Evening star., 1949-02-06

tain such ideas, for their armament
will be limited principally by wha'
the United States is prepared t<
offer.
The present estimate is thai
American arms aid will cost at least
$2,500, 100000 (including packing ane
transportation for the limited de-
fensive forces which exist between
the Adriatic and the Scheldt River
The vitally important factor 1!
that for the first time in moderr
history European nations - which
have been bitter rivals, although
allied for short periods at variou.
times-are now willing to put all oi
their efforts into common defense.
u. S. of Europe Is Goal
1t is no exaggeration to say that
the creation of the North Atlantic
bloc is only a curtain raiser for the
fulfllment of a dream which SC
many Europeans have cherished In
the past-creation of a United
States of Europe.
There have been occasions in Eu-
ropean history when such an Or
ganization actually was created
but it was always based on domina-
ton Of the rest of Europe by one
aggressive power. The Roman En-
pire was, in fact, a union of Eu-
ropean countries through coercion
by Roman soldiers. Charles v OF
Spain effected a forceful union oi
European nations and Napoleon
brought about a similar combina-
ton by conquest.
AT no time has it been possible
to get rival European countries
into a single bloc Of their own free
will. The ambitions of emperors
and kings, one nations feeling oi
superiority over another, prevented
the creation OF real United States
of Europe.
War Drove Lesson Home
Attempts to establish even eco.
nomic unity, by the reduction o1
tariff barriers between neighborins
States, failed. 1t took the catas.
trophe of World War II, which eco.
nomically ruined Europe, and Rus.
sia's evident desire 10 install her.
self on the shores of the Atlantic
and the Mediterranean to drive
into the minds of Europeans the
idea that their only salvation lay
In forgetting ancient rivalries and
national pride and uniting before a
common danger.
The United States committed un-
believable diplomatic blunders
throughout the war years, and even
as late as l947. But its activities
in Western Europe in the last le
months have paved the way fol
what is now hoped will become q
United States Of Europe, closely as
sociated with all the nations of the
Western Hemisphere.
The job has been done indirectly
and we never planned, in our diplo-
matte actions, to bring about such {
situation. other consideration,
helped to spread the idea that the
Western part of Europe, at least
must unite.
Much Pride Lost
The British lost good deal o.
their pride when their empire be.
gan to melt away and when, as &
result, they ceased to operate tn,
worlds commercial clearing house
France-once the richest nation II
Europe and also the most conceitec
because of its long and brilliant
history-also has become awar.
that she will collapse If she insist.
on policies of pride.
The disastrous defeat which the
French suffered at the hands of Hit.
Ter taught them a bitter lesson
While outwardly they still boast Of
having emerged again as a great
military power, because some oi
their reformed divisions helped de-
feat Hitler, they are aware thai
they cannot be considered a mill.
tary force any longer.
With this feeling goes also th'
knowledge that they cannot hops
to revive themselves economically
without the help Of the United
States, which plainly warned al
Western European nations that ir
the last analysis they must fine
their economic salvation, depending
on American aid only to give then
q start. And France, like the othel
nations outside the iron curtain
realizes that 1t can do nothing
alone.
The European Recovery Program
and Soviet intrigues in Westerr
Europe have combined in a strang'
way to drive home the idea tina
only o union of European nations
can bring salvation.
Rivalries Disappear
No one talks yet about the Unite,
States Of Europe as political unit
But there is every reason to -
lieve that this will be the event, /
result Of present economic and mil
itary developments.
The rivalry between France an
italy which existed ever since Ital
became unified in the middle of tn
last century is now rapidly disap
pearing. A tariff union between til
two countries will be completed il
A..x1w