Evening star., 1952-01-10
Most Satisfactory Series

Tnere Is sound comfort to all the western
world in the most satisfactory series of meet
ings" which has just taken place here between
President Truman and Prime Minister Churchill.
1t Is neither by accident nor by presumption
that the two great English-speaking powers are
the foundation nations in friendly and volun-
tary association of majority of the worlds
peoples who are determined to preserve freedom
against the menace of totalitarian aggression.
As within any community of free nations or of
free individuals, differences of opinion are bound
to exist; such differences provide hallmark of
the very freedom for which the association is
Joined. In turn, however it is manifestation
of the strength of this association that from
time to time the participating members-in this
instance the United States and Britain-can sit
across table and with honor and integrity on
each side make genuine progress toward resolv-
ing any points at issue.
It was appropriate that Mr. Churchill should
caution on his arrival last Saturday that no
decisive and startling conclusions" should be
expected from the conversations. Fortunately,
neither the purpose Of the meetings nor the
long-term health of Anglo-American unity re-
quired spectacular new commitments to assure
continued and increasing effectiveness of our
collaboration with each other and with the many
other nations of the free world. We are, in
truth, joined in a cause that is just and is un-
assailable on any moral grounds. We would be
less than faithful to our own convictions were
we to believe that such differences as exist are
rreconcilabe. So s.' .-a.1
Mr.. Truman and Mr.. Churchill met primarily
for the purpose Of reviewing and deepening their
mutual understanding Of the attitudes of their
respective governments-and of the majority, it
is sure, of the American and British people The
basis of their thinking and of their talks is a
belief that war is not inevitable and that con-
tinued accord of thought and action will serve
to minimize this possibility
Against this background there is construc
tive value in the 'reafirmation" of joint re-
sponsibility for the utilization of American air
bases in the United Kingdom and of joint sup
port for the developing structure of the Euro
pean Defense Community with a democratic
Germany participating as full and equal part
ner. There is encouragement, too, in the prog
ress reported at working out new exchanges of
!. critical materials between the United States
and Britain, and in. the optimistic reference to
the efforts of the World Bank to work out
solution for the Iranian oil impasse.
While the offlcial communique CLOSED over
the divergencies in Anglo-American policies to-
ward China, there was an expression of har
mony on the broader aspects of the Communist
menace in the Far East, continued efforts to
establish peace in Korea and to strengthen the
security of Southeast Asia. .s-s 49, s,r
The continued commitment to the principle
Of an Allied Middle East Command contained
what may have been significant reference to
the establishment of "a complete identity of
aims" as regards that part of the world and the
specific disclosure that "the two Secretaries of
State will continue to work out together agreed
policies to give effect to this aim" In this
reference and the expression of confidence that
the four-power approach offers the best pros
pect of relieving the Anglo Egyptian tension
there may be hope that this deeply troubling
issue can be resolved