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Show Nation to Be Active Factor rv In Post-War Peace Plans , Majority of American People Ask Participa- Htj jr tion in International Organization V? 1 To Maintain Harmony. 1 " By BAUKHAGE News Analyst and Commentator. WNTJ Service, Union Trust Building Washington, D. C. Slowly the pattern of America's post-war plans are taking shape, but only the pattern. When congress returned, it was evident that no matter how much disagreement there might be as to the details of the role the United States will play in the post-war world, the people have registered one idea: they want to take part in some kind of an international organization or-ganization to maintain peace. The same opinion turned up in the conversation of three members of congress of widely differing political sentiments with whom I talked shortly after they returned. Speaker Sam Rayburn told me that the one phrase which received the most applause ap-plause in the speeches he made in the Southwest was when he said that the United States must do a man's job for peace. Two leading Republican senators expressed the same idea, namely, that "the people seem to be of one mind" that America must join in some kind of international effort after aft-er the war to maintain peace. The disagreements in congress are chiefly a difference In degree and represent a discussion, for the most part, over details that nobody expects congress to decide in advance ad-vance anyhow. Of course, there are two things which make for lack of harmony; one is the natural desire of each political party to criticize the other in a campaign year; the other is the effort of small groups to get over their own particular ideas. Secretary of State Hull, in his speech of September 12, made it plain that the administration was in favor of an International organization organi-zation which would agree to use force to maintain peace implying that the United States would offer its armed forces in collaboration with other nations to stop aggression. aggres-sion. He went further on the subject sub-ject than any official so far but there has been a feeling on the part of many members of congress that the people would support such a policy. Pooling of Resources Meanwhile, the public has gradually gradu-ally come to the realization that Winston Churchill, as the king's first minister with plenary powers, and President Roosevelt, as commander-in-chief and, therefore, with similar authority, have agreed that the United States and Britain will pool their military resources not only until un-til the fighting ends, but until the emergency is ended. They will do this merely by continuing the committee com-mittee of joint chiefs of staff. They have made it plain that they consider the emergency, or as an official spokesman for the United States described it, "a period of transition," will not end until the last peace treaties are signed. In other words, the United States and Great Britain intend, as long as the emergency exists, to take part in an organization to establish and maintain main-tain the peace by means of what amounts to a military alliance between be-tween the two nations. Prime Minister Churchill was ready to sign a written agreement which would include Britain's pledge to remain our ally and continue the war with us until Japan was beaten that much he told the newsmen and he added, the President had said it was not necessary, that his word was good enough. Presumably, Presum-ably, the written agreement would have Included the continuation of the joint committee of the chiefs of staff, too. But written or unwritten, such a pact now exists. It is, therefore, clear that the President intends, if he remains in office, to maintain an interim arrangement ar-rangement which will keep this country coun-try an active factor in world affairs af-fairs to the point where its policies will be supported by military action. This will be of indefinite length, as Churchill put it, until it can be shown that a better arrangement, including all nations, can be found to supplant sup-plant it. In one sense, therefore, it is less Important what decision the congress con-gress or the administration makes right now as to its foreign policy since there will be plenty of time for the people to become fully acquainted ac-quainted with the whole situation during the "transition period" when two of the strongest nations remain united. The important thing, of course, is to obtain the co-operation of the third most powerful nation, Russia. And that is what is on the fire right now. Until we know a little more about Russia's views and intentions, in-tentions, it will be impossible to make a detailed plan for the postwar post-war world. Battle of Italy Beginning of End As I write these lines, the startled moon has just slipped behind a jagged jag-ged curtain of clouds, like a transport trans-port sliding under the protecting cloak of a smoke screen. That comparison leaps to my mind because all day I have been following, follow-ing, as you have and as closely as either of us could, the progress of the greatest military undertaking which an American army has attempted at-tempted in this war the battle of Italy. For the battle of Italy is the storming of the very portals of the Reich, the outer rim, it is true, but nonetheless, the first breastworks of Hitler's inner fortress. Here, for the first time, American soldiers, hardened on the harsh sands of Africa and the cruel hills of Sicily, meet the guardsmen of the Nazi citadel. Not a bi-colored army, diluted by a half-hearted ally, Italy, but dogged German fighters defending defend-ing the gateway to their own, their native land. The end of the beginning has ended, end-ed, the beginning of the end has begun. be-gun. And we who have watched every sign and every signal as the curtain between what we thought and what we knew was lifted, realize how little we and the world can guess of the inner and complicated workings of this great war machine. As the armies of the Allies attack the enemy citadel the leaders of the Allies, Roosevelt and Churchill, plan a new edifice. The invasion of Sicily and the invasion in-vasion of Italy were planned at Casablanca where, for 24 hours, the few newsmen who were permitted to know, kept the secret of the meeting meet-ing itself. Beside the historic waters wa-ters of the St. Lawrence, in the citadel at Quebec, the marching orders were sealed while we newsmen news-men waited, blinded and deafened to all but the most general ideas. What are those marching orders? Some other startled moon will tell. Civilian Defense Proves Its Worth As Germany begins the defense of Jier inner fortress and the once-feared once-feared Luftwaffe has been converted from an offensive to a defensive machine ma-chine the problem of keeping up the morale of Civilian Defense in this country is a difficult one. It would be foolhardy to lie down on the job now for history has shown that frequently fre-quently fierce and bitter conflicts grow out of victories and until the last shot is fired and after that, it isn't safe to desert the ramparts. Recently the value of civilian defense de-fense training was proved in a manner man-ner which received very little recognition rec-ognition outside of the immediate vicinity. When the Congressional Limited, the crack train that runs between New York and Washington, was wrecked in Philadelphia, when the Twentieth Century Limited, another an-other crack train between Chicago and New York, was wrecked, and when a hotel burned in Houston, Texas, the civilian defense organization organi-zation proved its mettle. On all three occasions, invaluable service was rendered by these unselfish men and women who have so long answered an-swered mock alarms and gone on duty for practice drills. It was definitely shown that in the case of the wreck of the Congressional Congres-sional Limited and in the Houston fire lives were actually saved by the defense workers. In Philadelphia a group of air raid wardens meeting near the scene of the wreck were the first to arrive on the scene. In a short time 7,500 trained workers work-ers were at work assisting police and helping the rescue. So effectively did they handle the traffic that in spite of the great crowds, lanes were kept open so that all injured persons not actually pinned In the wreck had been removed to hospitals within 35 or 40 minutes. |
