Letters

World Organization

To THE EDITOR:

This is to submit a few ideas in the debate on the postwar world organization to prevent future world wars.

You have reprinted in the December MAGAZINE an article that appeared in a recent issue of The New Yorker magazine called "Now Is The Seed Time of Union." During the recent election Senator Ball pretty effectively refuted the strategy of reservations to defeat a new League of Nations. The results of the election showed that the people voted out isolationism. However, The New Yorker is subtly advancing the case of isolationism and I quote:

"The peace of Dumbarton Oaks is the best our leading men could devise etc We would like to hear from these veteransof battle, these neophytes of peace. We wonder how satisfied they are with the security ofnational alignments and friendly juxtapositions and solemn pledges that the good shallpolice the bad."

Quite frankly, wouldn't these men, called neophytes of peace by The New Yorker, be pretty annoyed to learn from their families on the home front that police forces in towns and cities were disbanded and that thieves and murderers were allowed to do as they damned well pleased?

But more important in the Great Debate here are some ideas from Francis E. McMahon's column, "Plain Speaking," appearing in the Dec. 16th edition of the New YorkPost, that sum up my point- of view is opposition to The New Yorker and isolationism:

"After the remarks of Senator Wheeler, the pattern of the isolationists is becoming clear.

"Senator Wheeler, appalled at conditions and trends in Europe, warns against committing ourselves to an international organization until the peace is written. Waitand see, advises the Senator. Perhaps he surmises, we won't care to guarantee the status quo by international agreement when the war is over.

"It is very clear, Senator, what you are driving at. Since no peace ever was or ever will be absolutely perfect, since this war, like every other war, is going to terminate with a good many injustices unrectified, you will have a chance to attack world organization if you can only persuade the Americaiipeople to wait.

"With hearts bleeding for humanity, you, Senator Wheeler, and the other isolationists (whose blood ran awfully cold when Poland was unjustly attacked in 1939) will be adopting the attitude that international collaboration would be fine if the world were perfect. But since it isn't, the arguments will run, the United States should attend strictly to its own business.

"I think the American people will see the current warnings, garbed in the robes of idealism, for what they really are, maneuvers, namely, on the part of unregenerate isolationists to destroy what hope we have for the world order and world peace.

"Senator Wheeler implies that acceptance of the Dumbarton Oaks proposals by the U. S. would mean assent to the status quo. He has visions of American forces being used to make permanent the ill-gotten gains of other powers. This is a strange and unwarranted interpretation of the document.

"The theory behind the agreement at Dumbarton Oaks is to provide for the settlement of disputes by peaceful means when possible. Now what does a dispute mean except that somebody is dissatisfied with the status quo? Under the proposed arrangements small as well as large nations can present their grievances for consideration. This hardly sounds like solidifying anystatus quo.

"There are real weaknesses in the proposals, as every student of international affairs recognizes. But what have the apostles of international anarchy to offer in place of the admittedly imperfect Dumbarton Oaks agreement? Is it better to return to the policies of the past and let every nation, large or small, sink or swim for itself? How will it help the small powers if we abandon international organization altogether? Every conscientious critic must face these questions. The other type of critic must be made to face them.

"Relations among the big powers haveworsened in the last few weeks. But this isnot a reason for putting off world organization, as the Senator suggests. The developingtension, on the contrary, makes it all themore imperative that the United Nationsorganization be given permanent form andsubstance as soon as possible.

"Senator Wheeler has outlined the 'party line' for the isolationists. They are going to pose as idealists so devoted to world order that they refuse to compromise high principle by supporting an imperfect organization in an imperfect world. I doubt whether their latest maneuvers will fool anyone."

I think the most conservative thinkers will agree that Mr. McMahon's preceding arguments are substantial.

One of the worst representatives of isolationism, ex-Congressman Ham Fish, espoused the same ideas as Senator Wheeler and TheNew Yorker magazine. Ham Fish debated Senator Ball on the radio, during the election, and claimed he was for a strong World Organization, but made no bones about advocating a Wait and See Policy. Fish strongly insisted that we must wait and see what the returning veterans will say and do before we adopt the World Organization as set forth by the Dumbarton Oaks proposals.

I, for one, certainly agree to the tact that the fighting men should have their opportunity to influence our postwar foreign policy. Yet, by their vote in the presidential election, they. endorsed action on the Dumbarton Oaks proposals. Further, they are fighting for World Peace. Hence, it should be crystal clear that this Wait and See Policy, as concerns the returning fighting men, is the isolationist tactic of reservations and the kiss of death for World Organization as employed by Senator Lodge and others in defeating Wilson's League of Nations.

The hope for World Peace is kindled just so long as the United States supports it by its power. The League of Nations was a failure without the United States and that failure was tragic for the people of the United States. Witness the hundreds of thousands of American casualties. An uninformed, badly led America in the years 1920 to 1932, sent the world careening to anarchy and destruction.

I hope the fathers of the many millions of American service men do everything possible to make a peaceful world and reject their errors of the years 1920 to 1932.

I just hope, but somehow or other I am skeptical that human nature has strength of will to admit to itself that it has been wrong and has done wrong.

New York, N. Y.