CHURCHILL’S PROPOSAL OF UNITED STATES OF EUROPE

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 January 1947, Page 5

CHURCHILL’S PROPOSAL OF UNITED STATES OF EUROPE

SOME OF THE REACTIONS Recd. 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 20. The name of Mr. Churchill is so influential in Britain that whenever it is used in support of any venture, attention to that venture automatically follows. His vigorous suggestion that a United States of Europe should be formed nad this result, and considerable interest is aroused by republication in the “Daily Telegraph” of two articles from “Colliers Weekly” cutlining his ideas on the subject. This subsequently was followed last week by a statement of policy issued by the United Europe Committee, ot which Mr. Churchill and prominent personalities of ail parties are members, “The aim,” it is stated in the policy, “must be to unite all the peoples of Europe and give expression to their sense of being Europeans, while preserving their own traditions and identity.”

Initial reaction to the publication of this policy has been interesting. Summarised, it amounts to this: “It is an excellent idea, proceed with it, but—” and the buts at the moment total up to a fairly solid doubt that anything concrete can rapidly be achieved. One of the chief doubts concerns Russian reaction, which, it is assumed, will regard nations who form any union as an anti-Russian bloc. The secona difficulty is to decide what is meant by Britain’s “full contribution to European unity,” and whether she is to be a member both of United Europe and the British Commonwealth. There also are doubts about the views of such countries as Czechoslovakia, and queries whether Germany, alter a period might not become the dominating member of such a union.

These as stated, are first reactions. But nobody yet has roundly damned Mr. Churchill’s idea of a United Europe, of which the “Manchester Guardian’’ deciares the conception is a noble one, and “The Times” remarks: “It has respectable history, being nearly a century old.” Of course, it receives no official support from the British Government, which is not surprising m view of Mr. Attlee’s remarks on another occasion: “Let me state emphatically that the Government does not believe i/ the forming of groups—east, west, or centre. We stand fur the United Nations.” Further reactions, especially from European countries, are awaited with interest.