| Show o. o United Nations' Nations Parleys I First Real Solidarity Test 4 I Russia t Seen as Vital Factor in World F f. f I Organization Mutual Understanding M r w LI Essential to Worth-While Worth Peace i 1 t k e t 4 B By BAUKHAGE fa f. f J Analyst and Commentator Service Union Trust Building Washington D D. D C. C t Tl This s month will witness the first test of how united the United Nations S are arc The first of or the conferences of or r representatives of the countries allied allied al at c lied against the Axis are to meet and discuss food On the success of that gathering much will depend It may be just as os we well that the governments linked together under t the very general and very idealistic statement of principles the Atlantic Charter are are going to begin with a avery avery avery very material a very to earth and likewise a very vital question- question v i. i i iP food It would be too much to expect to begin at once to discuss the abstract abstract ab ab- subjects which are bound to arise when the larger implications of the philosophy of government are considered consider d. d People have to eat to toli li live ve It seems reasonable to believe rte that the food question can be han hall dIed Of course it can easily be disposed of if f the United States simply simply sim sim- r ply agrees to continue a lend-lease lend operation Indefinitely with no demand demand de de- demand de- de mand for remuneration except t vague promises That of course isn Is n what the cynical say will happen And that brings me to the crux of a j 1 the whole question of Americas America's role in world affairs If we go on the assumption as the isolationists do P that heads you win tails we lose C and that America Is going to be v- v vr r played for a sucker we might as aswell aswell well throw up the whole idea of international in in- operation co-operation now and put our heads back into the sand until the next Pearl Harbor y On the other hand the sincere proponents of international cooperation cooperation cooperation opera co tion believe that America is smart enough and strong enough and wise enough and unselfish enough to help build the machinery which will at least make the worlds world's wheels go gor r around a little better than they have so far We created a United States out of country with every geographical J ical teal and political factor that exists anywhere We welded into one a t i conglomerate people representing every race on the face of the globe j f. f Difficulties Ahead However it is only fair to look at some of the difficulties ahead Russia if not an obstacle is at f least a problem for several rea- rea J 1 sons With an Allied victory Russia Russia Russia Rus- Rus sia both because of her ber 4 r 9 tion to the victory and because of her size position and strength Is a avital vital factor In any world organization or or disorganization She is not i actually a n member of the United Nations but rather an associated iJ c power as the United States was inthe in i 1 l the last war She has not made a af VJ f clear statement of her ber war or peace y t aims She Is at present occupying territory territory ter- ter k of what was once free and independent independent independent in- in dependent nations a part of Finland Finland Fin Fin- V land all of the Baltic states a part of of- of Poland Recently Gardner Cowles pre pre- preS I S speaking as a member of J the Office of War Information said If U Americans dont don't make an effort effort effort ef ef- fort to understand understand Russia and the j Russian place In the scheme of I V things to follow this war I fail to tot toi i t see how we can possibly hope to J i build a worth-while worth peace 4 That of course Is true However l that Is only half of the story It Is l. l mutual understanding that is ih sary nary Mr Cowles might have said 1 d J If the Russian government does not encourage the people to understand understand under under- 1 st stand d America we cant can't build a i worth-while worth peace It is a two handled jug We do misunderstand much about r t t. t Russia We are misinformed on N J. some points The Russian government government govern govern- ment has bas failed to inform us on others For instance few people Inthis In p this country know and many are probably unwilling to believe what Cowles who ought to know what heIs he be heIs Is talking about says about private property under the Soviets About Property Workers may acquire any amount of consumer goods he tells us any amount of furniture an auto etc for their own use The distinction from our economy Is that j In to Russia an Individual may noti not own t i producing Income property Well what of it California never neve r threatened to secede because of New Nei England's blue laws or New York state because of the way they turnout turnout turn turnout out divorces in Nevada The important thing is what ar are e Russia's intentions concerning other nations On my desk there is beginning beginning beginning be be- ginning to accumulate the literature of the various little nations Poland nations Poland Latvia Finland who are already starting starling to plead for the restoration of lost territory or sovereignty Communistic Anti-Communistic feeling is strong in America You will hear tales of how Stalin expects to make adeal a adeal adeal deal with Germany how he expects to turn France communist the moment moment moment mo mo- ment the country is freed from Ger Ger- many You will also hear the assurances assurances assurances as as- of people like Mr Cowles who say Stalin no longer feels that the survival and development of the Soviets depend on world revolution revo revo- lution That Russia wants to be allowed to go her own way woy to work workout workout workout out her own salvation and once she has assurance that a combination of other nations will not arise arise against her she will be only too content to live and let live I was talking with a 3 seasoned and pretty cynical observer who has seen the seamy side of foreign relations relations relations rela rela- at close range for many years He is suspicious of Russia equally suspicious of Britain But even he said to me Before we talk too much about the obstacles in the way of an international international international inter inter- national understanding lets let's find out out what the British and Russian and j other statesmen really want The Goal Goal Goa That Is all the gentlemen in the senate are asking who are working so arduously to obtain the passage of the Ball resolution which would put the United States government on record as favoring oring the creation of an international organization to keep the peace of assuring United States' States operation co-operation in policing the world against any aggressor There were few people who when this United Nation was born believed believed believed be be- that it could live It did Norman An ell in that cogent book book of of his his Let L t th the p People p I Know concludes one chapter with these words I In the old days we felt Impelled to burn a man alive if it he did not attend our church Never men were sure could those of the true faith live at peace with heretics beretics But they found that men of different faiths could live together that they could keep their differences yet be bc loyal to each other in the achievement achievement achieve achieve- achievement ment of their common purposes Religion Religion Religion Re Re- ligion is not less than nationalism What Is possible In the one field is possible in the other Whether we agree with Mr Angell Angellor or not there seems to be no sensible reason why we shouldn't try to find out i 11 it he is right Peace is worth the effort Broadcasters Broadcaster's Diary The other day I received a letter that shows that commentators are of some practical use In the world after all It was from a lady from Long Beach Calif who wrote TOte I 1 wanted to pho phone le for fora a plumber one day last lat week Each time I 1 tried to use the phone two women were talking about nothing on the party 3 line I 1 tried every five fite minutes for nearly half an hour never saying aing anything only picking up the phone and haL having ng t to hang up aKa again in One of the times 1 I heard one of them say some woman leoman wants the line but I 1 pay for it just as much as she does does' r You ou Mr were just about to finish your our regular broadcast my writer goes on and some imp of 0 mischief rom from my youth returned to my old 50 heart as I 1 suddenly connected connect connect- connected ed that remark rL with th the closing words of 0 your program You ou had about two minutes minute yet to toO go O so I 1 hurriedly plugged my portable garden radio into the electric socket which is near the phone table and just at the right moment moment moment mo mo- ment lifted the tIle receiver off oU the phone Yes tIle they were still till talking so just just as you au said all and thanks very much I 1 put the phone mouthpiece right next to the radio radio radio- snapping the latter off oU at the right second sec sec- ond Then I listened on the phone and heard one woman say in an actually meek voice I 1 guess gue we have hate talked pretty lon long See you later Good Goodbye After ter 1 I stopped laughing I 1 called the plumber but you helped me so I 1 do think you deserve to be thanked Also AlJo for a real laugh |
