Show What People Think Europeans in Favor Of a World Union By Dy Elmo Roper It would be good news to most Americans if the 16 Marshall plan nations were to join together to form a western European union Many people in this country see seethe seethe seethe the idea of such a union eventually eventually eventually ally becoming a United States of the and World World and this prospect kindles kindles kindles kin kin- a new hope for keeping the peace The prevailing opinion in iii inthe the United States is in favor of oC joining some sort of government of the world But how about the Europeans the will to form a new democratic world federation must come from all the people every every- where I A recent survey purvey of oC five European European European Euro Euro- nations conducted for Time magazine put the question up to the people of ot England France Sweden Switzerland and Italy Time first asked Have you happened to read or hear about any plans to form some kind of a union of western European European European Euro Euro- co countries un tries Have Have Not Heard Heard England I Sweden Switzerland France Franco Italy 5 The people of the five nations were then asked Generally speaking are you in favor of the idea of a western union against the idea or haven't you made up your mind mine about it In No Favor or Against Opinion England 98 2 Sweden 1 Switzerland France Italy Public opinion in the western countries supports the idea of European union In Sweden people seem to be more lucre undecided than elsewhere But it must be remembered remembered that Sweden has remained neutral through two wars and furthermore furthermore furthermore fur fur- Sweden lives at Russia's back door Wanting and Getting Yet from our own history we know that there is a vast difference difference difference differ differ- ence between people wanting a anew anew anew new union of states in a general genera way and their getting it The acid test of a western federation federation fed fed- as was the case cae back in 1789 with the thirteen original colonies colonies col col- col onies onles lies in the ability of the sixteen sixteen sixteen six six- teen nations to dissolve the economic ceo eco and military barriers which have kept Europe divided for so many centuries The people of the five countries were asked four key questions to find out just how far Europeans are willing to go in forming the western federation of nations The first question was If such a union of ot western European European Euro Euro- countries were formed it might mean that all the countries in the union would have the same currency so that your money would be backed by the union and not by the national bank of your Our country Would you be in favor of this or not In No Favor or Against Opinion England 41 8 19 5 Sweden Switzerland S 41 France Francs Ital Italy Those nations which have re recently recently recently re- re experienced unstable currencies currencies cur cur- such as France and Italy overwhelmingly welcome a unified monetary s system stem The British with witha a traditional pride in the Bank o of England are less willing than others others others oth oth- ers tp accept the idea of of a common common cornmon com corn mon currency But the important over all fact is that in every ery country country country coun coun- try more people favor merging their currencies than oppose it The western European people were then asked If It such a union of western European European European Euro Euro- countries were formed i it might mean that people in that union could travel freely from country to country and could work and live where they liked Would you be In favor of this or not In No o Favor Against t Opinion England 69 Sweden Switzerland France Franco 1 Italy Ital ilS 87 Most ost reluctant to remove b barriers bar r. r to a free interchange of labor are the people of Switzerland who now enjoy the highest standard of living in Europe Perhaps some Swiss are fearful that that thata a a glutted labor market in their country would lower their wage standards But the prevailing view among the Swiss Swiss Swiss-as as the above figures show and and among every other people surveyed is to open th the man power market to all aU workers of ot western Europe Problem of Tar Tariff U Perhaps the most difficult problem problem lem of any federation of Europe to solve is that of tariff barriers For years each country has protected protected pro pro- its own Industries by chargIng charging Ing high duties on imports from other nations Yet Europeans to today to to- day clay are most emphatic in their In InsIstence Insistence Insistence In- In that tariff barriers mus must go go They were asked If such a union of ot western Euro Euro- peon countries were formed i it might mean that products of any country in the union could go to ev every ry country in the union without I. I duty VO Would ld you be in inthis inthis vo this or not In InI No i Favor or Against England Sweden i 15 J Switzerland S 22 8 France it 13 i Italy 77 15 JS There is one major problem problem- and so far as we could find or onI one one one-on on n which there i is not ag irn arret ment menu That is the question ol oh joint military force among the ni Time asked a croas of the people In each of the five iu iu SIf t S If It such a union of ot western ET countries were formed might mean that there would t 1 a common army where our nil me would serve under a a. a command who might be of another n Would you be in favor favori i this or not In I No Favor or Against c o V England 68 10 1 ito Sweden t. t Switzerland Franco France 24 U 2 Italy 2 81 In the nations which were n ni militarily successful in the rete war France and Italy there j. j lj Is high degree of willingness to for tor a common army In the which were neutral Sweden ti ix Switzerland and also in Engl Englan there seems to be an equally gre reI lack of willingness A nat skepticism over the of an international army and a r tI to rely on an historical new idea for survival self can i 1 easily understood But tho will to strike out tn ane for peace seems to be the great grea urgency among the people of I tJ five western countries Copyright ht 1918 1948 New York Herald Tribune |