Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

countries'
Current Events
By Prof. William H. RusseU, Ph.D.
BANKOK AGREEMENT
The eight countries of the Manila pact have met at
Bangkok, Thailand, to work out the details of their organi
zation. No major disagreements appeared. Bangkok was
chosen as permanent headquarters, perhaps to show that
the organization would not be dominated by non-Asiatic
"colonial"
seven other
powers. A secretariat was set up, consisting of the
ambassadors to Thailand. Three com
mittees were also organized, for military planning, economic
planning,
and anti-subversive measures.
The U. S. did not make any specific military commit
ments or favor the establishment of a unified command such
as we have in NATO. All the members are pledged, however,
to defend each other against aggression. The Bangkok agree
ment is a major step forward in cooperation between large
and small powers in Southeast Asia. In the long
run its most
controversial, and most important, work may be in the
economic and social field. It is in this area that we may be
able to win the cooperation of the Colombo powers, such as
India, Burma, Ceylon, and Indonesia, who will not join any
military agreement. Economic aid may also play a vital part
in saving the free states of Indochina.
FRENCH PREMIER
France's nineteen-day cabinet crisis was ended with the
approval of Edgar Faure as the new premier. Faure is a
46-year-old lawyer who did not enter politics until 1946.
Since 1949 he has served in several French cabinets, usually
as finance minister, and once acted as premier for a few
weeks. He is a Radical Socialist, like his predecessor Mendes-
France, but the new cabinet is considered more conserva
tive than the last one. It includes every major party except
the Socialists and Communists. Though Faure won the en
dorsement of the National Assembly by a vote of 369 to 210,
he will have a constant struggle to maintain cabinet unity
and parliamentary support. His policies do not seem to be
greatly different from those of Mendes-France.
IRAQ JOINS THE WEST
The parliaments of Turkey and Iraq have now ratified
their mutual security pact. Since Turkey is a member of
NATO, this links Iraq to the western security
system. The
agreement represents the first important break in the neu
trality of the Arab states, and a sharp defeat for Egypt,
leader of the Arab League. Formed in 1945, the Arab League
includes Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia,
Yemen, and Libya, but its ties are weak. Egypt called sev
eral meetings of the League to try to block the pact be
tween Turkey and Iraq, but without success. She may, how
ever, have kept Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan from joining the
new alliance. Egypt not only believes the Arab nations should
remain neutral in the cold war, but wants to be their leader.
She does not have enough military or economic strength to
provide strong leadership, however, and her basic interests
seem to lie with the Western democracies.
HIGHWAY BUILDING
The highway
sented to Congress follows closely
program President Eisenhower has pre
the recommendations of
his advisory
committee. It calls for federal expenditures of
March 9. 1955
$3.1 billion annually for the next ten years, over three times
the current rate. Most of this would go for improvement of
the 40,000-mile interstate network which makes up only oneeightieth
of our road mileage, but carries one-seventh of all
traffic. In addition to $31 billion by the fodcr-1 govern
bystate
and local governments over the ten-year period.
ment, the program anticipates the outlay of $70 billion
This
is to be financed through special bond issues, with interest
paid from fuel taxes, or in some cases by road tolls. Demo
crats generally agree on the need for the highway program'
but differ on the method of financing it, tending to favor
more direct subsidies from Washington.
STATEHOOD PROSPECTS
Senate hearings on a bill to admit Alaska and Hawaii to
statehood have disclosed differences of viewpoint
within'
the administration. The State Department favors the admis
sion of the two territories, to support the principle of selfgovernment
and thus strengthen our position abroad. The
Defense Department is agreeable to statehood for Hawaii,
but wants Alaska kept as a territory because of its large
size, sparce population, and special defense problems. One
possibility is that the northern and western parts of Alaska
may be set aside as a military reservation. President Eisen
hower has endorsed immediate statehood for Hawaii but not
for Alaska. The House Interior Committee has approved a
bill to admit both territories. Party leaders, however, are not
interested in bringing it to an early vote. Hawaii would
have the best chance for admission if it were not that it is
predominately Republican and the House leadership is Demo
cratic.
WINDY CITY POLITICS
A vigorous campaign is beginning for the mayorship of
Chicago, as Republicans try to break the long-standing grip
of the Democratic machine. Cook County Clerk Richard J.
Daley won the Democratic nomination over Martin H. Kennelly,
who has been mayor for the past eight years. Daley.
(Continued on page 152)
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Prof. William H. Russell
Walter McCarroll, D.D.
Remo I. Robb. D.D.
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Mrs. Ross Latimer
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