Evening star., 1948-02-07
Sune Words From Eisenhower

AS he prepares to end his brilliant mill
tary career and take over the presidency
of Columbia University, General Eisen-
hover, who retires today as Army Chief
of Staff, leaves behind him an altogether
level-headed "valedictory" message re-
garding the Russians. The substance of
the message is simply this: That he is
certain that they do not want to provoke
war and that they will be in no position
to wage one globally for long time to
come.
1t is wholesome thing to have state
ment of this sort from man as highly
placed and as well informed as General
Eisenhower. There has been so much
talking about war that the world some
times seems to be right on the verge of it.
The talking has been taking place not
in one country alone, but in all countries.
The result is an international atmosphere
in which the average layman can see only
a diminishing prospect for peace and an
accelerating trend-judging from the ex-
change of long-range invective-toward
the most terrible armed conflict in his
tory.
At the root of all this are the obstruc-
zionist and aggressive policies OF the Soviet
dicta torShip. They are not democratic
and peaceful policies, and certainly they
can precipitate a deadly clash If the free
world does not unite in countering them.
General Eisenhower recognizes this.
Little sparks start big fires" he says, and
we have good reason to be afraid OF
Stupid things starting a stupid war"
That said however, he emphasizes the all
important fact that the Russians-phys-
ically and psychologically-are incapable
of fighting on a global scale at this time.
Hitler came close to destroying them, and
it will take them years to recover to
point where they will be adequately
equipped for major test Of arms. In fact,
at least in psychological sense, not even
the United States, according to General
Eisenhower is equipped for such test
now.
So one of the most fundamental condi-
tions for peace-an indisposition among
nations to resort to large-scale war
exists in the world at this stage. Ac-
cordingly, as General Eisenhower clearly
implies, we can hope for the best, we
can be reasonably confident of averting
an armed conflict, If we do the right
things instead of the stupid things" One
stupid thing" would be for us to lose
sight of the prime strategic Importance
of Europe and whittle down the European
Recovery Program to point OF 1neffec-
tiveness Another stupid thing" would be
failure to maintain and develop our mill
tary strength as the present situation de-
mands. To do less than needs to be done
in these and kindred matters would be
to invite the Russians to undertake new
adventures out of which might come the
final little spark that would cause the
big fire.
But by the same token, II we look to
our arms and serve our own best interests
by helping free, Europe to recover, the
Soviet dictatorship will be wary about
doing anything likely to set OH an explo-
sion. Indeed, If we and like-minded ma
tions work closely together the Kremlin
may in time be convinced that 1t is play
ing futile game and that it had better
reverse itself and live up to Its obligations
in the United Nations At any rate, as
General Eisenhower makes clear, war Is
by no means inevitable. On the contrary,
if we act aff1rmatively and with vision in
countering the Russians, we can achieve
power balance capable of promoting
long peace. It is far too early in the day
to abandon hope on that score.