Basic HTML Version
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Our regional editor Ray Ko–
sanke files this two-part re–
p ort from Brussel s in
conjunction with John Karl–
son in West Germany, David
Price in England, Phi/ip San–
dron in France and Bernard
Andrist in Switzerland. The
first part discloses what the
European family thinks of
Americans today. The second
half touches the one major
concem confronting Europeans
today.
PART1
WHAT
EUROPEANS
THINK OF
AMERICA
I
T's
AN AGE
of instantaneous
communication. People the
world over can watch American
astronauts on their TV screens walk–
ing on the moon or circling the
earth. The United States finds its
every move scrutinized by nations
around the world.
Whether the United States likes it
or not, it is still the leading power in
the Westero world. Its natural re–
sources, large population, economic
capacity and military might all work
together to force upon it a position
of leadership. This is a position
which increasing numbers of Ameri–
cans neither desire to have nor wish
to maintain.
Few Europeans are indifferent to
the United States. Huge numbers
have relatives in "America" - as the
United States and Canada are pop–
ularly referred to. For a large num–
ber of Europeans, Americans are
people "just like us."
Today, the Atlantic Ocean is
hardly a barrier so much as it is a
bridge between the two continents.
Americans by the hundreds of thou–
sands are constantly seen in Europe.
And, as the United States becomes
less expensive to Europeans, in–
creasing numbers of tourists from
the Continent are seeing the U.S.A.
Along with bis view of the ubi–
quitous American tourist, complete
with camera and colorful clothes,
the average European has formed a
stereotyped image of the American
businessman, generally pictured as
chomping on a big cigar and simul–
taneously shouting orders into two
or three telephones.
The older generation in Europe
carries the memory ofAmerican sol–
diers who twice carne to the rescue
ofEurope. For these people, the
irn–
age is still a good one; present sean–
dais and economic problems have
not erased the warmth and appre–
ciation many feel for America.
But· the majority of Europeans
today are under 30 years of age. For
them, World Wars I and II, Ameri–
can soldiers and the Marshall Plan
are all items read about
in
the class–
room. Present reality is a twice
devalued dollar, unbelievable politi–
cal scandals and a rebuilt Europe
seeking its own identity and place
in
the world.
The fact that Americans have
done little to support their own cur–
rency in the last few years has pro–
duced considerable grumbling
in
Europe. While a devalued dollar at
least temporarily means more ex–
ports and a better trade balance for
the United States, in Europe, a weak
and fioating dollar plays havoc with
the entire system of intemational
trade because it is the standard of
exchange used by all. Intemational
trade is Europe's bread and butter
and its lifeline. Under the present
international monetary system,
whenever the dollar
is
unstable, so is
Europe.
Sorne general sampling of opio–
ion around Europe revealed not
only frustration wíth U. S. economic
and monetary policies, but also
growing doubts about the once her–
alded "American way of life."
Where the United States was once
seen as the land of golden opportu–
nity, more and more Europeans are
beginning to seriously question
NATO
military umbrella protecting
Western Europe is heodquartered near
Mons, Belgium, above right. General
Sir Thomas Pearson, Supreme Allied
Commander Northern Europe, in his–
tor ie 1972 discussions with German
Federal Republic President Heinemann.
Ion
Hendersan
-
Ploin Truth
Alfr&d Hennig- Ploin Trvth
PLAIN TRUTH October 1973