Atlantic Health, Wealth and Sanity : 455 



is the fact that on these two occasions the great majority of all the 

 Atlantic nations were no longer fighting among themselves but 

 against philosophies and policies which they regarded as of remote 

 and alien origin and hostile to their somehow common interests in a 

 free world. 



People sometimes jump to the conclusion that international agree- 

 ments formed in time of war such as the North Atlantic Treaty 

 Organization or various Pan American agreements are pure inven- 

 tions or the expedient devices of harassed but agile national leaders. 

 On the contrary, an examination of Atlantic history will show that 

 they are based on old but persistent associations and interests which 

 have already found a partial expression in the past. To the extent that 

 they represent real cultural interests and not political inspiration, they 

 have proved effective and to that extent they may prove effective in 

 the future. 



The conviction grows that in the Atlantic community we have 

 what is worth defending in the world today and that in the Atlantic 

 Ocean we have a strategic asset for such defense. We should be quite 

 clear about what this means. It does not mean that the Atlantic 

 Ocean is an automatic defense or a natural protection to any nation 

 or any set of ideas no matter how admirable or desirable. The Atlan- 

 tic Ocean is only of value to those who will cultivate it persistently 

 and use it courageously. To such it must prove a realm of economic 

 prosperity in time of peace and a bulwark of defense in time of war. 

 This belief in the ultimate utility of the Atlantic is at the heart of the 

 seaman's often unexpressed belief about the world. 



If we believe that the Atlantic Ocean is worth utilizing and worth 

 protecting, it follows that we must take a permanent and effective 

 interest in the establishment of a strong merchant marine and a 

 strong navy not only in our own country but also in the other coun- 

 tries that are our partners. To this extent the Atlantic story is an 

 argument for a large and effective navy but it would be the greatest 

 mistake to assume that this could be left as a partisan matter or that 

 this was all that was involved. 



In the real world and under the existing circumstances a strong 

 navy or navies seem indispensable not only for the protection of Can- 

 ada and the United States and the Western World in general but also 

 for the defense of the Atlantic communities on both sides of the 

 water. It is equally an argument for the development of an adequate 

 merchant marine, serviceable in peace as well as in war; an argument 

 for a strong air force or strong air forces and for the progressive de- 



