Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-11

that could merely accelerate it.
For, incredible as it may sound,
this effort does not represent the
full wartime stretch of the Amer
lean economy. According to au-
thoritative calculation, it repre-
sents about one-third of full
war effort. Moreover, while it
will mean controls. probably some
imitation and certain (by British
standards rather mild austerities
for the American civilian during
the next two years, the Presidents
economic advisers predict that by
1858 rising productivity will have
caught up with it. and that from
1854 onward the continuous rise
in American civilian living stand
ards will be resumed over and
above the present level, while the
mobilization effort is maintained
indefinitely.
1t is impossible within the scope
OF one article even to discuss all
the consequences of this partial
Transformation of Americas pow
er-potential into actual power.
Let us note a few which come to
mind Immediately:
Soviet Position Shaky
1. At the moment Russia still
holds a definite military superior
ity throughout the continental
land mass embracing Europe and
Asia. This state of affairs is
expected to end in about 10
months from now. Russia might
accordingly be tempted to strike
within these 10 months, but this
temptation is balanced by the
certainty that even the greatest
possible conquests of additional
territories and resources could not
prevent Russia from being over
whelmingly and decisively out
produced within the next three
years. BY committing aggression
in 1851, Russia would make GER
tain of being reduced by 1854 to
the status of Germany and Japan
in 1945.
2. BY refraining from agrees
sion, Russia can undoubtedly
preserve her status as an indie
pendent power. But nothing can
now preserve her 1s45-1s5O world
position as Americas equal in
power. The idea of balance of
power and of a division of the
world between the big two
belonged to the period when Rus
STA was armed and America dis
armed. It no longer corresponds
to the new realities. Russia
provided she does not prefer sui
cide-will inevitably during the
next two or three years have to
take her place among the other
second-class powers. Britain,
France, Germany, China, India
and Japan. This means very
great adjustments in her foreign
policy, especially the scrapping of
her expansion beyond her legal
frontiers. ~
3. All international "thir d
force" ideas pass into limbo. If
all the rest Of the world combined
can no longer balance American
power. obviously one part of that
rest cannot hold the balance be-
tween America and the other part.
4. The questions of German and
Japanese rearmament. or the re-
ception of Spain into the Atlantic
alliance, have already lost the
urgency and Importance they
seemed to have three or four
months ago. German and Jap
anese rearmament could not yield
substantial results before 1858.
BY that time the balance of power
will in any case have swung
heavily against Russia. In con-
centrating on the prevention Of
German rearmament, the Russians
are already barking up the wrong
tree.
Will Affect u. N.
5. The role of Britain and
France and the other Atlantic
treaty partners of America will
be vital during the next Is
months, but will inevitably decline
in Importance thereafter as
America becomes strong enough to
take on all corners single handed.
If We want the mere treaty re-
lationship transformed into
permanent confederacy, so that
the Atlantic community rather
than America alone can become
the focal center of one world, the
time to work for it is now, in
the next Is months.
6. The rise of American power
to overwhelming supremacy is
hound to ipcrooca fbo ;xo~e,.+z.