Evening star., 1949-05-15


the three Scandinavian countries
somewhat puzzling innovation
Union has, under the stimulus OF
abundance of new internationa
organizations during the last yea
or so. One might ask why ther'
should be added yet another one
The question would seem all the
more pertinent as the Council o.
Europe, in contrast to the Other
organizations so far created with
in the general framework Of West
ern Union, has no obvious anc
immediate practical task. Defense
is explicitly excluded from its
terms Of reference. That is being
taken care of by the organizations
set up under the Brussels and
Atlantic treaties, organizations
which comprise broadly, though
not exactly, the same range OF
European countries now to be
united in the Council Of Europe.
A Striking Difference
Their economic aims, though
not formally barred from the
councils deliberations, are al
ready being dealt with by the Or
ganization for European Economic
Cooperation in Paris, which
unites the 10 founder members OF
the Council Of Europe with nine
other European partners in a
rather tighter working organiza-
tion than the new Council pro-
tides. 1t is unlikely that the
Council of Europe will want to
duplicate, or to interfere with, the
work of that organization.
Even organs for cultural and
social cooperation already exist
though in narrower framework,
under the Brussels treaty be-
tween Britain, France and Bene-
lux. What then is the purpose of
the Council of Europe? And in
what respect does it take us
further than the already existing
organizations?
NlThere is one striking difference
between the new Council of Eu-
rope and the existing Western
Union" organizations: all the lat
ter are of a purely diplomatic
inter governmental character
The Council of Europe, on the
other hand, does not simply re-
unite the same foreign ministers
once more under yet another title;
ii attempts, for the first time, to
create a joint supernatural rep
resentation not only of govern
ments but of peoples. BY the side
of it's Ministerial Committee, it
will have a consultative assembly.
recruited from the parliaments of
the member states and assuming
some of the functions of parlia-
ment itself-the first parliament
of Europe.
Another Aim
1t is true that the powers of
this first European Parliament
are very much hedged about in
the London statute of this week;
its members will be selected by
the national governments, it will
be purely consultative. and even
its agenda is to be decided not by
itself, but by the intergovern-
mental committee. But it would
perhaps be a mistake to make too
much Of these statutory restric-
tions. Some very famous historic
parliaments have started off with
even heavier constitutional hand
leaps, only to assert themselves
with revolutionary vigor. Whether
the assembly will become real
and substantial Parliament of
Europe. whether it will make his
tory by uniting Europe-that de-
pends less on its statute than on
the caliber, conviction and states
manship of its members. as we'll
rs on the power and depth of
the popular feelings that they can
mobilize behind them. If Europe
wants to become one, it now has
the instrument to do so.
III Here lies the real difference be-
tween the Council of Europe and
The other Western Union organ
izations. Though it unites more
or less the same states. it unites
them in a different way and for
81 different aim. OEEC, the
Brussels pact, and the Atlantic
pact were all born from the cold
war. AS long as the cold war is
on, their importance is paramount
and obvious to everybody, but 1t
has yet to be seen how they would
stand up to prolonged truce In
the cold war.
The Council of Europe has
little to do with the cold war
It is the outcome of the movement
for European unity-a unity that
is desired by many Europeans for
its own sake, quite apart from
any Russian menace. If the
Council of Europe serves any i'm
mediate political purpose. 1t IL
that of making peace with Ger
many rather than of waging cold
war against Russia. It's statute
is indeed almost made-to-measure
Tor the early inclusion Of Ger
many: the provision Of associate
Membership" which admits te
the Assembly only and not to the
COMMITTEE of Ministers. seems
specially designed to make some
form of German accession pos
<sible even before Germany regains
the freedom of conducting an In
dependent foreign policy.