Evening star., 1951-01-07

Cne East ana west which mlgnC Q
of the. world is bound to become
more and more battling.
It is a well-established maxim
that a settlement of difference
between great powers never
creates a balance of power
Rather, a settlement merely
reflects an already established
condition. Therefore, when the
Western powers, naively believins
that Russia was one with them ir
their deep desire for peace, vir-
tually disarmed themselves once
the military victory of 1945 was
won, they at once destroyed the
pre- condition of peace. For
rather than following this example
of the Western powers, Russia
began Immediately to build
powerful military establishment
capable of large-Scale aggressive
action.
AS result of this development
there arose in the world a serious
imbalance of forces between the
historically hostile East and West
and this disequilibrium of "actual
forces in being" as distinguished
from potential military power
proved greatly to weaken the in
f1uence of the Western powers at
the various conferences OF
foreign ministers periodically
being held for the purpose of find
ing ways and means to re-estab-
lish peace in the world. Ulti-
mately, in London in 1947, nego-
tiations between Russia and the
Western powers designed to find a
settlement of differences broke
down in complete failure.
Flexible Boundary
Virtually every delegate to that
London Conference of 1947 was
completely convinced that Ger
many once more should become a
political and economic whole
that the division between East
and West Germany should disap-
pear. Except for the French dele
cation, all openly advocated COM
plete unity. Too, all except the
French agreed that any unified
Germany that might evolve out OF
that conference should have 3
central government vested with
effective powers. But, despite this
large area of agreement, the con-
ference broke down in complete
disagreement.
Obviously, neither Russia nor
the Western powers believed one
another when they advocated
German unity. Each felt that the
other sought unity merely as a
first step toward garnering Ger
many into its orbit, or sphere OF
influence. Neither was willing to
regard the boundary line drawn
through Germany and Austria as
the final line dividing the East and
West. Moreover, neither believed
it possible permanently to estab-
lish the European spheres OF in
fluence between them until a more
permanent line-a line based upon
a balance of military forces be-
tween them-was clearly estab-
lished.
And since the Western powers
had by then virtually disarmed
themselves, a balance OF forces
based upon military power, cou-
pied with universal confidence
that no one could Cor at least no
one would attempt to- upset, did
not at that time exist. Therefore,
the precondition of an agreement
between Russia and the Western
powers did not then exist. OF the
two, the forces of Russia was by
far the stronger.
Since the breakdown of the Lon
don Conference in 1947, the West
ern world has been Scurrying tc
rebuild its strength in the hope
that it might be able to prevent
Germany, and with it Europe, and
perhaps the world, from falling to
Communist Russia. The Marshall
Plan. which has achieved consld-
cradle success, and the Atlantic
pact. which as yet has not beer
fully implemented with military
power, are measures designed te
achieve this end. But until the
Western powers have forces o1
being" sufficient to offset the mil
itary power of the East, the threat
indeed the danger, that Russia
may gather Germany into its
orbit and transform it into ar
Eastern state hangs over the heads
of leaders in the Western world
Neglected Factor
Although the economic strength
contemplated under the Marshal
Plan, and the military power
planned under the Atlantic pact
are certainly most necessary
many believe that the importan
philosophical sphere, that sphere
which deals with the mind of man
has been neglected by the West
ern powers in their plans calling
for the restoration of Germany
Indeed, as the problem of whethe.
or not Germany should be armed
is considered by Western leaders
the question as to whether or no
Germany can be trusted invar
iably interposes itself. This i
true because Naziism, which is o
the mind, cannot be destroyed b,
police or court action, as is be
ing attempted. 1t is indeed
malady of the mind which mus
be corrected through education
something which may requir
from IS to 20 years, or even longer
to accomplish.
Until the Nazis founded tn
Third Reich, the concept of Ger
many as Western Christial
state had thoroughly permeate'
the minds of the German people
1t was the Communist threat t.
this fundamental Christian con