THE TABLET, September 26th, 1953 VOL. 202, No. 5914

TH F 1 LET A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER & REVIEW

Published as a Newspaper

Pro Ecclesia Dei, Pro Regina et Patria

FOUNDED IN 1840

SEPTEMBER 26th, 1953

N IN E PENCE

Educating the Adolescent: The Growth of Further Education. By Charles R. A. Cunliffe

The Rise o f Nikolai Krushschev: Number Five to Number Two. By Franz Borkenau

Economic Decline in Latin America: Fruits of Nationalism. By K. Westcott Jones

The Tomb o f St. Peter: The Extent and Limitations of the Discoveries. By J. M. C. Toynbee

Celebrations in Annecy: Commemorating St. Francois de Sales. By Tudor Edwards

Fifteen Thousand Proverbs: Platitudes for All Occasions. By B. C. L. Keelan

Adam Drawings at Kenwood: The Hand of a Master. By Cuthbert Smith

Book Reviews : By Gerard Meath, O.P., John Biggs-Davison, Robert Speaight, E. W. Martin,

Tudor Edwards, Desmond Schlegel, O.S.B., E. A. Sillem, Gordon Albion and Christopher Derrick Correspondence from Professor Norman Bentwich, Lawrence E. Tanner, the Earl of Lytton, Patrick

O’Connor, Lorna Whitestone, Margot R. Adamson, Gerald J. Schnepp, S.M., and Lord Pakenham

FRENCH MISGIVING W HILE public opinion in the countries concerned determines, by the politicians’ estimate o f it, what can or should be attempted, very few people can be follow ing what is, in fact, taking place simultaneously just now. The Conference at Rom e to plan a political federation o f six West European States, the meeting at Strasbourg o f the European Assembly, the arguments in the United N a tio n s over a Korean Conference, and the direct approaches being maintained simultaneously by the United States Government— all are interconnected, like gatherings o f people working at different parts o f the same gigantic jigsaw puzzle, with the difference that the pieces can be made to fit or declared to fit for a time, and progress, even an illusory progress in one section, can change the picture for those working elsewhere.

Western Europe is itself a major British interest, this means, in fact, that the British attitude has changed from one o f cheers from outside the w indow to one o f participation in the deliberations ; and this must involve making an active contribution to the resources necessary for carrying out the plans that are made.

It is proving extremely difficult to arrange even the Conference which is to discuss the future o f Korea. It is all too plain that Russia and China find the whole subject a fruitful field for exploiting Anglo-American differences, and while this is so it is much more rewarding than any actual Conference could be. Y e t the discussions continue, and while they continue they hold out som e promise o f a modus vivendi in the Far East, which immediately encourages those who, at Strasbourg and elsewhere, are desperately look in g for a lastminute alternative to the policy o f creating a European D e fen ce Force in which the Germans will play a conspicuous part.

Mr. Nutting, the Under-Secretary o f the Foreign Office, announced at Strasbourg on Tuesday that the British Government, in its anxiety to reassure the French, has moved closer than ever before to active association with the EDC. A lthough British troops will not form part o f the comm on Army, a British member w ill be present in the directing committee whenever British interests are affected ; and as the security o f

Rather than see the whole project founder on instinctive French repugnance, the British Government is now agreeing to do things it had hoped it would n o t have to do ; and we cannot help regretting that Sir W inston Churchill, who first launched the whole conception, did n o t stand by it more staunchly all through. There was a parallel history with the Schuman Plan, where the British have com e in the end to a fuller participation than they at first desired, but still to one that falls short o f partnership and that look s to the other participants as an attempt to have it both ways—to have a voice in what is decided w ithout being committed to taking part.

Britain is not represented at the Rom e meeting, where the attempt is being made to start a political federation which, in so far as it is successful, will transform and enmesh the two bodies, the Schuman Plan and the EDC, with which the British are now associating themselves. A political authority, even a lim ited one which respects the separate national organization o f its member communities, will have to concern itself with comm on defence and comm on econom ic policies. It is, indeed, required precisely because both defence a nd econom ics are things that cannot be treated in isolation, but depend directly on politics, in the larger sense o f the kind o f society which is to be maintained.

T o the Americans, the European future presents itself fairly clearly. Let the six contiguous mainland countries federate, at least to the point o f bringing into existence a comm on Government, as did the original States o f the