The President's Proposal
Post-war diplomatic practice has too often been more like a theological dispute than a matter of politics. In a controversy conducted from extreme positions, and in public, the chances of reasonable compromise are inevitably slender. And so on the ears of a world conditioned into fearful apathy by the complete deadlock between the powers on the control of atomic armaments, President Eisenhower's ,modest proposal for an international pool of atomic-energy materials fell sweetly. It was not a proposal striking in scale or scope; it is not designed to affect the armaments race in one way or another; it involves no diminution of national sovereignty, and in no way runs up against national pride and international suspicion. It simply invites Russia to join with America and other countries in contributing material and knowledge in a common effort to direct atomic energy towards the "benefit of all mankind." Much good may come of it, and it is hard to see how it might lead to harm. Co-operation in concrete particulars might in time clear the way for sane discussion of the larger problems which divide mankind; small trust might grow into large trust and the barriers of suspicion and secrecy become less formid- able. At the moment no system of international inspection and control of atomic resources is politically acceptable to both halves of the world. From such a modest beginning as that proposed by the President the possibility of the greater good might conceivably grow. The West, at any rate, is united in agreement that it is worth trying. There are signs that'Russia is thinking deeply. Russia's first, and informal, reaction was to label the President's speech as "belligerent," to pall his proposals " a new version of the same old Baruch plan " and " a threat of atomic warfare and more praise of the policy of force." But Moscow Radio's words have on past occasions been misleading as to the Kremlin's intentions. Later state- ments, to the effect that the President's plan was being care- fully considered, gave some reason to hope that this was again the case.
Previous page
