Milford chronicle., 1958-07-25

BIG WAR UNLIKELY


not go about in retaliation for the landing
of American Marines in Lebanon. War now
in the Middle East does not seem to be an
outcome which the Kremin wants. The So
Wet Union would stand to lose far more than
it could gain by big war.
Moscow, we think, will scream and shout
and make all of the propaganda it can. Some
volunteers" may be dispatched to the Mid
die East, but most likely these will be nom
Russians. Russian technicians, perhaps even
officers, might be used to help the Nasserites
The Aram Communists will try to push the
Arab masses to action, even to extremes. The
Russians will do or try to get done every
thing possible-but short of war-to engi-
neer or pressure an American retreat.
The Kremlin is seeking to line up an
AfrO-Asian bloc, plus what European pow
ers it can muster, to put pressure on the Uni
ted States for withdrawal or for a compro-
mise that will, in substance, be a victory for
Khrushchev and Nasser. Russian Commun-
lists also will work diligently to split opinion
in Western countries, including the United
States.
We believe that most Americans will be
on guard for this. We hope that the leaders
of our government will be especially on
guard. The great dangers are those outlined
above. The great present danger is not war.
If the Russians want war, there will be war,
regardless of whether we land Marines or
remain passive in the face of threats to dem
ocratic countries. The Russians make their
own excuses for war.
FIVE GREAT SENATORS
When the United States Senate decided to
honor its great members of the past, it
charged a bipartisan committee with the
task of selecting five men for this distipc-
ton. Last year the committee, after dill
gent research and the receipt of much schol-
arly advice, presented these names: Henry
Clay, Daniel Webster, John G. Calhoun, Rob
ert La Follette Sr., and Robert A. Taft.
Who is to say that these were the great
est" senator's? The committee made no such
claim, but cOntented itself with calling them
five outstanding senators of the past" Ger
tainly they were that. And one of the most
interesting questions about these five remark
able men concerns the qualities they had in
common.
Holmes Alexander, veteran Washing
ton correspondent and author takes up this
question in his new book, "The Famous Five"
All of them, he finds, We're outstanding for
their political courage, their great intellec-
tual capacity, their skill as pariamentarians,
their vigor in party leadership. All five en-
joyed the admiration of fellow senator's; all
except Taft were orators of rare ability
Every one of the five, Alexander notes,
tried more or less diligently to become pres
that highest Office, though it could be well
argued that in several instances lesser men
than they did reach the White House. The
characteristics that distinguish these five
notable senator's, and the possible reasons
for their failure to become president--rea-
ons which may not be entirely to the credit
of the electorate-are worth mulling over
in this era of ghost-written speeches and
false fronts in politics.
A TURNING POINT
No sensible person would assume that,
because President Eisenhower has visited
Canada and spoken in the Canadian Parlia-
ment, the differences between Canada and
the United States will now magically be
swept away. Yet when over-optimism has
been discounted, good reason remains to be-
heve that favorable turning point has been
reached in u. S.-Canadian relations.
For some time, our good friends north of
the border have shown signs of a growing
discomfort with the attitudes and behavior of
this country. Though there have been two
sides to the question at issue, and though the
Canadian viewpoint has been bit s0ured
by resentment of u. S. domination, some of
the criticism has struck home. Due note of
this was taken in congressional study mis-
sion's recent report.
1t would be grave error to conclude that
all this is of small Importance, cr that only
Canada could benefit by an Improvement in
relations between the two countries. Quite
aside from Canada's great economic signifi-
canoe to the United States there are tremen-
dous advantages in having this friendly, en-
ergetic people in control of the vast and mass
above our northern border.
The President and Secretary Of State
Dulles are quite aware of this. That is why
they made point of visiting Ottawa togeth-
er Good certainly will come from that visit,
but this it not the final act; it is a new be-
ginning The Presidents summons to the
United States and Canada to resolve their
differences and "stand together at a pivotal
point history to combat the threat of
Cornnanniat imperialism was not idle talk.
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