vitality i'm
portant to them. The Oil resources
of that area are important not only
to. Britain but also to the rest Of
Western Europe, which is trying for
economic reconstruction with the
assistance Of billions provided un-
der the Marshall Plan.
Moreover. the British government
now is pointing out that its air
bases in the Middle East are Of
vital importance in present un-
settled world conditions, not only
to themselves but to the other
western powers.
The British treaties with Trans
Jordan and Iraq provide that in
exchange for training and equipping
the armies of the two Arab king
doms Britain will be allowed to
maintain military bases on their
territory. Stripped of their diplo-
matte trimmings these treaties mean
that in the event that the U. s. S. r.
forces war on the western democ-
racies the western powers could use
the Arab facilities to bomb vital oil
installations in the Caucasus. These
bases also provide a modicum Of
protection for Iran, which both the
British and American governments
have pledged themselves to protect
against Soviet aggression.
Policy Change Hinted
If the American Government con-
tinues to exert pressure on the
British to join in a policy of CO.
ercion against the Arab League, the
British government has limited that
it may have to revise its present
policies and consider its own in
terests.
q The threats now heard frequently
in congressional quarters, that tlla@
less Britain plays along with us On
the question Of Israel, Congress may
revise its policies regarding the
British share in the European Re-
covery Program, have led some
British officials to intimate that II
this happens Britain may have to
forgo the benefits of the Marshall
Plan and look elsewhere" for the
raw materials and food products
which are essential to the United
Kingdom. That elsewhere" can be
only the U. S. S. r.
Since last July Britain has been
ranked as an enemy Of the
U. S. S. R., second in Importance
only to the United States. 1t rates
as the Soviet's No. enemy in
Europe because its government
spearheaded the five-nation de-
fensive alliance which was estab-
lished this spring in Brussels.
Nevertheless, the British govern
ment is fully aware that ut can do
business with Moscow" under certain
conditions-primarily by disengag-
ing itself from "the clutches OF
American imperialism"
The British know that the United
States is unpredictable diplomat
ically. After having taken advantage
for a number of years of the emo
tionalism of the American people
and the amateurishness of our lead
ers in foreign affairs. they are Won
dering now which way we are going.
Conception Differs
| In the early stages OF World
War II the Roosevelt Churchill
collaboration was so intimate that
our military and political plans were
said to have been made in Eng
land" After the Teheran Confer
ence the administration had an
attack of puppy love" for Joseph
Stain and followed Mcscow's poll
cies almost blindly.
| When Russia decided. however.
that we had outliyed our usefulness
as a war partner, and had become
stumbling block in the way Of her
expansionist aims. our Government
was put on its own. The Marshall
Plan was devised as a panacea for
the ailments of the western world.
and our policy appears to be to block
Soviet expansion by paying a heavy
price for European recovery. As Is
natural, the 16 beneficiary nations
indorsed the Marshall Plan fully
aware that 1t might compel them to
defend themselves arms in hand.
Britain has co-operated SO far
despite the fear of her own people
that they may once more become
engaged in a devastating war-by
agreeing to place bases at our dis
posaI In the event Of Russian aggres-
sion.
The realistic British have a diff
ferent conception from our own.
While the State of Israel is estab-
lished on solid moral grounds, the
British oppose coercion of the Arabs
for practical reasons. If America
insists that they change their Mid
die Eastern policies. which go back