Solidarity

Addressing the British Trades Union Congress at Brighton, Prime Minister Clement Attlee last week succinctly outlined certain peculiarities of Communist thinking in a way that helped explain why Russia has failed to divide Britain and the U.S. Said Mr. Attlee:

". . . 'Democracy' is becoming a much-abused word. It is often used by those who have never understood or practiced democratic principles to mean the achievement of power, by hook or by crook, by the Communist Party, while freedom means the denial of liberty to all those who refuse to accept the Communist philosophy. . . .

"If in any part of the world the Communist Party, by no matter what means, is in power, that is democracy. If anywhere the Communists fail, then, however fair the conditions, it is regarded as Fascism. . . .

"Russian newspapers give fantastic misrepresentation of the world outside Soviet Russia. A wall of ignorance and suspicion is built up between the nations. One would have thought that the rulers of Russia, proud of their achievements in peace and war, believing that their system is the best for the workers, would have welcomed every opportunity for closer intercourse . . . but the contrary course is followed. . . ."

World Tour. Two days earlier Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin had made the strongest and clearest expression of Britain's foreign policy for several months. He took the House on a tour of the trouble spots, stating where Britain must stay until the air clears (e.g., Greece) and where she can get out (e.g., Indonesia, from which the last British soldiers will be gone by Dec. 1). In this tour, both directly and by implication, Mr. Bevin emphasized Anglo-U.S. solidarity on fundamental issues. He praised General MacArthur's achievements in Japan, General Marshall's efforts in China; and as regards Germany, the most crucial problem, he said he was in "almost complete agreement" with Secretary Byrnes's policy as laid down at Stuttgart (TIME, Sept. 16). Nevertheless Mr. Bevin felt forced to acknowledge that Britain now had to play second fiddle to the U.S. in the concert of Western nations; and this led him to state Britain's case in terms that would have horrified the 19th Century Empire builders, who took British power for granted.

"Great Britain, after all, has a great past. . . . Her sacrifices in two great wars for freedom and her ability to practice it in war and peace, entitle her to a proper place and the adequate consideration of her views in the councils of nations. She cannot and will not be dismissed. . . ."

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