Evening star., 1951-04-25
Indispensable Partnership

In his address at the annual luncheon OF
The Associated Press, Lewis w. Douglas, our for
ner Ambassador to Great Britain, has offered
good and timely counsel on Anglo American re-
lations AS he has emphasized, those relations
are of crucial significance to the future OF man
kind. Politically economically, militarily and
otherwise, the safety and wel-being of the entire
free world are so dependent on them that the
Kremlin could achieve mo greater victory
than the distintegration of the united front OF
the United States, the United Kingdom and the
Commonwealth"
At the moment, unfortunately, that united
front is experiencing more than a few strains.
On our side of the water, lot of harsh and reck-
less things are being said against British policy
as regards Korea, Red China and Asia as whole.
As for the other side, people like Aneurin Bevan
and the rest of the rebeliouS left-wing Laborltes
in the Attlee government are lambaStlng the
United States for what they regard as heaolong
decisions and high pressure leadership IN the
free worlds defensive effort against the menace
of Soviet observation-disclosures and leadership
that are being attacked as threatening all
Britons with imitation, acute raw-materlals
shortages, intensified austerity, large-scale un-
employment and ruinous retrogresslon IN the
field of social welfare.
Thus the extremists on both sides-glvng
voice to emotional criticism that is made up
largely of a mixture of simplifcations, dis
tortions half truths and unadulterated nonsense
are hurting Anglo American relations at time
In history when Anglo American relations should
be as close as they can possibly be. Accordingly,
as Mr.. Douglas has said, what is very much
needed in our two countries is conscious effort
to keep constantly in mind that we are partners
In "as honorable and noble a cause as ever
bound men together" and that we must take
pains to cultivate a mutual understanding OF
our sometimes differing methods and points OF
view. The Bevans of Britain for their part,
ought to look more closely at what the United
States has done since 1945 to succor and
strengthen the free world; if they do, then they
will be less inclined to cut loose with ridiculous
charges against us. BY the same token we here
in America would do we'll to remind ourselves that
we have no monopoly on knowledge, wisdom,
courage devotion to freedom, or loathing for
totalitarian aggression We would do well to re-
mind ourselves, too, that the British have been
carrying extremely heavy burdens for many
wears past: that they have real austerity while
we have relative luxury; that they are under
taking a great rearmament program seriously
affecting their civilian economy; that they have
right to expect us not to drag our feet in work.
ing out international agreements for an equitable
distribution of raw materials; and that they are
our strongest allies whose views on gobal strategy
must receive our most careful attention.
Certainly, neither we nor the British car
afford to follow anything less than such polio!
of mutual understanding and respect. For thu
simple truth is, as Mr.. Douglas has said, tha
there exists between them and us a need for eacl
other far greater than at any time In history
aTheir "..surity is dependent on ours and purs OF
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