Evening star., 1950-12-31

CeIltuIlcS. Ills cApldlIlS tLlc Optl-
mistic belief of many American
military men that in a pinch we
can rely solidly on the British.
While our Government wavers
and remains undecided about the
present threatening situation, the
American people, by and large.
are ready to meet it head on.
The hesitancy of our Govern
ment is due to the fact that it has
been woefully optimistic in it's
estimate Of the international sit
uation. The Democratic Party
has maintained itself in Office
for the last 18 years and its
leaders were loath to admit past
errors, lest the temper of the peo-
pie be turned against them.
This resulted in pyramiding
mistakes. It resulted in a falsely
optimistic picture being given to
the American people. who by force
of habit believe implicitly in what
they were told by the highest Of
ficials in the country. And since
the news vas good they accepted
1t without further question.
Lived in Fools Paradise
They were easily convinced that
peace and friendship could be
purchased, just like any COM
modify on the open market. They
believed that gratitude for our
good deeds was inevitable and
that Uncle Sam would have no
enemies so long as he continued
to dig into his children's pockets
and distribute his substance to
the four corners of the world.
Any one who said differently was
Immediately stigmatized as an
isolationist or a reactionary-both
words implying a jingoistic ma
tionalism and failure to cooperate
with the rest of the world.
The people of the United States
have been taught to believe firmly
in the efficacy Of the United Ma
tions as an organization to keep
permanent peace. The finger of
scorn was pointed at all the
doubling Thomases, even if Rus
sia's antics were only too obvious
and showed clearly that Moscow
was using that international or
ganiZation of peace-loving ma
tions as sounding board for its
reckless propaganda.
Most politicians, news broad
casters, newspapermen and lee
turers assured the American peo-
pie that any hope for stable peace
would come from that interna-
tional organization. The fact
that 1t devoted itself principally
to pious speech-making was con-
sidered inconsequential. Nor was
the fact that Russia stymied the
efforts for creation of an interna-
tional force. as provided in the
Charter, sufficiently emphasized.
The American people were led at
first to believe that Russia was
peace-loving. then that Russia
would slow down her expansion
ism as soon as she was assured
OF solid defense of her territory
by the conquest of countries on
her periphery.
Later, when Russia continued
her conquests and expanded
them in Asia, the American people
were told that Russia did not
have the potential to wage war
against the Western nations. The
hard fact that the Western ma
tions lived IN a fools paradise and
had done nothing to prepare their
own defenses was not considered
important.
France was declared a foremost
military power because she had
had an invincible army $50 years
ago. The American people, with
the approval of its people, broke
a tradition dating back to George
Washington and became an ally
OF Western Europe, pledging all
her reSources-economic and mill
tary-for the defense of that part
of the world.
A contract" was signed in 1948
whereby the United States and
the rest of the North Atlantic
nations agreed to help each other
in case of aggression. We lived
UP to the terms of the contract
by providing the tools for de-
fense as soon as possible.
Our Allies, however, dragged
their feet. They did not assemble
the men to be placed in the tanks
and to man the guns we were
sending them. They considered
this alliance an exclusive club
and refused to permit nations like
Turkey and Spain, which possessed
considerable manpower, to become
members.
u. N. Weakness Exposed
When the Korean aggression
occurred last June. the United
Nations stood up against the Com
munist aggressors. It is true that
the United States had to provide
80 per cent of the United Ma
tions forces which carried out
the police action" It is equally
true that small countries, such
as Turkey, Thailand, the Philip
pines and Canada, Immediately
offered fighting contingents, while
the great powers furnished prin-
cipally applause.
Britain alone did furnish some
1900 metropolitan troops and
adequate naval and air forces.
Frances participation was limited
to one skeleton battalion, which
has not yet been in action, and a
sloop. But when the Chinese
Communists entered the battle the
courage of the great powers began
to vanish and, used to compro-
misses in the past, they were ready
to accept a humiliating compro-
mise again.
The United Nations proved. by