Evening star., 1948-10-07

1t will be shown once again that foreign
policy based on blind expediency and
emotionalism is poor substitute for
foreign policy that. is rooted in clear
headed appreciation of where our real
national interests lie
There is nothing definite as yet to in
dicate reversal of the unwise position to
which we have adhered for more than two
years. The New York Times reports from
Paris that Secretary of State Marshall has
proposed to Britain and France that the
U. N. General Assembly be asked to rescind
its resolution of December 12, 1916, as a
result of which most U. N. members with
drew their ambassadors from Madrid.
Doubt is expressed at the State Depart
ment that Secretary Marshall has actually
made such proposal. Officials here lean
toward the view, however, that it would
be desirable to rescind the resolution. Yet
IN the same breath they say that this
Government cannot do anything about it
because 1t is our policy to abide by U. N.
decisions. This is not an attitude that is
apt to inspire public confidence in the
State Department. If we and the u. N.
made mistake two years ago, and if that
mistake is now injurious to our national
interests, why cannot we take the initia-
tive in asking the U. N. to rectify the
error? II we are to be forever bound by
wrong decision simply because the u. N.
has made it, If we are debarred from
attempting to correct it through the proc
esses of the U. N. ITSELF then the outlook
for the future is not very bright.
Senator Chan Gurney of South Dakota,
chairman of the important Armed Services
Committee wants to 60 further than this.
In addition to restoring full diplomatic
relations with Spain. he advocates that
Spain be admitted to the United Nations
and that this Government proceed
promptly with the organization of what
would amount to military alliance
with the anti Communist world, including
Spain, buttressed by military and economic
assistance.
This is proposal which has much to
recommend it, although it will be de-
nounced, of course, by the Communists
and the professional liberals But in the
present climate of our foreign relations
barring really serious break with Russia
it probably is something for the future.
The first step will have to be the rescind-
ing of the U. N. resolution.
The adoption of that resolution was
discreditable performance.
The case came before the Security
Council on the spurious complaint that
Spain was a threat to international peace.
Russia and her satellites, with considerable
support from left-wing elements in France,
Britain and this country, wanted strong
measures taken to drive the Franco regime
from power In the light of what has hap
pened since then, it is easy to understand
the Russian motivation, for Spain occupies
position of considerable strategic i'm
portance in Europe. And If Franco could
have been forced out, there would have
been a good chance that a Communist
regime, or at least government sympa-
thetic to the Communists, would have
taken over in Madrid. That would have
been fine for the Russians, but very bad
for the Western democracies.
This effort to get rid of Franco by power
tactics failed, however, when an investiga-
ton by the U. N. produced incontroverti-
BILE evidence that Spain was not threat
to peace. The matter should have been
dropped there. Instead, a compromise
plan was cooked up-a compromise which
tried to accomplish indirectly what could
not justly be done openly. In effect, the
U. N. violation of the Charter, and with
the active connivance of this country in
terfered in the domestic affairs Of Spain,
and tried to induce the Spanish people to
do the dirty work land take the risks Of
ouSting Franco.
This undertaking met with the failure
which it deserved. Instead of weakening
Frances position with the Spanish people,
the devious tactics of the U. N succeeded
only in Strengthening it. And today, with
Russia, not Spain, emerging as the real
threat to peace, we find ourselves in q
position where we may have to eat our
crow and, in the interests of our. own
security and that of Western Europe, make
the best deal we can with Franco This
is not an enviable position to be in, and
we would not be in it if we had shown a
little more craftsmanship and foresight
two years ago. Past mistakes cannot be
undone, however. The important question
10 "iic'Alo1 VIC Will IeClliy ouT error IN Lne
future.
We will not do this if we again make
the mistake of basing our decision on the
question of whether the Franco regime is
good bad or Indifferent Much has been
made of the assistance which Franco gave
the Axis during the war. There Is no
doubt that he did help the Germans and
the Italians. Less is heard of the aid he
gave the Allies. But he also assisted us.
For example, he permitted Allied espionage
agents to operate on Spanish territory, he
twice refused to permit German troops to
| cross Spain to Gibraltar he permitted
French volunteers to pass through Spain
to join the fighting in North Africa, and