Churchill Takes the Challenge

Churchhill Takes the Challenge

In Manhattan's Waldorf-Astoria, 2,000 men & women in evening dress ate their way through Fumet of Gumbo Chervil, Native Guinea Hen, Bombe Glace Britannia, and sat back to hear the Great Debater. Winston Churchill had made a Fulton (Mo.) profession of his democratic faith. Joseph Stalin had written the answer that joined the issue between two social philosophies more directly and authoritatively than it had ever been joined before.

Churchill was not the man to turn away from that challenge. The Waldorf's glitter disclosed the same enthusiastic fighter which the House of Commons' gloom and dust had known for 45 years.

"I do not wish," said Churchill, "to withdraw or modify a single word."

Distinction. Winston Churchill pointed once again to the Soviet Government as the greatest menace to the world's peace. He said with deliberate emphasis: "I will not allow that anything said by others should weaken my regard and admiration for the Russian people."* But whether Russia takes "an honored place in the van of world organization . . . depends only on the decisions taken by the handful of able men who under their renowned chief hold all the 180,000,000 Russians and many more outside Russia in their grip."

Did the Kremlin dislike his frankness? Then let the Soviet Government attend the United Nations Security Council meeting in New York, there thresh out the question of Iran.

Did Soviet Russia feel ill-rewarded for her efforts in the war? Let her not forget that her "two tremendous antagonists" were overthrown, that "Japan was overthrown almost entirely by American arms [and that] Russia recovered almost without striking a blow all that she lost to Japan 40 years ago."

Russia could have had complete freedom of access to the Dardanelles. The U.S. and Britain had offered her that at Potsdam, he disclosed, and "to this guarantee I am convinced Turkey would gladly have subscribed. But we were told that this was not enough. Russia must have a fortress inside the Straits from which she could dominate Constantinople. . . ."

Before or After the Struggle? Winston Churchill had not despaired of UNO, but above all else he reaffirmed once more his faith in the English-speaking world ("if I may be permitted to use the expression") as the best hope and source of peace. This was "the message I have to give in these closing years of my life:

"I have never asked for an Anglo-American military alliance or a treaty. I asked for something different and in a sense for something more. I asked for fraternal association. . . .

"The only question which in my opinion is open is whether the necessary harmony of thought and action between the American and British peoples will be reached in a sufficiently plain and clear manner and in good time to prevent all chance of a new world struggle, or whether that will only come about, as it has done before, after that struggle has begun. . . .

"The progress and freedom of all the peoples of the world . . . will not come to pass . . . without the persistent, faithful, and above all the fearless exertions of the British and American systems of society. ... In their harmonious companionship lies the main hope of a world Instrument for maintaining peace on earth and good will towards men."

There Winston Churchill took his stand. His strenuous "rest cure" ended, he packed his bags for home. Behind him, a troubled U.S. would ponder his words.

*Three days later, at Columbia University, Churchill made a more colorful reference to the Soviet social structure. Said he: "Our Communist friends should study . . . the life and the soul of the white ant. That will show them not only a great deal about their past but will give a very fair indication of their future."

Hymenopterologists explain that the queen of the white ants, or termites, is the absolute ruler of the community. When she dies, all community life ceases, as her subjects have no will of their own.

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