Evening star., 1949-07-20
The President on Foreign Policy

In his address to the SHRINE COnVoCdtIoh
In Chicago, President Truman has done
little more than restate the broad hopes
and objectives OF American foreign polcy.
What we want is good and enduring peace
"A peace In which our own and all otner
free lands will be able to prosper together
in an atmosphere of liberty and security.
To that end, as the President has en-
phasized. the United States, rejecting the
majority view of the American people, has
dedicated itself to the task OF supporting
and improving the United Nations. In
addition, it has undertaken such far-reach-
ing measures as the Marshall Plan Tor
European recovery and the North Atlantic
Treaty for mutual defense against ag-
gression.
The President is optimistic about what
these and kindred measures are likely to
achieve. War is not inevitable. Com
munism may have temporary triumphs."
But already tensions and conflicts appear
to be increasing" behind the Iron Curtain
and in the long run the Red tyranny must
either destroy itself or abandon its attempt
to force other nations into its pattern"
The free worlds way Of life-its faith, its
democratic principles-has 4 superior at
traction for the minds of men everywhere,
and it can insure itself against destruction,
and continue to flourish and spread, with
out having to engage in an annihilating
conflict with totalitarianism..
But the President has made clear that
his optimism is qualified. Many dangers
and difficult problems still lie ahead, and
I'VE must act wisely and steadfastly" ii
we are to surmount them and progress
truly effective world organization capable
OF organizing genuine system OF collective
security for the perpetuation OF a peace
in which all can have confidence. Thus
for one thing, we must make sure right
now that "the hard-won economic recovery
OF other free nations does not revert to
stagnation and despair" and We must
therefore be on guard against slashing
funds for the Marshall Plan-a step from
which "only the Communists would profit"
Above all-and this adds new note OF
emphasis to the Presidents past express
sions on foreign policy-we must maintain
a healthy and stable American economy as
"the primary source of strength of the free
WOTiO. ACCOIOlIlSIy, llc WdAVS cNcIy oAc
of our plans, public and private, drafted
"in such way as to give us more jobs and
more output" For everything can fail II
the United States cracks economically.
Stated in just that way, few are likely
to disagree with the Presidents remarks
on our economy. But there are many who
will challenge his recent proposals-par-
ticularly for deficit spending and the
extension of social beneflts-to stimulate
employment and production. The fear is
that with our tremendous public debt such
steps may hayesthe effect of doing much
more harm than good, both nationally
and internationAItL "T''"'" - y ''''
indeed, as an Illustration OF how our
"welfare-state" operations can have roper
cussions abroad, the British themselves
pointnout that our policy Of farmsprice
suuuortx IS largely +-responsible for their,
dollar crisis. In that respect the Presi-
dents Chicago speech is open to debate.
Otherwise on the whole, it is noncontro-
versial and timely reminder of what this
troubled era demands of the Nation.