The Milwaukee Leader

A United World

BY JOSEPH E. COHEN.

Premier MacDonald's visit to President Hoover could not have been better timed. It comes when, in every European country, the minds even of the statesmen turn from war to peace.

The war which followed the end of the World war is by no means over. It took the nations this long while to discover that none of them won. For 10 years they have been trying to find in the wreckage some bits of wood, scraps of tin and hunks of iron which might be used to build again. It is hard for them to admit that, as against what trifles they might yet save, war is a total loss.

So Mr. MacDonald's trip here comes when the nations of Europe admit each can no longer stand alone, and that they must lean upon each other in one union.

The devastation of the war taught them what more than a century of logic since the United States of America was founded failed to teach them-that countries doing business with each other must federate together.

Over and above that, the governments on the eastern shore of the ocean begin to realize that the doing of business with each other is more important than keeping ablaze hatreds over a division of the paltry returns from reparations when they are so hopelessly in debt elsewhere. So each time they meet to weigh what may come in, they look for less on the scales.

At this happy turn of events an understanding was arrived at between the heads of the two countries nearest each other for an exchange of personal good wishes.

Thus it is when President Hoover grasps the extended hands of Premier MacDonald, the whole western world will feel glad.

To be sure the reports have it that the conversations are to be within a pretty close range of the limitation of naval armament.

Suppose that is taken for granted.

But who can tell whether the small pebble of honor dropped into the pool of doubt may not send ripples of good will to the farthest coast?-National Office Press Service.