this, too, we must avoid splitting into two camps: bellicose
atomists, on the one hand, and those who advocate exclusive-
ly peaceful application of atomic energy, on the other. It
should therefore be hoped that in the end the exchange of
opinions that has1 begun on this question will lead to a unani-
mous opinion among the United Nations, including the
United States.
What would people think, otherwise, and what could we
reply to their perplexed questions?
You may have read in the New York papers, the
other day, a speech of Mr. Baruch's in which he rather
candidly expressed his views on the questions of war and
peace. On October 12, at City College, he declared:
"Peace seems beautiful during the savagery of war, but
it becomes almost hateful when war is over." In his
further discourse, Baruch spared no words to express his
love of "liberty." But his ideas of liberty are very far
removed, as we can easily see, from the actual desires of
the ordinary people for liberty, well-being and enduring
peace. He would like to see everybody satisfied with a
liberty under which only a few fortunates can enjoy the
good things of life, not only in times of prosperity and
peace, but also during the storms of war. His ideas are
very far from those of the people who must bend their
backs in heavy daily labour, or who with their own hands
and their own blood defend their country's liberty and
future. Otherwise, even men of his class would have to
agree that the chief concern of the ''ordinary people," so
called, in our day is to have governments and political
leaders recognize it as their prime task to safeguard peace
and security for the peoples; for, after all the trials of
the second world war, the prospect of security and lasting
peace is the most cherished hope of the ordinary people,
men and women, throughout the world.
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