Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1951-10-19
The World Today
THE BRITISH ELECTIONS
BY James NARROW

BY James NARROW
WASHINGTON, -tP,-The big men,
meaning the rich men, in Iran and
Egypt are rocking the boat. Their
own boat. But they can't rock too
much or they'll sink themselves
Communism is too close to them
to be comfortable And If COM
munism ever moves in on them
they'll be the first to 60 for they
are the ones with most to lose: the
rich men and big landowners.
They have no doubt of that.
So while they talk of natioral-
ism--they can't afford to let the
fire get out of control.
The Iranians, taking advantage
of Britain's weakness, due to the
war, has kicked them out and
taken over the oil industry. But
they can't afford to make tie-ups
with the Russians to such an ex-
tent that Communism could step in.
And because of the same Brit
ish weakness the Egyptians are
talking of booting the British out
of the Suez Canal area which the
British have been guarding under
treaty with Egypt. But there are
communists in Egypt and the rich
men can't let them make hay.
This reaction against the British
is neither unnatural nor unusual.
There has been long-standing res
entment against the British who,
when they had it, threw their
weight around and never left
doubt as to who was boss.
Now that Britain no longer is
the No. l world power, the smaller
countries are taking advantage of
her come-down in the world. And
as British prestige sinks, more Of
the same may occur elsewhere.
If this involved only the British,
the rest of the world might be
able to sit back calmly and say
to itself: John Bull finally got it
in the neck" But it does concern
a good part of the rest of the
world.
Britain is one of the corner
stones in the Atlantic Alliance
between this country and China
and western Europe, an alliance
which has been extended now to
include Greece and Turkey.
The oil of Iran has been inn
portant not only to British ships
and revenue but to western Europe.
And what happens to it now
whether or not the Russians who
need oil get a foothold in Iran-is
important to the west.
The same with the Suez Canal.
It's link in the defense which
the western alliance is building in
the middle east. And whether the
Egyptians, in spite of their claims
to be able to do it, could defend
the canal by themselves is doubt
full.
So the western allies and Brit
ain will have to work out some
deal with the Egyptians to be
sure the canal is protected. And
some deal will probably be made
Iran to be sure Russia doesn't
get in the door.
AS the British weaken, this
country more and more has to
move into the position of leader
ship in the non-communist world,
filling the gap left by Britain.
It's responsibility this country
must assume since it pretends to
world leadership in the fight with
Communism.
No matter how much the feudal
lords of Iran and Egypt dislike
any more international entangle-
ments, they're at least small en-
ough to know that if the west
loses, they're not only done but
dead. Rich landlords don't live
long under communism.
So they will, in spite of their
big talk at the moment, have to
link themselves in some way with
the west, after the present excite
ment dies down.