Evening star., 1952-01-16
All Will Be WeN-If

speech, has eloQuently emphasized one Of the
great differences distinguishing these stormy
times from the stormy times that prevailed prior
to the outbreak of the Second World War. Now,
as then, peace does not sit untroubled in her
vineyard" But now as was not the case then,
the free Western nations are not dreaming wish
full dreams or walking in their sleep along sepa-
rate roads. Instead, on the alert and acting in
unison with but few exceptions, they are arming
themselves together in way that must surely
give pause to those who have put on the fallen
Hitlers mantle Of aggression
Thus in Mr.. Churchill's words, as strange
and ominouS clouds move and gather on today's
horizons 1--WE are all united from the very be-
ginning" In striking contrast to the basic divi-
sions and weak-willed vacillations OF 1899, Can
ada, the United States, Britain, most Of Western
Europe-and Greece and Turkey as welfare
now solemnly Joined together under the Atlantic
Pact in an unprecedented armed alliance for
their mutual security. Their commitment in
that respect Is clear: It Is to defend the cause
of freedom with their total strength, and with
that strength to do their best ito preserve un-
broken the peace which is our hearts desire"
OF course, given the nature of the Kremlin
there Is no assurance that this will be enough
to preserve peace. Nevertheless, despite the
grave uncertainties ahead MIR. Churchill has not
"the surest guarantee not only of the prevention
Of war but of victory, should our hopes be
blasted" Nor has he given voice to an unreason-
able hope In these words: 1--WE have Surmounted
all the perils and endured all the agenies of the
past. We shall provide against and thus prevail
over the dangers and problems of the future
-. All will be we'll We have, believe within
us the hfe-strength and guiding light by which
the tormented world around us may find the
harbor Of safety after storm beaten voyage"
"All will be wel," that is, If we and our
Atlantic Allies-not TO mention the e-minded
nations Of Asia and the Far Pacilc-do what we
must do without faltering or backtracking. Ger
tainly, the peoples and governments of the free
world will have every reason for great confidence
if they do that. For If they do, If they hold
fast 10 their present course If they make the
most OF their matchless resources during the
next two years or so, If they refuse to be worn
down or deiuded by the dangerously false notion
that security and peace can be bought in bar
gain basement. then they can become virtually
insincibde- far TOO mighty for any power in its
right mind to attack.
The "ifs" involved here are very big. But
the free world has only to keep on meeting them
to change the power balance to such an extent
that nothing but madness could persuade the
Soviets to precipitate an all-out war; In that
sense In terms Of the Western build-up the situ-
alton today Is considerably better than in 1899.
The Red totalitarians, whose actual and poten-
tial resources are dwarfed by those of the At
lantic community, face a much tougher opposi-
tion than the one that Hitherto his SORROW
tried TO crush. That in itself should sober and
restrain them. II we and our Allies hold steady
in what we are doing, the present uneasy peace
may well be preserved-to be shaped, in due
course, closer TO our hearts desire.