The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1950-08-24
Comment On
World Events

IdDOr mas JOiIled IN IOTmuidIIHS
ringing statement on the cur
rent crisis which is featured by a
diagnosis which is unpalatable to
say the least--yet it is diagnosis
that every American must consid-
er in his plans for the present and
future.
The statement was issued recent
ly by the National Planning Asso-
citation Committee on International
Policy composed Of representative
leaders from agriculture, business,
labor and the professions. George
p. Delaney, international repre-
sentative, American Federation Of
Labor and Michael Ross, director,
Department Of International At
fairs, CIO are among the labor
members. Only the forward of the
statement can be given in this
column. Every citizen would do
well to read it carefully and
thoughtfully. Here it is:
The United States is today in
greater peril than ever before.
The Communist success in China
and, more recently, the Korean af-
fair have awakened the country to
a sense of imminent danger. Yet it
does not appear that even now we
are fully awake. We view the
march of events with too little re-
gard for historical perspective. We
seem quite unaware that great
civilizations in the past have disin-
tegrated under the hammer blows
of conquering adversary. 1t never
seems to occur to US that such a
fate might overtake our own. Yet
this is a possibility that we are
desperately called upon to accept.
!. !. y
Our country is in peril because
Soviet Imperialism is committed to
policy aimed at the destruction
of the free world of which we form
an integral part. 1t is in peril be-
cause the Communist philosophy
has furnished the Soviet Union a
weapon of subversion against which
we have until now developed no
adequate defense. 1t is in peril be-
cause scientific advances in many
fields have placed in the hands of
a foreign despotism the means of
visiting devastation upon US to a
wholly unprecedented extent.
Two world wars have led to a
shift in power relations gravely to
our disadvantage. The United
Kingdom and France have been
substantially weakened. The Soviet
Union, on the other hand, has gain
ed immensely in strength; and ira
gically enough it has abandoned
the role of recent ally for that of
potential enemy. The masters of
the Kremlin have made of the
Russian people the spearhead of a
coalition which challenges all the
fundamental values that free peo-
pie hold dear. However long the
trial may last, whatever form it
may take, we must recognize that
Western civilization, Graded in the
Mediterranean, heir at once to the
Greco-Roman tradition and the
Judeo- Christian ethic, is engaged
in an epic struggle for survival.
The average citizen, preoccupied
with the affairs of his daily life,
may be unprepared to accept so
grim a diagnosis. Yet he should at
least be willing to concede that it
may prove correct in the end. This
possibility alone should suffice to
galvanize the nation into action
to arouse throughout the land the
determination at whatever cost to
resist and to turn back the forces
arrayed against US.
X = 4
We have evidence by our deeds
in Korea-and we should reaffirm
in words-our resolve to discharge
fully our obligations as a member
of the United Nations. We should
make it clear that in defense of
human freedom and the dignity of
man under God we shall unhesitat-
ingly pledge all our resources, ma
terial and spiritual. Then, with
growing justification, we should
urge all the other nations of the
free world to join with us in sacri-
fices comparable to those we have
assumed for ourselves.
Until we can see more clearly
ahead, the policies of government
as we'll as the policies Of agricul-
ture, business and labor, should, as
a matter of elemental prudence, bel
framed with one overriding con-
in mind: Do they adj
vance the security of the free
world? The supreme paradox OF
our time may be that the best way
we can avoid third world war is
to act as though one were newt
able. Concretely what does this
mean? 1t means that we must en-
bark upon a costly and compre-
nensive program of which President
message of July 19 to
the Congress is merely the pre-
view.
Meany Lauds Role of CO-0ps