Evening star., 1948-05-07
Marshall Statement
Indorses Policy Of
Balance OF Power
Resumption Of U. S. Talks
With Russiu Also Hinted
By New Declaration
By David Lawrence

Sometimes Government publicity
or propaganda is as confusing as
that issued from private sources.
The public, for example, has Just
been given carefully prepared
statement by Secretary of State
Marshall on why the veto power
should not be abandoned in the
United Nations and why the recent
proposals to amend the Charter
should not be pressed.
But Gen. Marshall says one
thing and the other agencies of the
Government, as well as Congress,
say quite another. Thus, in his pre-
pared statement, the Secretary of
State made this very commendable
comment:
THE factor of military strength is
OF immediate and major importance
in the present world situation but
Is not the element which will be
paramount in the long run. The
emphasis often placed solely on the
military aspects of world affairs
does q diSservice to the cause of
peace. The more that present diff
ferences are talked about and
treated exclusively as a military
problem, the more they tend to be-
come So"
Bold and Frank Declaration.
One can only be amazed at the
boldness and frankness of this dec
laration. Yet in the very same days
news comes word of the passage by
Congress of billions of dollars for
70-group air force. In fact the en-
phasis from the executive agencies
OF the Government on the need for
military force has been accompanied
by no camouf1aged reasons - the
officials who testified before Con-
gress pointed openly to the menace
Of Russian aggression as the basis
for military rearmament.
When a Federal budget is going
out Of balance just to build up mill
tary strength, it must be source of
wonder that the Secretary of State
could speak of emphasis on the
military aspects as doing "disserv-
ice to the cause of peace" without
realizing that the Congress has been
impelled by executive recommended
tions in placing such emphasis on
the military aspects.
But this is not all. In his own
prepared statement, Secretary Mar
shall virtually recommended that
the United States join in a military
alliance to emphasize military
strength. He said:
THE United States Government
Is now considering the steps neces-
sary to bring the national military
establishment to the minimum level
necessary to restore the balance of
power relationships required for
international security"
Here is perhaps the most i'm
portant pronouncement on foreign
policy made since the close of World
War II. 1t is, in effect, an an
nouncement that, despite the pleas
Of the late President Wilson against
the balance of power and despite
the arguments of former Secretary
Of State CUrdcn Hull in favor of
collective security the United
States Government today abandons
collective security as impractical and
indorSes the restoration of the bal
ance Of power" idea in the world.
Alternative Forced. -
It is true this alternative to- COL
lective security has been in sense
forced by the refusal of Russia to
participate in collective security
plans. But at the same moment
that Secretary Marshall refuses to
sanction amendments to the Charter
to promote the cause of collective
security. he announces that within
the United Nations a military alli-
ance against Russia is being formed
He declares:
The United States is acutely
aware that the return Of a sense of
security to the free nations of the
world is essential for the promotion
of conditions under which the
United Nations can function. The
necessary steps for elf-protection
against aggression can be taken
within the Charter of the United
Nations. The Charter recognizes in
Article 81 the right of individual
and collective Self-defenSe against
armed attack until the Security
Council has taken measures neces-
Sary to preserve peace and security"
Here is more emphasis on mill
tary aspects" If Russia will not
play ball and insists on her veto in
the Security Council and also COM
mits acts of aggression, the balance
of power" will be used to coerce her
into agreement.
This is realistic concept that has
long been advocated by those who
feel that physical force is the only
language the Russians can under
stand But there are many who
have grave doubts whether this isn't
really the way to bring on war. Ger
tainly there is much merit in Secre-
tary Marshall's naive comment that
'the factor Of military strength
is not the element which will
be paramount in the long run"
This must mean that somewhere
and somehow resumption of talks
between Russia and the United
States leading toward a removal of
mutual distrust and suspicion is
inevitable.
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