FOREIGN RELATIONS, 19 5 0, VOLUME I


   In General Smuts' view ;the present world situation is very serious,
more serious than 'at any time in his career which has seen the world
in various vicissitudes, We face one of the real crises of history. The
only hope for the world today is in the West, which has borne the
burden of world responsibility for hundreds of years. The West can
survive only if the Western nations will work more closely together.
This cannot be achieved through .the United Nations .which, in his
view, has been rendered ineffective by Russia. He does not, moreover,
believe ,that any closer political union among the Western Powers is
the answer, since this would serve to aggravate the fundamental na-
tional differences which exist. In his view the best results can tbe
achieved through closer economic cooperation as separate political
entities
  In this effort the General believes that all the free European coun-
tries can play a part. Even the small countries can, because of their
particular situations and capabilities, make a contribution. The United
Kingdom can make a contribution, but not so much under the Labor
Government as it could under Churchill.2 The Labor Government is
so preoccupied with the creation of the welfare state that it fails
appreciate the true nature and seriousness of the world crisis. It has
turned its view inward and has deprived its people of-their energy and
initiative at a time when they are most needed. The burden of the
struggle must therefore rest principally upon -the United States, even
though the rapidity with which these responsibilities must be assumed
raise difficult problems of assimilation. In the General's view United
States efforts in the postwar period, particularly the role that the
United States played in Greece, shows that she is capable of meeting
these responsibilities.
  With a loss of a part and perhaps eventually all of Asia, the West
must look more to Africa to make up for the resources lost, in prepara-
tion for the eventual struggle with Russia which the General considers
more or less inevitable. In this struggle manpower and resources will
play an important role. Africa, although not rich in good agricultural
lands, has untold mineral resources including the ferroalloys, coal and
uranium. Africa should be developed as an appendage of Europe with
the European peoples taking the lead. The African native has shown
individual capability, however, the natives do not have the drive which
is a characteristic of Europeans. The native is content with life. There
is at present no serious menace of Communism in Africa and there
are no other seeds of instability which cannot be coped with in our life-
time. There is ample time to build on Africa as a base.

  'Winston S. Churchill, Bri~tish Prime Minister, 1940-1946.


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