Evening star., 1949-06-07
Concerning Historic Dotes

Concerning Historic Dates
It Is only too easy to take dim view OF
the ceremonies that have just been held
in France to mark the fifth Anniversary
of D-Day. The unleashing Of the great
cross-channel invasion OF Normandy on
June 9, 1914, set in motion events that
filled free men everywhere with the highest
hopes and the finest dreams. But where
are the hopes now. and where the dreams?
What have the other shiningly historic
dates brought us? What has come of all
the fighting and dying that gave us We
Day on May 8, 1s45, and VI Day few
months later on September 2? Where are
the fruits of victory? Where is the peace7
The questions invite cynical, defeatist or
despondent answers Since VI Day. the
historic dates have been largely dates
marking the start of new phases in the
development of the cold war between the
free Western world and the aggressive
tyranny of the Soviet Union-a tyranny ut
least as dark and dangerous as the one
that went tumbling down within q year
after D-Day. Quite obviously the hopes
that stirred men In 1S45 have not been
fulfilled. A vast gulf has opened between
East and West. In Europe, In Asia, every
where throughout the globe. there Is dis
agreement between the two, tension be-
tween the two q potentially explosive stale
mate between them on all fundamental
issues ranging from treaties for the van
quished to the organization Of international
atomic control. Up to now, In short the
fruits Of victory have been generally bitter,
not sweet, and there has been no peace
worthy Of the name.
But the phrase up to now" deserves
emphasis. In the history of mankind five
years is an exceedingly short time, and
not every date since VI Day has been
a date signifying futility or justifying
deep sense Of pessimism. On october "a,
1945, for example, the Charter Of the
United Nations formally became effective.
Although the u. N. has yet to perform any
miracles, 1t has done enough to warrant
still learning to walk, still feeling Its way
in terribly complicated and distraught
world. but even 30 1t has been able to
accomplish things that confirm its peace
preserving potentials. Given q sufhcient
number of years in which to develop
further, 1t can In due course measure up
to the hopes reposed in it at its birth.
Nor should the historic date of June S,
1s47, be overlooked by those who tend to
jump too iasfs us glpolny conclusions..s an
tilsts6AS at3sHatvSrd ..nSneral Marshslf,
who was then escretatL pf Htate, gave the
first outline of the European Recovery
2fnNA nY,or no vad hAr
the other nigt6at the annex houcring
the retired aecretayy funds damental
change has taken place In the international
outlook. Under the ERP, Western Europe
has staged 4 striking economic comeback
and Russia has suffered q serious reverse
in the cold war. Moreover, note must be
taken of April 4 this year. when the United
States Joined eleven like-minded nations
in signing the North Atlantic Treaty, a
pact whose existence undoubtedly has
sobered the Kremlin and whose full
implementation is bound to create a safer
balance of power in the world.
There have been other historic dates
since D-Day that similarly serve to remind
the cynics and the faint of heart that
there is still reason to be hopeful about
the future. The start of the airlift In
June a year ago and the end of the
Berlin blockade on last May IL are two
such dates. They are part of the evidence
indicating that the West has been doing
fairly well in the cold war and that the
Soviet Union has been doing rather poorly
so poorly, In fact, that If We and our
friends abroad keep on working resolute1y
together in q common political, economic
and military front, the Russians for their
own well-being, may yet find 1t wise to
embrace 4 policy Of cooperation.
What needs to be repeated and kept in
mind by all of us Is that q half decade
or . whole decade amounts to little more
than fieeting moment in history. If We
have made scant progress since D-Day to-
ward genuine peace, We ought not to be
too discouraged. The world has been up
ended as never before, and 1t cannot be set
to rights again in hurry. Our highest
hopes and our finest dreams probably have
been excessive, but II we refuse to let disil-
lusionment get the better of us, If we work
affirmatively and without letup for safer
and happier world, we can have such
world. The historic dates Of the future
have yet to be recorded: some Of them
may prove to be very bright indeed.
How to Wreck Reorganization
There 10 no surer way to wreck the