Evening star., 1950-12-04
A Time for Level Heads

A Time for Level Heads
In his fateful talks here this week with
President Truman, British Prime Minister Glenn
ent Attlee will give voice to "a general identity
OF view" existing between France and his own
country in connection with the grave world
crisis caused by Red China's Kremlin- supported
aggression against the United Nations in Ko-
rea. In larger sense, moreover, he will be
representing view that reflects the hopes and
fears of free Europe as whole, including West
ern Germany
Stated with some oversimplfcaton, the
fundamental elements of this view may be
summed up as follows: (D If there is to be an
other gobal war-and the hope still persists
that it can be avoided-the European theater
will be decisive in that war. (2) 1t will be de-
cisive because non-Sovet Europe's skilled man
power. its output of so million tons of steel
a year, its great collective industrial capacity,
and in general its status. as technologically
advanced Christian civilization make China
and contiguous countries in the predominantly
agricultural Far East seem weak and primitive
by comparison
90 Hence, if the men of the Kremlin could
bring this highly developed region under their
tight control they would be in an excellent posi-
tion to destroy the free world America, of course
not excepted. (4 Since that appears to be
Stalin's objective it is of the utmost Importance
that the United States and its Western Allies
strengthen the Atlantic community as fast as
they can and strive to avoid ineXtrcable involve
ment in an all-out armed conflict in Asia. And
(5) at the same time on the chance that they
might accomplish some good, they should resort to
every honorable diplomatic means, both inside
and outside the U. N, to negotiate an acceptable
political settlement with Red China and the
Soviet Union-a live-and-let-live modus vivendi
under which it might be possible for the world
eventually to attain firm new balance of power
capable of averting war and promoting the
gradual development of decent peace.
In number of respects, this thesis may seem
to be wishful in the extreme, but it deserves the
most careful and most sympathetic consideration
here in the United States. Our European allies,
after all, live within shouting dstance-at some
points within talking distance-of the guns, tanks,
planes and massive armies of the threatening
Kremln Accordingly, they have every right-in-
deed, they have the duty-to make clear to us
what is in their hearts and minds and to try to
impress upon our military and political thinking
the idea that their part OF the world is strate-
gcally far more important at this stage of history
than the mainland Of Asia. That idea, as mat
ter of fact governed our operations in the recent
war and it is presumably still dominant at the
Pentagon, regardless of General MacArthur's
seeming belief to the contrary It is an altogether
sound idea-sound enough, certainly, to make US
think long, hard thoughts about the danger of
getting too deeply involved in the Far East.
OF course, what makes the European view
seem wishfu is the fact that there have been
many indications-nota the shockingly men
dacious and ncendiary speech delivered last
week to the Security Council by Red China's
representative-that Peiping and Moscow have
already made up their minds to hold fast to their
present criminal course regardless of whether or
not they precipitate another world war. II that
is the truth of the matter, then it is obviously
foolish to talk about negotiating an honorable
political settlement with them for what they
want-in that case-is an unthinkable capitu-
lation by the United States and the United Ma
tions
Nevertheless since nobody in the free world
can be certain about this right now there is still
much to be said for the idea of seeking political
way out. The art of diplomacy is not to be con-
fused with the futility of appeasement. To agree
to the Peiping- Moscow position, as thus far pre-
sented, would be merely to surrender to a dis
honorable deal that would shatter the U. N. and
make war inevitable. On the other hand, as in
the case of the crisis caused by the Berlin block
ade it is not yet entirely nconceivable that diplo-
matte effort can win over the Soviet Union-and
Red Climatic Korean settlement that would
satisfy the Vests conscience and make no one
feel ashamed.
In any case, as Mr. Attlee prepares to present
the European view to Mr.. Truman, all Americans
should feel sense of solemn obligation not to be
swept away by flaming passion over the crime now
being committed in Korea. We are living in one
of historys supremely critical moments AS never
before, this Nation, together with its allies must
be calm, level-headed realistic and as coldly CAL
culating as the forces that will do their best to
destroy US If we lose our sense of good judgment.
Youth Conference