Atlanta Daily World

Between The Lines
By GORDON B. HANCOCK
U. S. Loses World Leadership
In the New York Times of Sept. 12, Manson W. Baldwin, celebrated writer and observer, delivers himself thus: "For the truth is that the United States has sacrificed its moral leadership of the world. Actually the first use of the atomic bomb did not mark the end-it is to be hoped the temporary end--of that leadership. The mass bombing of European cities, miscalled 'precision' bombing but actually area bombing in its effects, was just as terrible for the civilian men, women and children killed and wounded as for those blasted by the atomic bomb." According to Baldwin the brutishness of bombing of which we Americans are the world's masters, destroys our claims to moral leadership.
This is a serious indictment and is doubly serious because it is most probably true that our infernal engines of destruction make us Americans the super-slaughterers of the world - of all history. It would be the same if the Germans or the British had led in precision and atomic bombing. It just happened that we were the leaders in these destructive devices and it just happened that we have lost the moral leadership of the world thereby.
LOST BETWEEN WARS
This writer is not so certain that we lost our world leadership through bombing. There are many reasons to believe that somewhere between World War I and World War II we lost that leadership. for it cannot be doubted that at the end of the first world war we were the undisputed moral leaders of the world. President Wilson's idealism had fired the imagination of the world for better things as it had never been fired before. The world was to be safe for democracy and the war was fought to end all wars But at the peace table designing men of the triumphant nations went about the business of the economic and social subjugation of a larger part of mankind. Japan was denied fundamental consideration chiefly because she was not of the Nordic race. Great Britain bound tighter the chains about the feet of hapless India. The United States rededicated itself to keeping the Negroes down. Negroes who fought and died by thousands with the belief that the day of full democracy had dawned were soon forgotten in their claims to full citizenship.
WORLD STANDS AGHAST
It was about this circumstance that took from America the moral leadership of the world. When riots broke out here and there about the America with world leadership, the world stood aghast and wondered why Negroes had to fight at home and abroad for full citizenship. The world could not understand why death on the battlefield meant democracy to whites and further subjugation to Negroes. The fact is the world has never understood, and does not now understand how a nation can use one-tenth of its population to defend its institutions and then deny to this one-tenth the full benefits of these institutions. except where granted as a moral and political largesse. No nation handicapped with race prejudice to the extent America is, can lay claims to moral leadership of the world.
No nation with so much of its energies devoted to segregation and discrimination can qualify for the world's moral leadership. We must be content with the financial leadership even as Great Britain must be content with the diplomatic leadership. Ireland and India and the spectres thereof will nullify any claims England may put forth for world moral leadership. The ugly color situation in these United States will with equal weight disqualify the United States. How could the world respect our moral leadership with men like Eastland, Rankin and Bilbo rampaging in the senate of the United States? Were it not for our vast wealth and our ability to lease-lend and hand out billions. this country would be a moral cipher and object of ridicule and scorn among the nations.
BULGING PURSES
Our fabulous wealth explains why Roosevelt and Truman sit in the chief seats at the international parleys. Our bulging pocket-book rather than our moral strength, makes us such formidable world power. Just as we muffed our great moral opportunity at the close of World War I we are muffing it at the close of World War II. As with us So with Britain. For better or worse the moral leadership of the world is being foisted upon communistic Russia. Counting houses and laboratories are not in themselves signs or guarantees of moral leadership.