Evening star., 1948-06-27

menSe prospects.
! To most Americans, even those
who are labeled isolationists. Europe
is the chief center of foreign inter-
est. Nothing but exceptionally
powerful and dramatic stories from
Latin America and Australia gets
top billing in American newspapers
and newSreelS.
Still. in becoming thus engrossed
in European matters we are prone
to overlook the fact, which is be-
coming increasingly obvious, that
Europe is dying continent. its
civilization already has been trans
planted to the Western Hemisphere.
The present tragic turmoil which
is developing under our eyes is not
accidental. Nor is it likely to be
remedieo, many realistic and un-
emotional observers fear, by vast ex-
penditures or even armed inter-
vention on our part.
Progress Moves West
Since the dawn of history world
civilizations have moved from East
to West. From the days of Babylon
those civilizations have lasted a
couple centuries and been destroyed
by invasions from Asia. From the
ruins of one of the greatest of
civilizations, the Roman, which was
destroyed by barbarian tribes from
the East, arose Western Europes
civilization. which progressed bril-
liantly until 1914. when World War
l began.
World War II, far more destruc-
tive than its predecessor, accom-
plished nothing more than destruc-
ton, on larger scale than World
War I.
In retrospect it appears that
World War II was unavoidable be-
cause European civilization had run
its course. The destiny which de-
creed that civilizations should have
a life span, just like the human
beings who comprise it, is doing its
work in Europe just as it did in
the once prosperous and highly
civilized Middle East. Greece and
Rome
| BY the same token. World War III
appears inevitable to many observ-
ers. There is no real reason why it
should occur. The impoverished and
var-weary nations of Europe would
like nothing better than to be al
lowed to live in peace. But the same
clements which ruined other civili-
cations have appeared again. They
are the half-Slav, half-Asiatic
masses from the east, the Soviet
Union, which holds its 200 ,0000 900 in
as tight a grip as Genghis Khan o.
Tamerlane ever held their warrior
hordes.
L. S. Alone Stands in Way
Europe is poWerless in the pres
ence of an immense military force
backed by some 100000 600 people
who inhabit the land of the Soviet
Union and its satellites and sup
ported by vast natural resources
It's only hope for survival lies in the
timely intervention of the United
States. which has become SO
imbued with optimism for peace
that it must now make a super
human effort to put its powerful
industrial and human resources to
work in order to meet the fateful
situation which confronts it.
We regard lightly the fact that
from 1910 to date We have spent
over O,OOO. 600. 600 of Americas
substance, principally for World
War II, Money may mean little
these days, but besides spending
money lavishly, We are depicting
what used to be described as the
inexhauStible natural resources of
the United States.
According to most conservative
estimates. another war soon would
cost at least twice what we paid our
in World War II. 1t not only would
impol erish the United States. re-
ducing it to the level of the already
bankrupt European countries. but
also would have a considerable i'm
pact ON our social structure.
None cf our politicians deny that
the most drastic controls of all
kinds will have to be imposed if We
become involved in another war
against one OF the most ruthless
totalitarian regimes the world has
ever seen.
The unbelievably laundering poll
cies of our statesmen during and
after World War II, when we un-
questionably had the power to die
tate conditions for a better and
freer world, can be ascribed again
only to fate. Otherwise it is impos-
sible to imagine how our Government
leaders could avoid seeing where a
policy of rank appeasement will
lead us and the rest of the world,
particularly since they have in their
possession all the facts proving the
Soviet's bad faith.
But these are things of the past
which can no longer be changed.
The cold fact of the matter is that
We are now confronted with another
world war and the Russians have
the initiative. 1t is up to them to
decide the time and place where
their well organized hordes will
strike. This may occur in the next
See RROWN page C-2l