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ing them most di rectly, such as in
the energy- rich Middle East, Euro–
peans will have to act more in union
in the future tban tbey are doing
now.
The German nation, squarely in
the heart of Europe, remains, as
always, the key to Europe's des tiny.
The way West Germany was head–
ed, however, led in the very oppo–
site direction of Eu ropean unity .
The ultimate goal of the left in
West Germany was to achieve a
reuni ted , but neutralized, inward
looking nation free of al l military
attachment to its former allies- a
Germany essenti a ll y h avi ng
dropped out of the wor ld.
T his drift into a political nether
world has now been countered. The
new conservative leadership wil l be
more pro-American than the outgo–
ing government, but it will not be
as subservient to U.S. policy as its
post-war counterparts, such as the
Adenauer and Erhard regimes.
Frictions with the United States,
such as over the S iberia-Western
European natural gas pipel ine, are
not likely to abate. The Americans
are attempting to regain "lost lead–
ership" over their European allies,
but this is unl ikely to happen.
The die has been cast. lnAuential
a nd powerful personalities are
emerging on the scene who realize
that Europe must be in charge of
its own destiny, whether that
involves vigilance against commu–
nist encroachment or the protection
of Europe's own vital interests in
the Middle East.
Jn 1965, befare West Germany's
13-year-long center-left interlude
began, Franz Josef Strauss wrote a
book entitled
The Grand Design.
In it Bonn's former defense minis–
ter called for "a Europe growing in
stages determined to assert its role
in the world, exercising increasing
influence and attraction on the
Communist satellites, growing in
confidence and world importance.
"This Europe," continued Herr
Strauss, "could make peace terms
with Russia.... We must therefore
face the new historical conceptions
of Communism ... with a new and
rival historical conception- that of
the reconstruclion of the classic
role of Europe.
Tbis would at one
and the same time change the polit–
ical balance of power in the world
44
and stabilize the mi litary balance of
power." (Emphasis ours.)
Other voices, too, are call ing for
Europe to resume its "classic role"
in the scheme of world events.
Recently, a promi nent Greek poü–
tician and delegate to the European
parliament, George Voyadzis, said
this: " Europe, which has a Greek
name, has founded its culture on a
combination of the Greek, Roman
and Christian spiri t. In this syntbe–
sis, tbe Greek spiri t has contributed
the idea of freedom, truth and
beauty. T he Roman spirit gave the
idea of the state of justice. Cbris–
tianity olfered faith a nd love.
"The fui/ integration of Europe
SURVI VORS of last September's mas–
sacre of Palestinian civilians are evacu·
ated from West Beirut refugee camp.
lsrael's image was tarnished by the deed
of its Lebanese Christian Falangist al/ies.
wil/
be one of the most important
politica/ events in world history
and will have considerable bearing
on the future course of humanity.
l t is thus that the balance of power
will come to an equi librium in the
world whi le safeguarding the inde–
pendence of Europe and contribut–
ing to the consol idation of world
a rder and peace."
A Royal Appeal
An event in Europe escaped the
attention of most of the world' s
news media. Last May 20, King
J uan Carlos of Spain was awarded
the Cbarlemagne Prize in a cere–
mony in Aachen, West Germany
(Charlemagne's old capital). This
award is given annually to the pub–
líe figure most advanci ng the cause
of European unity. The King was
the first royal recipient of the prize.
Earlier winners have included Win–
ston C hurchill, Jean Monnet, Rob–
ert Schumann and Konrad Ade–
nauer.
In accepting the prize King Juan
Carlos traced, in the present tense,
the development of Europe and its
need for unity. He placed great
stress on the role of Europe's mon–
archies.
" Over the centuries," said the
King, "the resurrection of the
Roman Empire under clearly Ger–
manic, and of course Chr istian,
signs is the political dream: the
Holy Roman Empire of [the] Ger–
manic Nation. But what is really
being created is sometbing else:
Eu rope. ...
" In the course of European his–
tory," continued King J uan Carlos,
"the monarchies have been a factor
of un ificat ion .... And tbrough
marriages among the members of
ruling fami lies, bonds have been
woven between countries which
were separated from each other by
language, race and customs; they
strengthencd the recognition to be
a unit and to belong to a common
reality....
"The unifying of Europe," this
ruling monarch said, "had been
proposed as the only solution for
Europe's problems as early as
1930-a super nation which had to
be raised
up--a United States of
Europe.
And this impulse has not
been lost in my country."
Wat c h Euro pe's Dírection
During this new year and through–
out the 1980s the process of Euro–
pean unity will accele rate. Euro–
pean leaders, moreover, will turn
their attcntion more than ever to
areas of the world, such as the Mid–
die East, where Europe's interests
are most alfected.
Because of the Middle East con–
nection, watch for the nations bor–
dering on the Mediterranean , suc h
as Greece, Italy and Spain , to play
a n inc reasi ngly important role.
Europe's " power center" will grad–
ually shift fart her south, with rela–
tively energy-sufficient nations in
northwestern Europe playing a less
important role.
As the pages of
The Plain Truth
have warned so often over the
decades- watch Europe!
o
The PLAIN TRUTH