1942: World Peace

Solidarity of the United Nations the First Essential.

In the year 1942, when the possibility of the victory of the United Nations became greater and greater, the public and private discussions of foundations for the coming peace grew in importance. It was generally agreed that the best, and probably even an indispensable, foundation of world peace would be the continued solidarity of the United Nations, which is also the absolute prerequisite of victory. It had been clear for some time that Germany, and to a lesser degree Japan, put hope in their ability, in case of defeat, to utilize the disunity among the victors for another trial at world domination, as they had done after 1918, when the victorious Allies began immediately to quarrel among themselves and to distrust one another, thus diverting their own attention from a lasting settlement with Germany. There is some hope that this fatal mistake will not be repeated. Already the name 'United Nations' binds the nations more closely together than they were held by the term 'Allied and Associated Nations.' Each of the United Nations knows today that she is fighting for her own survival, and that this survival is conditioned by a close cooperation. The lend-lease agreements also tend to create a much more closely-knit unity among the United Nations, in spite of their ideological and geographic differences. More important than anything else is the growing awareness of the public that peace in the twentieth century can never be found in isolation and national egotism, but only in international solidarity and responsibility. Both major parties in the United States are now pledged officially to a program of world peace by cooperation after the war.

Disarmament of Aggressor Nations a Second Essential.

The second important prerequisite of world peace, already accepted by all the United Nations, is the complete disarmament of the aggressor nations, a disarmament this time closely and strictly supervised, so as to make impossible such secret rearmament as Germany started in 1919 and fostered so that twenty years after Germany's defeat, she was the most powerfully armed nation on earth, while the victor nations — the United States, Great Britain and France — were materially and morally disarmed. But this supervision of the disarmament of the aggressor nations demands the closest collaboration of the United Nations after victory, a collaboration which must create its own permanent organs of executive, legislative, and judicial power.

Steps Already Taken Toward World Peace.

Resolutions of the American Republics.

Of official steps taken towards the establishment of world peace three sets of agreements should be mentioned, though all deal as yet only with partial or regional problems. One is the set of resolutions adopted at the conference of the foreign ministers of all American republics in Rio de Janeiro at the end of January 1942, laying down the rules for a closer military, economic, and diplomatic cooperation of all the American republics. All the American republics carried out these resolutions in letter and in spirit, except Chile and (especially) Argentina. But many American republics, among them the two most populous, Mexico and Brazil, entered the war against the Axis and thus expressed full solidarity with the cause of the United Nations. (In January 1943 Chile broke relations with the Axis.)

Agreements Made by Baltic and Balkan Nations.

Another set of agreements concerns Central Europe, the most important belt of many nationalities and states from the Baltic to the Aegean Sea which forms a barrier against German and Russian expansion. The existence of these national states not only accords with the demands of justice for all nations, small and large alike, but it is also one of the necessities of peace; however, only under the condition that these nations collaborate most closely. Otherwise, their disunion makes them an easy prey and a temptation for the aggressive desires of their more powerful neighbors. The disunion and mutual jealousies of the nations of eastern and central Europe and of the Balkans facilitated the designs of the aggressors. In the year 1942 the foundations were laid for a closer collaboration of the nations of that region. On Jan. 15, 1942, the governments of Greece and Yugoslavia concluded an agreement concerning the constitution of a Balkan union. The agreement promises coordination of the foreign policy and of the military preparations of the two nations and the elaboration of a common economic plan with a customs union and the common development of all means of communication. A similar agreement between the governments of Poland and Czechoslovakia, concluded on Jan. 23, 1942, went even further in establishing a confederation to assure a common policy with regard to foreign affairs, defense, economic and financial matters, social questions, transport, posts, and telegraphs. Both these unions expressed their desire to welcome other states of the region as members and to cooperate in establishing a strong basis for peace from the Baltic to the Aegean Sea.

Treaty Between Britain and the Soviet Union.

Yet the most important, and easily the first major step in the right direction, is the treaty between Great Britain and the Soviet Union, May 26, 1942. It established not only a pact of mutual assistance during the war, but, for at least twenty years, the basis of close cooperation in the maintenance of peace in Europe. It removed the danger of conflicting spheres of interest of the two great powers in post-war Europe. The alliance is not regarded as an exclusive Soviet-British concern, but as a nucleus for union with other like-minded states for common action to preserve peace. The agreement expressed the determination of the two countries not to seek any territorial expansion and not to interfere in the internal affairs of other nations.

The United States and Canada.

Though not yet formally concluded, a similar step towards the coming peace was taken in an exchange of notes between the United States and Canada, made public on Dec. 1, which set forth the principles guiding the two governments in approaching post-war problems. They were looking forward to the early beginning of conversations with the other United Nations, with the view to establishing now the foundations upon which there may be created after the war a better system of production, exchange, and consumption of goods for the satisfaction of human needs in all countries willing to join in the effort. Canada and the United States are already bound together by the Agreement of Ogdensburg for the joint defense of the two countries and by the Agreement of Hyde Park for economic collaboration in the production of war materials for Great Britain. The agreements with Canada include the same statement as the lend-lease agreements with Great Britain, namely, that the two governments 'are engaged in a cooperative undertaking, together with every other nation or people of like mind, to the end of laying the basis of a just and enduring world peace, securing order under law to themselves and all nations.' Post-war settlements must promote economic relations advantageous on a world-wide scale. The two governments hope, in cooperation with all other countries of like mind, for the elimination of all forms of discriminatory treatment in international commerce, and the reduction of tariffs and other trade barriers. In their conversations the two governments 'will seek to furnish to the world concrete evidence of the ways in which two neighboring countries that have a long experience of friendly relations and a high degree of economic interdependence, and that share the conviction that such reciprocally beneficial relations must form part of a general system, may promote by agreed action their mutual interests to the benefit of themselves and other countries.'

Declarations in the Speeches of Statesmen.

In addition to these official treaties and agreements shaping the future of world peace, many important official declarations were made in speeches of responsible statesmen. The most important official declaration on the part of the United States was an address by Mr. Cordell Hull, the Secretary of State, on July 23, 1942, in which he pointed out that 'the conflict now raging throughout the earth is not a local or regional war or even a series of such wars. On the side of our enemy it is an attempt to conquer every country. On our side it is a life-and-death struggle for the preservation of our very existence. We are united in our determination to destroy the world-wide forces of ruthless conquest and brutal enslavement.' After the war the nations must create 'some international agency which can — by force, if necessary — keep the peace among nations in the future.' Peace presupposes respect for law and obligations. 'One of the institutions which must be established and be given vitality is an international court of justice. It is equally clear that the United Nations must exercise surveillance over aggressor nations. Until such time as the latter demonstrate their willingness and ability to live at peace during the formative period of the world organization, interruption by these aggressors must be rendered impossible.' Finally, barriers hindering international trade must be removed. These were the foundations of a lasting world peace as foreseen by the American Secretary of State. 'Without impediment to the fullest prosecution of the war the United Nations should from time to time formulate and proclaim their common views regarding fundamental policies which will chart for mankind a wise course based on enduring spiritual values. In support of such policies, an informed public opinion must be developed. Never did so great and so compelling a duty in this respect devolve upon those who are in positions of responsibility, public and private.'

A similar spirit animates the address delivered by Mr. Sumner Welles, Under Secretary of State, at the Arlington National Amphitheater on May 30, 1942. He predicted that the United States and the other United Nations would disarm the aggressors and share in an international police power, to insure freedom from fear to peace-loving peoples, until a permanent system of international security should be firmly established. He saw in the United Nations the nucleus of a world organization of the future. At the same time 'a new frontier of human welfare' would be set up by a better distribution of the products of world economy among the peoples of the world. 'When the victory is won the people of the United States will once more be afforded the opportunity to play their part in the determination of the kind of world in which they will live. With courage, with vision, they can yet secure the future safety of their country and of its free institutions and help the nations of the earth back into the path of peace.' Other important speeches by leading American statesmen were the address delivered by Vice President Henry A. Wallace in New York on May 8, 1942, and the address by Herbert Hoover, former President of the United States, on Dec. 16, 1942.

Punishment of War Criminals an Essential.

One of the essential prerequisites in establishing a lasting world peace is the punishment of war criminals. The governments of Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Free France, Greece, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Luxemburg, and Yugoslavia pledged themselves on Jan. 13 to exact swift retribution of everyone guilty of perpetrating atrocities in the occupied countries. China demanded similar action against Japan. The governments in exile, joined this time by the governments of the United States, of Great Britain, and of the Soviet Union, adopted in December a joint declaration condemning the bestial Nazi policy that aims at the extermination of the Jews and warning that these crimes will not escape retribution.

Organizations Working for Lasting Peace.

As Secretary Hull emphasized, informed public opinion is the necessary prerequisite for the establishment of a lasting peace. A number of private organizations are active in that field, among them the Commission to Study the Organization of Peace (in New York City), the Commission to Study the Basis of a Just and Durable Peace (Federal Council of Churches in America), and Federal Union, which hopes and works for the establishment of a democratic world federation. It is interesting to note that in the elections of Nov. 3, 1942, the Massachusetts Committee of Federal Union succeeded in submitting to the voters in 42 electoral districts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts a referendum as to whether or not they favor initiative by the United States Government for establishment of a democratic world government. The districts chosen represented a cross section of the whole state, districts with Republican as well as with Democratic majorities, rural and urban districts, districts with predominantly old American stock and districts with predominantly more recent immigrant stock. All the districts voted in favor of the resolution, always with a large majority, which averaged about 3 to 1 in favor of world government. The referendum has clearly shown that the American public is veering towards peace by international collaboration and collective security.