Friends of Atlantic Union
is probably true that there are many voluntary organisations which include Atlantic union within their programme of still wider union. Perhaps that was the very reason for the creation of a voluntary organisation like the Friends of Atlantic Union which, it would appear, is going to concentrate on Atlantic union. Its creation may be likened to that of the United Europe Movement which, in spite of the existence of organisations at the time of its creation in 1948 that included European union within their programmes, focussed some public attention on the need for European union because of its concentration on just one aspect in world affairs.
The need to arouse and inform public opinion cannot be over- emphasised, and those few members of the public who interest them- selves in world affairs generally should be trusted to decidel,whether to support a particular aspect, or a programme in general which includes certain aspects. If, as the policy of the Friends of Atlantic Union seems to indicate, it can furnish politicians whose attention must necessarily be divided among domestic and foreign affairs— the latter only too often drawing second place—with the results of study and research concerning the specific problems, economic and political, attached to an Atlantic union, the work of the Friends of Atlantic Union should be welcomed by the representative of, as well as by, the general public; and if a body, such as the Association for International Understanding, is willing to provide a platform for organisations which deal with particular aspects in the vast field of " international understanding " (a vaguer term could hardly be found), it is to be welcomed heartily.
The Press cannot be expected to, and should not, in my view, fulfil the work of voluntary organisations. It can, however, more than any other medium, locus attention not only on the " crises " but on the proposals suggested by the policies of various voluntary organisations to overcome these crises.—Yours- faithfully, M. H. BORMAN. 36a Belsize Road, N.W.6.
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