BACKGROUND OF THE CABLE TO BEVIN
Background of the Cable to Bevin American Liberals Must Mobilize for the Future By Christopher Emmet Well-known journalist, radio commentator, and political analyst IN recent week* there has...
...And, finally, on' tho psychological front, American liberals who are know* and trusted in British labor circles must try to convince the British of what is indeed the truth—that our bi-partisan foreign policy is not imperialistic, bowever contused ami inept it may be...
...Richard Armour...
...For If Bevin should be forced out of office and If the British army...
...Art we willing to give the British the economic and political cooperation which slone will enable them to stand Arm with us against aggression...
...Same ar* psychological, tht others political and teonomi...
...The real strength of the "rebels" case is economic rather than political, and if, as most observers expect, the "rebellion" breaks out again during the coming parliamentary session, irwill be inspired by the conviction not so much that tha Foreign Secretary is "anti-Communist" or is courting the risk of a third world war, as that hii "tough" policy has to be supported, if it is to make sense, by a draft oh Britain's manpower which the country cannot afford...
...Yet in order to keep going «ven- on the present level, with extreme rationing, the British have had to use nearly halt' the American loan to meet their deficit...
...The fact that they acclaim Wallace, although he makes the opposite charge that America has been tied to British imperialism, further suggests that they are not being entirely frank with the British people...
...Greece would go Communist or collapse into civil war...
...Their arguments against our policy in China are refuted by the wthdrawal of the Marines...
...What makes the revolt so dangerous is the economic crisis described, and this alone explains why so many non-Communists, like Crossman, allied themselves with notorious pro-Communists of the Zilliacus type...
...and despite the fact that the threat of Russian aggression in Iran, Turkey and plsewhere has forced the British to maintain a larger army than was expected, the British succeeded by superhuman effort in getting their exports up to 120 percent of the pre-war level this autumn...
...Under the circumstances it is amazing that they could do so well and unlikely that the Conservatives could have done better...
...The Communists and the proCommunist wing of the Socialists in Italy and France would be strengthened...
...He writes: "It is generally agreed that there is at present a shortage of at least 500,000 men in civilian industries...
...isolationism after World War I, it is noteworthy when liberals reassure the world that Republican foreign policy is more dependable internationally than many had expected...
...If we are unwilling to do these things, then we must stop advising from the sidelines...
...This choice, then, should be frankly put to the British people, so that they could decide whether to make even greater sacrifices, to support Bevin'a policy which has won such victories for peace...
...They have been working long...
...So when Wallace misrepresents American foreign policy, as he did in his attack on Byrnes and Baruch, naturally" millions of Knglishmen believe him...
...The Inclusion of these names on such 11 statement is the best possible refutation of the charge in Kngland that Republicans and "big businessmen" arc determined to "get" tho British Labor Government...
...In the first place, we must understand that these British difficulties are not connected with the controversial aspects of the long rsnge socialist program, but are inherent in England's post war economic position...
...Evidently tho-real belief of this nonCommunist wing of the Labor rebels is that England must appease Stalin because she cannot afford' not to appease him...
...The threat of Russian aggression and of near anarchy, where anything could happen, would face us again as they did a year ago...
...But ihf Communists even with the fellow-travelers could not alone threaten Bevin's hold over, the British workers, who have known and trusted him for 30 years...
...That is the price we pay for one world—now even the domestic politics of each nation arc the concern of all...
...hours with little recreation ever since 1938," and human nature in a free country will stand just so much by voluntary effort It is different in Nazi Germany, Japan or Soviet Russia where labor is not free, but in Britain Labor controla the Government, and the fact that tha leaders of the labor Government sincerely promised the workers vsrlous improvements before the war nnd even during last year's election, makes tha present position all the harder to bear...
...British workers might be willing • to pull in their belts still further if they were frankly told that the alternative was* te practice the same appeasement of Russia which led to the, war with Hitler...
...On the economic front we must reassure the British people that they are wrong to despair of an enlightened economic policy from America...
...We thould assume a greater share ef tht economic burden of rehabilitating the «'«stern cone of Germany, which falls errn mora heavily on Britain than on us...
...British reduce their army in the Middle East, tho resistance of Iran against Soviet penetration, which won a sensational victory for peace and the security of small nations only a month ago, would end...
...It's as simple and as difficult as that...
...The strike was a reflection of the fatigue of British workers and of the fact that iron self-discipline of the British people may be breaking down...
...There ar* severed things which American* can de to meet this situation...
...The Egyptian extremists, who want to make it impossible for Britain even to garrison the Suez Canal, would bo encouraged to reject the generous Bevin offer for a new treaty...
...We can reduce Arab opposition by economic measures, such as those proposed by former President Hoover...
...HIPS, HIPS, HURRAY!"We at home are now waging the battle »f the hips," declared the Englishman, creator ol gun ns for Ihr women of Britain.—News Item...
...The recent transport strike in London was the first sign of a possible British breakdown, unless there...
...The Cable to Bevin II' is the liberals whose writings are best known in Kngland, who ran best counteract the propaganda against America from the Labor rebels...
...Despite a shattered world, despite the various diplomatic crises with Russia, which have prevented the return of business confidence and the free flow of trade...
...We must prove that capitalist America is willing to cooperate with Socialist Britain...
...If immigration into Palestine is to be increased over Arab opposition, or if Palestine is to be partitioned against the opposition of both Arab and Jewish extremists, in either event American support is essential...
...They are living on borrowed money and borrowed time...
...It is a squeeze plsy against the U.S...
...It is the most constructive liberal anil moderate groups who am least organized, yet the future peace ami freedom of the world depends on the extent of their success against the two extremes...
...This sort of message to a foreign statesman might have seemed unconventional and even improper In another era...
...But since the Communists have always been organized internationally, and sinco the Wallacc-Zilliacus group have begun to organize across national boundaries, it is essential for liberal and middle-ofthe-road anti-Communist groups to do likewise...
...We must relieve their fears about reciprocal trade...
...A bora all, we should assume some ot th* responsibility for a solution of tht , Palestine problem, instead of merely advising and pressuring the British to de what, rightly or wrongly, they belief* they cannot do ulone...
...The terrorists in Palestine would try to force a solution there by even more violent methods...
...This means that demobilization of the armed forces must be speeded up...
...As the result of U.S...
...They advance no evidence other than the misrepresentations of Wallace about the Baruch Plan to show that American policy is imperialistic...
...Background of the Cable to Bevin American Liberals Must Mobilize for the Future By Christopher Emmet Well-known journalist, radio commentator, and political analyst IN recent week* there has been mounting- evidence of » serious crisis in Greet Britain and it is only in tha light ef that crisis that we can judge the purpose and the value of the Message to Ernest Bevin published in The New Leader of January 25...
...On Ike political front we mutt convince the British that wa havf given up isolationism for good and that «nr firm, polity toward Russia is net purely negative, hut that we era willing to take th* responsibility to help nations which are trying to be free and . which ar* struggling against totalitarian pressures...
...But since everything goea slow ia .Congress, friendly and constructive words from tho Republican leaders now would be invaluable...
...could not be depended on for help and would reduce her armaments—hardly an imperialistie gesture...
...They argued during the debate before the recess that Britain was becoming dangerously tied to American imperialism and forfeiting its independence in foreign policy...
...is either a sensational improvement in the international situation, further help from America, or a drastic Increase in production per worker...
...Tho British know of Wallace as Vice President under Roosevelt...
...The British iiiiMlinml'H plainly qillle As zealous for his wifr'i limn...
...It was admitted by British business men and economists during the war and throughout the negotiations for the British loan that Britain would have to increase her exports by about 75 percent after the war...
...We cannot afford to keep more than 1,500,000 men unproductively employed in the services and another 500,000 making munitions for them...
...We'mutt be not only firm but generous...
...She must import a certain amount of food and Taw material in order to support her population of 45 million in those small islands, and in order to make those minimum imports she must nearly double her exports...
...Squeeze flay Agalntt U.S...
...But whatever . the parliamentary rebels do or say, tht really important factor in the situation which the government will face is tho growing feeling throughout the country that iwlras Britain's military cost is cut according to the very limited cloth of its manpower, the whole of our planned program of post-war reconstruction on semi-Socialist lines may be endangered...
...This explains why the message ,to Bevin signed by seventy prominent Americans was of such value...
...If the...
...This connection is explained in a dispatch to The Nation of January 26th from its London correspondent, Aylmer % Vallance, who is sympathetic with tho British Labor Tarty revolt...
...While British statesmen wagr » tinht To save (he Empire's life lines...
...This same choice should also bo put before the American people...
...This is all the more necessary because the extreme llight, like the extreme I/eft, already has some international connection* through big business contacts...
...From this question the transition Hs swift to criticism of foreign policy...
...Wt should give greater help to Greece, Italy and Austria...
...Turkey would bo isolated...
...The time has come for us to put up or shut up...
...Vallance implies—and that ia that the talk about Bevin being too anti-Russian and tied to American imperialism ia untrue...
...In addition, most of tho Republican signers were friends and supporters of Wendell Willkie, as well as staunch defenders of civil liberties, and have therefore well earned the right to call themselves liberals, in tho basic traditional meaning of that term, It was especially significant that a group of mure conservative signers endorsed the efforts of the Labor Government for social justice and economic reform, and.stressed tho belief that unity between our 'two countries should not he affected by any differences in economic theory...
...And though abroad there's x war of nrrves, Far flung the planes and ships are, At home he battles still for curves, For home la where the hips are...
...lockorosnd of the Opposition to Bevin TlIIS Is the background which alono explains the recent campaign against Bevin, Of course, the Communists snd fellow-travelers are out to get him, for he has always stood for true democracy and honest labor against Communist intrigues at home and Soviet aggression abroad...
...But still it is not nearly good enough, and because of the coal shortage there is now a recession...
...Their case against Bevin is that Britain la falling to occupy the position of mediator between unbridled American enterprise and totalitarian planning a let Rune...
...The inclusion of some Republican signers helped to foritify this declaration more authoritatively...
...A final indication of this was Richard CrossmAn's December interview in Paris, where he urged France and Britain to form a "neutral bloc'' between America and Russia on the ground that under the Republicans the U.S...
...One could respect the attitude of the non-Communists among the labor rebels if they frankly admitted what Mr...
...And until the solution is worked out we could (on Britain's invitation) join in maintaining order in Palestine...
...should be reduced before a world disarmament agreement has been worked out, then all the gains which Bevin and ' Byrnes recently achieved by a firm policy towards Soviet Russia would be lost...
...But how can this reduction in the strength of the armed forces be effected without lightening our military commitments abroad, particularly in the Middle East...
...they had learned to think of him as the political heir of a man, to whom they are eternally grateful...
...1 he campaign against Bevin Is really directed against the Byrncs-Bevln for* •ign policy...
Vol. 30 • February 1947 • No. 6
