Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-19
BY PAUL VAN ICELAND


Former Premier and Foreign Minister Of
Delsium
u there Q rational man living.
no matter what his theology, who
can imagine cold bloodedly launch
Ing q war in which, no matter what
may be said. the most effective
nuclear weapons, that is to say the
most murderous. will be used?
Is 1t possible to think of such a
war without q shudder Of horror
compounded by the knowledge that
the winner will come on no better
than the loser and that most Of
the human race and of civilization
will perish?
The obvious answers to these
questions make 1t clear that the
FIRST and most pressing duty for
anyone who carries a part of the
responsibility for world affairs on
his shoulders is to do everything
he can to:
. Resolve the differences which
divide the Communist and the free
world. no matter where they may
lie.
. Work out a modus viuendi be-
tween the two groups.
Q Lay the groundwork for true dis
armament, the prelude to a stable
peace.
To drift with events, to permit
the present state of insecurity and
danger to drag on, is truly to
abandon control of our destiny.
My first conclusion is, therefore,
the following: Those who sincerely
want peace must try to find q meet
Ing ground with the Russian lead
ers.
Despite the opposing doctrines,
despite the maneuvering to which
we, have been subjected, despite the
feelings we have for a hated regime,
1t is our duty to prepare without
delay the groundwork for a durable
compromise which will allow the
two systems to coexist in peace.
Conditions for Negotiation
Obviously, to want peace is not
enough to achieve. it. Only one side
has to want war for it to take place
Immediately.
To establish peace much more
and much better is needed.
A whole series Of conditions are
required without which every effort
at negotiation is in vain.
Let us look at few of them:
We have had many chances
IL to convince ourselves that Rus
sian diplomacy is based on force and
realism. II we are weak-if to ap-
proach them we must use the Ian
guage Of weakness and defeatism
we are sunk before we start. It
Is necessary that every aspect of the
power Of the free peoples, particu-
larry their military power, be such
that it deprives the Russians Of any
hope that aggression might meet
with success.
Therefore. it is paramount that
the free peoples remain faithful to
the principles Of the Atlantic pact.
The North Atlantic Treaty Or
ganiZation must continually be sup
ported and strengthened.
y The power Of the free peoples
%s and their effectiveness in COM
mon action depends not only on
their arms and troops but also. and
more specifically. on their unity.
However. this unity has suffered
severe blows in recent months. We
must turn a new page Immediately
and absolutely. Unity must be
restored and strengthened.
4 The Allies must agree not
De only on the necessity OF
NEGOTIATING and on the time for
doing it, but also on the program
which will be the basis Of their
common position in the negotiaT
tions.
There is no question Of setting
I'D conditions which the other side
will be required TO accept. Far from
It. But 1t would be vain to enter
negotiations before the Allies had
agreed amongst themselves on the
aims which they sought and on the
best terms in which they thought
peace should be defined.
A common agreement should
also be reached on the point be-
yond which their united voice