Evening star., 1946-10-01
Coup d'Etot Rumors
Linked to NovyMove
u. s. Is Ready to Checkmats
Any Move of Aggression
Bv David Laurence

u. >. Is Neaoy 10 Nneckmate
Any Move of Aggression
By David Laurence
Many persons have forgotten that
the United States Is still In state Of
war. This means that wherever troops
OF the United States occupy any terri
tory, whether in Europe or the Far
East, it is the obligation OF the Govern
ment here to back them up and defend
them with reinforcements in the event
Of an attack.
This statement of the existing situa-
ton is pertinent today as background
to the declaration just made by Navy
Secretary Forrestal, in which he says:
To-day the United States Navy is
continuing toNmaintain forces in the
Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea for
the following specific purposes:
"First, to support the Allied occupa-
ton forces and the Allied military gov
ernment In the discharge of their
responsibilities in the occupied areas of
Europe. q
Second, to protect United States in
terests and to support United States
policies in the area"
Answer to Rumors.
This means that, although . sub
stantial number of our troops has been
Withdrawn from Europe, there Is no
intention of allowing any sudden ma
neuver or coup d'etat to be made by any
nation, large or small, which might up
set the equilibrium of Europe
There have been repeated rumors
that Yugoslavia would suddenly grab
Trieste or that Russia would abruptly
move into Turkey. None of these has
any foundation so far as can be .ascer-
tanned here, but the fact that Trieste,
for instance, might be exposed to q
coup d'etat has often been discussed
from a theoretical viewpoint in the
National Capital.
It will be recalled that the combined
chiefs of staffs, consisting Of the British
and American military and naval chiefs,
has never been dissolved and that in
any emergency this institution would
take immediate supervision Of any mill
tary action in behalf Of the Allies.
Strictly speaking, the United Nations
through its Security Council should
be guarding against any sudden breach
of the peace by any nation, large or
small. But the Security Councils mill
tary program is far from q reality as
yet. Even the extent to which American
forces shall be contributed to the coun-
Gil has not been settled.
For q long time 1t has been assumed
! that only token force would be allo-
Gated by the United States or other
nations to the Security Council and. in
the event this was Inadequate for q
specific purpose, 1t was supposed there
would be q subsequent request for an
enlarged force to be sanctioned by Con-
gress or the respective national parlia-
ments Of the member states.
| The British Proposal.
Now it appears that the British have
| proposed that all Of q nations forces
be pledged for use by the Security
Council. This proposal Is being ex-
amined but the discussions have not
yet reached the point OF final recon-
| mendations.
Consequently, the preservation OF
peace is for the time being the job Of
the Allied governments. Any threat
which might come now would be in
the nature of q clash with Allied forces
near or at the trouble zones
The purpose Of the American Gov
ernment is not to send f,ill-fledsed
force to the areas where friction might
result in acts of aggression by some
| nation. The idea Is to have an adequate
force on the scene so as to protect such
forces as may become involved in any
clash. The mere fact that the United
States maintains adequate forces In
the Mediterranean Is expected to i'm
| press all Mediterranean countries that
aggression will not be countenanced and
| that respect must be given by all con-
cerned to the decisions of the Big Four
or the decisions written into treaties
Any violation involving the grabbing
of territory will not be permitted.
The Navys policy is part of the frm
policy established by the State Depart
ment. It is not policy of carrying a
chip on the shoulder but sof letting the
world know that the United States is
not going to acquiesce in any military
aggression by any power. Congress need
not be called into session to protect
American occupying armies. All the
powers necessary to protect United
States interests" have already been
delegated to the War and Navy Depart
| mentS.