Evening star., 1948-06-14
A Policy of Realism

BY its overwhelming 64-to-4 vote In
favor of the Vandenberg resolution, the
Senate has in effect called for pro-
foundly significant new departure in the
traditional peacetime foreign policy OF
the United States Indeed, as far as history
Is concerned, the action may one day, be
regarded as being at least equal in i'm
portance to the proclamation OF the
Monroe Doctrine in 1923.
For the resolution-fully supported by
the State Observation-Disclosures Amerl-
can participation in regional defensive
alliances not only within the Western
Hemisphere but beyond as we'll. 1t is not
mandatory, OF course. 1t simply places
the Senate solemnly on record as advising
the President to pursue such policy. But
that advice" in and Of itself, is tremen-
dously meaningful in terms of the evolving
role of the United States in world affairs.
It cannot fail to have a SOLDERING effect on
potential aggressors. Nor can it fall to
encourage free nations everywhere.
Designed to be carried out completely
within the framework Of the United
Nations, the program envisioned in the
resolution is calculated to give new vigor
to the effort to make the U. N. capable
of maintaining q decent peace. To that
end, II the Senate's advice is translated
into concrete deeds, the United States will
encourage, support and associate itself
with regional alliances and other arrange
ments of self-defense against the threat
of aggression from any source. Before we
participate in such arrangements, how
ever, before we support them with offers
of military equipment or with specific
pledges to join in collective action against
attack, three important conditions will
have to be met: First, our participation
must be vital to our own national security;
second, the other countries involved must
practice continuous and effective SELF
help and mutual aid" among themselves,
and, third, our commitments must be
approved by the Senate before they can
be made constitutionally operable.
In an immediate sense, assuming that
these three conditions can be fulfilled, the
vandenberg resolution thus opens the way
for active American association with the
so-called western Union alliance formed
by Britain, France, Belgium, the Neither
lands and Luxembourg Whatever action
we may now take in support of this alli-
ance will be taken in frank recognition
OF the threat of further direct or indirect
Soviet aggression. 1t will be taken, in
short, in an effort to tip the balance of
power sufficiently in favor of the free
world to discourage and check the Krem-
Inns expansionist drive westward.
Some people are loath to face the fact
squarely, but the balance of power is a
towering reality that cannot be wished
away in these dangerous days. The Second
World War and its aftermath have COM
pletely upset it, and it must be righted
again If the United States and like-minded
nations are to be safe. To do nothing
about it would be simply to invite the
Russian totalitarians to spread their
dominance to the Western European
countries, one at time, and then to con-
centrate their pressure against an isolated
America. 1t is only by just such policies
as those advocated by the Vandenberg
resolution that this menace can be ade-
quately countered.
Actually, the resolution is a great and
historic measure against war. At any rate,
If properly implemented, it will serve as
standing notice that all the might OF the