Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-09
Pessiinisn, and Peace

There Is a large measure Of naivete
in the more pessimistic comment on the
current state of the so-called Geneva
spirit 2 The burden Of the comment is
that that spirit-the insubstantial but
encouraging new international temper
developed at the Big Four "summit" con-
ference in July-is already dead and
buried. But this judgment, though it
has been handed down in impressive,
sepulchral tones, is actually very much
open to question, for the undertakers
seem to have done their Job much too
prematurely. ss
True, these pessimists including the
irveterate cynics and calamity howlers
can point 10 q number Of situations
that tend to support their gloomy thesis.
Kremlin- serving Communists, for ex-
ample, undoubtedly have been making
capital out Of the Cyprus trouble between
Greece on one hand and Britain and
Turkey on the other. Moreover, as shown
by their vote on the Algerian issue, the
Russians and their puppets In the United
Notions are not overlooking any move
likely to increase Frances difficulties In
Strife-torn North Africa. Similarly, by
working out arrangements under which
Czech-nade arms are to be supplied to
Egypt, the Soviet Union has indicated q
readiness to increase tensions In the the
Middle East.
But should anybody be surprised.
shocked or overly dismayed by all this?
And does itreally mean that the Geneva
spirit" has ceased TO exist? The answer
depends on whether or not one has been
WiShful thinker about the results OF
the July summit" meeting. The fact
Is, Of course, that none Of the participants
in that meeting has ever suggested that
it would quickly lead to international
harmony and good peace The only
thing they have claimed Is the creation
of wholesome new mood, a new and
better climate, in which it may be pos
sible to progress step by step, slowly but
surely, toward a negotiated settlement Of
the great and dangerous issues dividing
the East and West. Those who have been
looking for more than that have been
deluding themselves, and they are truly
naive If they expect the Soviet Union
in world where power politics stili
preyails--to refrain from gaining what
ever advantage it can from situations in
which the free nations, largely because
of their own mistakes, find themselves In
varying degrees of trouble, big and little.
Accordingly. since 1t has never prom
ised to put an immediate end to Russian
efforts TO exploit Western weaknesses, the
Geneva spirit" can hardly be said to
have been killed of by those efforts. And
even though it may die in due course. to
be replaced by an intensified cold war,
there still is enough Of it left to nourish
the hope-as emphasized by Secretary OF
State Dulles and Chairman George of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
that progress can and will be made to-
ward decent peace. In any event, there
is ground for the belief that the post
Stain, Soviet leadership, realizing that
an about acknowledgement conflict
could readily destroy the USSR, Is willing
to bargain for an effective live-and-let-
live understanding with the free world.
II this Is true, as 1t seems to be, the
United States and It's allies obviously
must continue to follow course of pa
tient neutrality-suspicious. from
position OF unity and vigilant armed
strength. Given that, plus lots of time
and constant global awareness of the
mutually annihilating nature of A and
H weapons, all nations will have reason
to share in Emerson's faith that 'it is
not great matter how long men refuse
to believe the advent Of peace: war is on
Its last legs; and universal peace is as
sure as is the prevalence OF civilization
over barbarism, of liberal governments
over feudal forms. The question for us
is only HOW SOON"