The Pittsburgh Press (August 18, 1944)
Connally suggests ‘Big 4’ keep peace in own spheres
Senator opposes world police force as an international ‘game of cops and robbers’
Washington (UP) –
Chairman Tom Connally (D-TX) of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, rejecting proposals for an international police force, suggested today that the Allied “Big Four” use their Armed Forces in “spheres of responsibility” at the direction of the future world organization.
At the same time, Mr. Connally took occasion in an interview to endorse President Roosevelt’s declaration that Germany and Japan must be occupied completely by Allied troops. In the case of Germany, Mr. Connally called for total disarmament and the shutdown of her war producing industries.
Denouncing the idea of a world police force as an international “game of cops and robbers,” Mr. Connally said each nation must pledge its own responsibility toward keeping the peace.
How League would work
He said:
For example, if the Balkan powder keg began exploding again, the League, or any such organization, would have the authority to direct Russia to throw in forces if necessary to straighten out the situation.
On the other hand, if the trouble occurred farther north, Great Britain would be called on to do the job.
He admitted that a League would “run into trouble,” however, if it “tried to interfere in internal fights” such as the “touchy Great Britain-India problem.”
Mr. Connally’s denunciation of an international police force was based on the fear that it would lead to what he called “denationalization.”
Opposed to disarmament
That, he declared emphatically, would be “the worst thing that could possibly happen.” Each nation, Mr. Connally insisted, must maintain its sovereignty, and the United States must “never again for her own security and the world’s.”
Mr. Connally said Allied occupation of Germany might be handled by having each of the Allied powers keep strong forces in the Reich – probably under a joint command.
Backing up his denial of Governor Thomas E. Dewey’s charges that the “Big Four” apparently seek to dominate the world, Mr. Connally promised that the small nations would get “an even break” in the anticipated new league of enforce peace.