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the political approach represented by the innocuous
Council of Europe. .. it undertakes to do for Europe on a
step-by-step basis what the Zollverein* did for the unii-
fication of Germany in the last century... it has a far
better chance of success than previous efforts toward that
end, because it establishes what amounts to a federal
constitution, delegating to the new supra-national authori-
ties some of the sovereign powers of the participating
governments, and yet avoiding the curse plaguing most
international organizations of this kind - namely, the
'rule of unanimity' involving the right of any one nation
to veto action."
One immediately important effect of this achievement,
The Times said, is its tendency to end the ancient feud
between France and Germany, and to fuse their essential
interests to unite them in a common destiny. "In that
sense it represents a real peace treaty which meets the
first condition for European unification and establishes
the basis for a German contribution to Western defense
that should now be taken in hand."
THE WASHINGTON POST paid tribute to the out-
standing statesmanship which had brought the Schu-
man Plan before the parliaments of the member states
when it said, "the signature of the six-power Schuman
Plan brings another step nearer to fruition the greatest
single act of statesmanship in postwar Europe." The Post
emphasized the part American diplomacy played in the
proceedings, singling out US High Commissioner for Ger-
many John J. McCloy and David Bruce, American am-
bassador to France, who, it said, deserve praise for their
belief in the enterprise and for their persistence.
"We hope the rest of the sailing -  ratification and
political arrangements - will be smooth going." And,
emphasized the Post, "we are sure that when the Schuman
Plan actually swings into operation, other forms of unity
will follow, and that one of these days there will be a
European army and a European citizenship."
The Christian Science Monitor, on the other hand,
sounded a note of caution to over-optimistic readers by
pointing out that the historical pact "is as yet only a
proposal ... for, involving as it does, the most delicate
balancings of trade advantages, labor conditions and
political factors, it is sure to meet stiff opposition in some
of the parliaments where it must be ratified."
Yet, continued the Monitor, "whether ratification can
be assumed or not, whether Grelat Britain comes eventu-
ally to take a more favorable interest, whether the ques-
tion of cartels is solved or removed to another sphere,
whether economic cooperation leads to greater political
unity or to political friction, an important step has been
taken and an important meeting of minds achieved."
AN   INCREASE IN THE PRODUCTION potential of
Western Europe, in the opinion of the Providence
Journal, "will be the principal immediate gain when the
*The German Customs Union (Zollverein) evolved from the doing
away by Prussian officialism in 1818 with the complicated tariff system
within Prussia, and gradually through material benefits attached other
German states to the Prussian system.
INFORMATION BULLETIN
Schuman Plan goes into effect." But, said the Rhode Is-
land paper, "there are other, more far-reaching possi-
bilities. Successful industrial union may very conceivably
pave the way for extension of the principle of supra-
national authority to other economic spheres and finally
even to the political. Then the goal of a united Europe
may at long last be brought within grasp, and under
circumstances more promising of success than any pre-
viously achieyed."
The Philadelphia Bulletin said "the establishment of a
sound system, it is hoped, will smooth the path for the
dream of European political federation. It is certainly
along these lines that Europe has its best chance to renew
itself and defy the threat of Communism."
Mrs. Eleianor Roosevelt in her daily column declared
the Schuman Plan "may prove to be one of the greatest
turning points in history ... it forms a foundation in Eu-
rope for the political community which has begun to grow
and function through the Council of Europe ... As this
economic basis becomes solid in Europe the chance of
future wars gradually will be eliminated, and there is
hope that in time a federation of Europe, as strong as the
federation of the United Stlates, will bring greater prois-
perity and security to all peoples."
The possible forging of Europe into an economic unit
as substantially initiated by the Schuman Plan, in the
opinion of the San Francisco Chronicle, "could be a
cardinal instrument in projecting peace and human digni-
ty into; centuries of the future. For a truly democratic
federated Europe linked with the United States of America
would comprise an axis capable of waging peace success-
fully around the world."                    +END
JUNE 1951
(Deutsche Zeltung und Wirtschaft,
Stuttgart, May 5)
Franco-German Agrarian Union.
"Darling, don't you think we'd better
see how this baby (the Schuman Plan)
turns out first?"
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