OUTWARD SIGNS OF GRACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 3, 3 July 1943, Page 4

OUTWARD SIGNS OF GRACE

It is manifestly true, as Mr. Eden states, that, interdependence of all nations is the lesson of the twentieth century. Neither man's bread nor his peace is independent of international! happenings; and this interdependence! is so obvious that common sense; suggests that it will be reflected in an j international co-operation, guaranteeing the bread, peace, and cultures of the races. That is the basis of thej Atlantic Charter, and of speeches such as the British Secretary for Foreign 'Affairs, Mr. Eden, and the Minister of' Aircraft Production, Sir Stafford j Cripps., have just delivered. Accord-: ing to the dictates of common sense, the interdependence of nations logically results in international action guaranteeing the life of these mutually dependent nations. But, in practice, that result has not yet happened. If i it had happened after the last war, this war could not have arrived: Admitting that to be so, inter-j nationalists yet are not dismayed. They j are saying that "the' world will not \ be caught twice; the war lesson of j 1939-4? will establish a new world- j wisdom." All the honest optimists! know, and all the honest pessimists] hope, that the interdependence of all nations is about to produce its logical equivalent, an internationalism equal to fostering all the interdependants. Pursuing that light, some people look around to see outward and visible signs of this inward and spiritual grace. Mr. Eden sees it in Eisen- j hower's staff work. Others see it in j "lease-lend." And so forth. We are prepared to believe, and would like to believe, that General Eisenhower's British and American staff are a band of brothers. We believe that "lease-lend" is a wonderful weapon of war, and we hope that, when it works out to a post-war balance, its equity will be applauded alike by political-economists. Presidential candidates, military writers, historians, and philosophers. But it is necessary to remember that whether the spirit of international co-operation engendered by war will be equally strong and fruitful in time of peace is still a matter to be tested. One acid, test is the degree to which sovereign States will delegate sovereign powers to an international authority, in recognition of this "lesson of the twentieth century"—interdependence of all nations. / Can another Italy-Abyssinia-League of Nations scandal be for ever prevented? Another acid test is tariffs; and this is a test that will be.applied .from the very beginning of the new post-war interdependence dispensation. For tariffs, unlike Mussolini adventures in Africa, are always with us. It is true that the modification of the world's many trade tariffs, to reflect the twentieth century's physical and moral interdependence, need not be attempted in j one sweep. The modification of tariffs I can be approached by degrees. But the degree of approach, however small, I will at once present each country with j possible deprivations as well as possible '• advantages. In other words, from the beginning of the post-war dispensation, what is done to tariffs will reflectwell or ill—this ideal of interdependence. The world's faith therein must be proved by works, especially trade tariff works. In the years immediately following the present war, therefore, it will be possible to read in tariffs a good deal about the progress or retrogression of the pupil-nations in their study and application of "the lesson of the twentieth century." One would not like to think, however, that tariffs are the only outward and visible sign of the grace to be enjoyed by a brave new world. There are other branches of the struggle to "preserve the. rich diversity of culture and self-respecting neighbourly freedom which (according to Sir Stafford Cripps) are the true basis of democratic life." Man does not live by bread alone; at the same time, so much of his bread problem is a tariff problem" that the economic realist will always be inclined to judge the strength of international cooperation by its plain business dealings as between nation and nation, or race and race. If co-operation were automatic, as it seems to be among the bees and the ants, the correspondence between interdependence and its related consequential actions would be more exact. It happens, however, that in human affairs there are few -actions, whether co-operative or disruptive, that cannot be rationalised by their supporters in such a manner as to deceive all the people, at least for some of the time. But, behind reason, and behind what purports to be reason, there is an emotional background which responds amazingly to exchanges of kindness. Consider, for instance, Turkey and New Zealand, countries far apart in race, in distance, and in history. Although these countries were at war quarter of a century ago, a thrill of sympathy has lately electrified them on the sending from New Zealand of finance for Turkey's earthquake sufferers. Through human sympathy, and through common seismological misfortune, there is a silken bond, and the day will come when, to such bonds, tariffs will be subservient. *