WORLD SITUATION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 136, 20 March 1948, Page 5

WORLD SITUATION

THREATENING TO U.S. IDEALS

Speech by Secretary of State (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright). (Rec. 10.35) NEW YORK, Mar. 19. “Never before in history has the world situation been more threatening to our ideals and interests,” said the Secretary of State, Mr G. C. Marshall, in an address to the University of California to-day.

He added that critical situations also exist in the Middle East, Indonesia, China, Korea and Latin America. Mr Marshall said that prompt American decision on “the worldwide struggle between freedom and tyranny,” was urgently needed, and he warned Italy that a Communist, victory in the coming elections there would cut off that country from American economic aid.

The Secretary, however, indicated willingness to reach an agreement with Russia, “which will terminate once and for all the present dangerous situation.” Mr Marshall declared that America could not evade the issue by the nega tive procedure of inaction or “to disperse our efforts to a degree which would render all ineffective.”

Pointing out the problem of “just where and how we should exert our influence,” Mr Marshall added: “Unfortunately critical situations are not confined to EuPope. They exist in the Middle East, in Indonesia, and in China, and we cannot ignore Latin America, or our direct responsibilities in Japan and-Korea.”

Door Wide Open

The Secretary summed up the situation as follows: “Our purpose and policy is to stand firm on basic principles, but at the same time to keep the door wide open for any general conciliatory moves. We are sincerely anxious to find a sound basis for reaching an agreement which will terminate once and for all the present dangerous situation. We shall continue to do everything possible to reach agreement, But until such time as a real settlement can be reached, however, it must he our policy to discourage and to oppose further encroachment on the rights and lives of the free peoples.

“Immediate means for the effective assertion of that policy is the prompt enactment and immediate application of the European recovery programme. This is fundamental to all our future decisions in dealing with a situation as grave as any that has ever confronted this nation. “Every European nation under Communist influence has been prevented from participation in the European recovery programme. Some have been deprived of the right to participate clearly against their own wishes. .Since, association is entirely voluntary, the people of any nation have the right to change their mind and, in effect, withdraw. If they choose to vote into power a Government in which the dominant force would be a party whose hostility to this programme has been frequently, publicly and emphatically proclaimed, this could only be considered as evidence of the desire of that country to disassociate itself from the programme. This Government would have to conclude that Italy had removed itself from the benefits of the European recovery programme.”