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rakc in its new outlook coward rhc
world could well be decided. ac leasr
in principie, in rhe fírsr "Summir
Conference" of che Ten. scheduled ro
be held in París rhis aurumn.
Whilc uniring econom ical ly.
Wesrern Europe srill is highly divided
poliricallr. This was shown clearly in
rhe recenr decision on rhe parr of rhe
Brirish ro •·floar" rhe pound. The
ramificarions of rhar dccision even–
rually lcd ro rhe rcsignarion of rhe
\'{/esr Gcrman finance mtmscer.
Because of che many oursranding dif–
ferences becween France and che nine
members and candidares, rhc Ocrober
summic irself, as we wrire, is sornc–
whar in doubr.
Whenevcr rhe summir is held,
issues of enormous conscgucnce will
have co
be
dealr wirh, chough nor
necessarily resolved in che meeting.
Sorne of rhese issues are:
( l) How is rhe new Europe ro
progress polirically? ls ir ro be a loose
cooperarive confederarion of narion–
srares (rhe concept of France and Brir–
ain) or a righr, federared supernarion
(basically che concepr of rhe ochcr
members, especially Wesr Germany)?
The Common Marker clearly lacks
poli rical direcrion. As an Associared
Press analysr viewcd ir: ''Thc Com–
mon
~farkcr
is in danger of growing
like a dinosaur, a massive body wirh
only a ciny head ro see ir on a clear
path. As long as Wesrcrn Europc
remains polirically sragnam, irs eco–
nomic impacr on rhe world will never
reach irs full porenrial."
(2)
Whar is ro be new Europe's
relarionship ro rhe United Srares?
Fundamental differcnces exisr wirh
Washington over rhe world rrade sys–
rem and rhe furure inrernarional role
of rhe dollar. Yer, wirh che possible
exceprion of France, Wesrern Europc–
ans are sri ll Joarhe ro see guardian
American milirary forces !cave for
home over an economic dispute. This
would leave Wesrern Europe exposed
ro rhe Soviet Union. which is conrin–
uing ro bui ld up its worldwide mili–
tary posrure.
(3) Whar is ro be Europc's reJa-
6
rionsh ip ro rhc Soviet Union, which
is expanding dangerously around che
Common
~ larker
perimcrcr in rhc
.Medirerrancan and rhc
~{iddle
Easr?
Moscow clearly wanrs ro slow
clown rhe política! unilicarion of
\V/
esrcrn Europc. How
w
mccr che
ovier challenge and srill cncouragc
Easr-Wesr trade and harmony is a
rricky problem for European lcaders.
Parallel ro
History
Dcspice Wesrcrn Europe's currenr
polirical deadlock, one rhing is cer–
tain: rhc cconomic muscle of rhe
Common Markcr is conrinuing una–
bared, polirics or nor. The polirical
leadership will evenrually come -and
wirh ir, undoubredly, vasc milirary
power ro prorcet hard-earncd eco–
nomic advanrages. As one observer
pur ir, raking a long mngc pcrspec–
rive: "The prescnr chaoric appearance
of Wesrern Europe is a natural pre–
liminary ro a new uniry." Europe is
again a power ccncer. In uniry rhe free
half of rhe conrinenr will be able ro
exerr far more worldwide influence
rhan any one of irs rnember-srares.
acring indi viduaUy, could possibly do
in chis age of rhc superpowcrs.
Whar will hisrory say of rhe
emerging Europe? The pen of hisrorv
has preserved for us rhe derails of an
ancienr worldwide rrading empirc.
mirroring whac rhe European feder–
arion is becoming. This ancienr mari–
rime empire was called ·•Tyre," afcer
irs chief ciry and hub, locared on rhe
cascern Medi rerranean. Thc hisrorical
accounr of ancient Tyre is prescrvcd
in che Old Tcsramenr book of Eze–
kiel, chaprcr
27 (
Molfarr version):
·•... say ro Tyre rha r sirs ar rhe
door of rhe sea, rrading wi rh many a
coasr-land.... All ships and rheir sail–
ors were in your harbour ro handle
your rrade; Persia. Lud. and Pur
served in \'Our arm\' :ts your sol–
diers. . .. Tarrcssus broughr you mer–
chandise for your great wealrh of
evcry kind, fcrching rou
WMCS
of sil–
ver, iron. tin, and lead . Ionians.
Tuba!. and 1\!cshek brought vou mer-
chandise, supplies of slaves and cop–
per ware... ."(verses 3. 9.
LO, 12,
13).
Bur ancienr Tyre, wirh its world–
widc rrading nerwork was desrroyed
- ro rhe grear horror of irs crading
p:mners. Conrinuing in verse
.32:
"They raisc a dirge for you, a wail.
lamencing over you: Who was
glorious as Tyre was in rhe deep?
\V/hen your wares were landed, you
fillcd many a narion; wirh your abun-
PLAIN TRUTH September-October 1972