Evening star., 1949-05-12
Spirit Of hiIitarism
Tends 10 Grow, Even
In Peaceful America
Writer Assoils PROPOSED
Thot U. S. Celebrate Its
Victory Over Blockade
By David Laurence

Victory Over Blockade
By David Laurence
II is strange how the spirit of
militarism which hourished in
prewar Germany tends to grow
even In peaceful America.
At a time when the world is
breathing easier because there is
a faint hope at least of some
kind of reconciliation between the
East and West. 1t is now being
seriously proposed by the National
Military Establishment that the
United States celebrate its vic
tory" over the Berlin blockade.
The plan which the military
folks here are developing calls for
demonstrations In 81 different
cities throughout the United
States and includes a tour by Sc
lected members Of the airlift
crews and celebrations. paid for
by the Government.
Not only is the plan in bad taste
for a nation which has always
boasted that its possession Of arm
arnent never means swashbuckling
but 1t is hard to see what purpose
Is to be served, even from the
standpoint Of publicity stunt to
bring about the spending by Con-
gress Of more money for airplanes.
Not Military Operation.
In the first place, the successful
operation of the Berlin airlift was
not really a military operation. 1t
would never be carried on that
way in wartime. The crews were
military and they deserve the
highest praise for what they
achieved but commercial trans
ports cannot go unescorted or un-
protected In time of war. Every
one IN America ought to know by
now that big transport airplanes
can carry tons upon tons of
freight and at cost many times
that Of freight train. Every one
ought to know that airplanes can
carry passengers successfully and
in large numbers when trains are
blockaded.
What then Is the true meaning
Of the plan to emphasize the
achievements of the airlift? Sure
ly, If 1t be to encourage further
construction Of airplanes of the
transport type, the country has
had ample demonstration of the
wisdom Of that course. 1t might
make more sense to give medals
to the designers and builders of
such durable aircraft that few so
successfully and gave an example
Of mechanical operation Of the
highest order.
Surely by making an "E-award"
or by some other form Of recogni-
ton through letters or statements,
the producers can be given due
praise. What seems strange is
that the State Department. which
is engaged in delicate negotiations.
should permit a demonstration
which seeks TO emphasize Amer
ica's victory" in an international
sense.
II ever there was q time for the
State Department to speak the
language Of peace. 1t is today. In
stead, the word from that depart
ment is one of continued distrust.
The public Is asked not to take
the lifting of the Berlin blockade
as q sign Of any real charge but
is urged, in effect. to maintain an
attitude Of disbelief.
Sign Of the Times.
Incidentally, as o sign OF the
times. the other day an Associated
Press dispatch from Washington
pointed out that with the lifting
OF the blockade there would be no
"crisis" and that the Department
of State now faces difficulties in
carrying on our diplomacy with
out the crisis atmosphere.
There seems to be some peculiar
idea that crisis is necessary III
order to maintain certain attitudes
or positions. Certainly the IS
billion armament program is based
wholly on the belief that war is
imminent and not five or ten
years of. Yet most high officials
say they do not expect war. If it
comes at all. to come in the next
Ave years.
The need for an ~alerted and
effective defense is not being ques-
toned and shouldn't be. But the
American people have always been
suspicious of artificially created
reasons for spending money on
armament. Sometimes the sus-
picion is just the backfire produced
by overzealous statements or poll
cies by military people themselves.
From the standpoint Of improv-
ing relations with Russia, the less
that is said about the airlift now
and the more that is said about
solving the problems Of the forth
coming foreign ministers confer
ence, the better the spirit Of col
laboration for peace will be. To-
glorify military aspects In this in
stance is to express pride OF
achievement, of course. but un-I
fortunately it can only add en-
phasis to militarism at q time
when the world is praying for o
new approach and q new attitude
on all sides.
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