AMERICAN NEW YEAR
ONE of the worst complications in a complicated world is that the year 1948 will see a Presidential Election in the United States. At the time when the American public, still educating itself in matters of foreign policy, should be making up its mind on a collec- tion of major international issues, its attention is being drawn irresistibly to the excitements of domestic politics. Since there is no hope of stemming the tide of events, more than ever depends on the abilitfof the present Democratic leaders to hold firmly to the course which they have set themselves. That is a lot to ask. Mr. Truman, after breathing for many years the smoky air of party politics, and after making most of the mistakes which could be expected of a promoted Vice-President, has in recent weeks risen to the higher levels of national and international responsibility. Whether he can stay at that level remains to be seen. Already the implication of some of his old friends in commodity speculations of doubtful character has proved an embarrassment to him, and nothing less than a Roosevelt's genius for combining an enlightened policy with political advantage can get both Mr. Truman and his programme successfully through the next few months. In particular the com- plication introduced by the candidature of Mr. Henry Wallace, with the possibility it raises of some chipping at the Democratic vote, will call for some purely political skill and attention. In these circum- stances a greater load than ever will have to be shifted on to the broad shoulders of Mr. Marshall. The Secretary of State has so far shown no reluctance to accept the enormous responsibilities of his task but to have at one and the same time to decide just how far and how fast to pUsh the Truman Doctrine in the assistance of Greece, and to put the Marshall Programme through its crucial last stages in Congress, while simultaneously watching the effect of domestic infla- tion on American foreign policy is a labour of Hercules. It would be foolish to pretend that all the omens are good. Just how the American public is to be persuaded to provide the men, arms and money necessary to keep Greece on her feet before the growing onslaught is a problem which will tax the Administration to the uttermost. At the moment resistance to the European aid pro- gramme among Congressmen is growing and although the hope of a successful outcome is high the struggle will be hard. As to the miserable apology for an anti-inflation measure which the President has now signed, it will certainly not stop inflation and at best it might visit the irresponsibility of the Republicans on their own heads, but that would be of no comfort to anyone west of the Iron Curtain. Burning the house down is an expensive way of cooking the Republican goose.
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