With or without the consent of France and England, we should sign a peace treaty with the government of Western Germany, recognizing it as the lawful government of all Germany and imposing no restrictions on the sovereignty of Germany–that is, leaving Germany free to arm as it pleases.
Immediately following the signing of this treaty, we should announce to the world that, when we pull out of Europe at the end of six months, we expect the Soviets to pull out of Germany entirely. If, within one week after we effect our withdrawal, the Soviets are not out–or if they later come back in, against the wishes of the German nation–we should break off diplomatic relations with all communist countries; deny all representatives of all communist nations access to United Nations headquarters which are on United States soil; and exert maximum pressures throughout the world to isolate all communist countries, economically and diplomatically, from all non-communist countries.
That is an American plan, which would solve the German "problem" in the interests of peace and freedom.
Many Americans, who see what the solution to our grave problems ought to be, have lost hope that we will ever achieve such solution, because, in the end, the solution rests with the people.
It is the people who must compel their elected representatives to make a thorough investigation of the Council on Foreign Relations and its interlock.
It is the people who must compel Congress to deny administrative Agencies of government the unconstitutional power of granting tax-exemption.
It is the people who must compel Congress to submit a constitutional amendment calling for repeal of the income tax amendment.
It is the people who must compel Washington officialdom to do what is right and best for America in foreign affairs, especially in Cuba and Berlin.
Many Americans are in despair because they feel that the people will never do these things. These pessimists seem to share the late Harry Hopkins' conviction that the American people are too dumb to think.