Evening star., 1947-10-19

turned from various lQVeStlSaIiOll
congressional Investigators have dol
and women who were sent by the
various committees of Congress to
investigate conditions in Europe,
with the assignment to report
frankly on what this country can
do to mend European fences.
These members of Congress were
not on junket. They carefully
avoided all official receptions and
social events prepared by the heads
of government Of countries they
visited. They saw foreign political
leaders and put searching ques-
tions about their political, economic
and social plans.
Food or Communism
That there is plenty of room for
economic assistance was evident to
all the congressional investiga-
tors. Conditions were tight in al
most every capital. But the situation
is regarded as nowhere near as
serious as it is represented officially.
There is food in France, Italy and
other Western European countries,
except Germany But the mistakes
calculated or otherwise-of distri-
button and social and economic
policies are chiefly responsible for
the present predicament of Western
Europe.
The political leaders of Europe
told the American congressional in
vestigators that relief must come at
once, lest their countries fall under
Moscows domination. Send us
food" they say, otherwise the Com
munists will take over" But none
of these premiers, foreign ministers
supply and communications minis
ters were able to promise that the
arrival of hundreds of millions OF
tons of food, fuel and machinery
would keep the Communists out of
office.
The European people themselves
and our Congressman were able to
talk with the people everywhere they
went by means of interpreters-are
interested in food. But they all look
fearfully to the east, where large
Russian and satellite armies are
ready to march few hours after
Moscow gives the signal,
Many of these people in France
Italy and Belgium asked the same
question: rs America prepared te
send over the necessary armed force
to stop the Reds?" These men who
bore the brunt of two devastating
wars want to know what America
can do to protect them against phys
ical invasion. They know that few
hundred miles behind the iron cur
tain there are powerful Red forces.
Ask About u. S. Power
Everybody in Europe knows that
only few weeks ago a Soviet army
of 10000 men with full modern
equipment held war games in the
Burgenland, right under the noses OF
the weak American constabulary
They know that the United States
armed forces in Europe are neither
numerous nor experienced enough tt
resist Soviet onslaught. They alse
know that their own national de.
fense exists in name rather than ir
fact. They know that the industria
centers in Western Europe cannot
produce enough to supply consum.
ers' demands even partially-to say
nothing of war material-while ir
the U. S. S. r. and the satellite coun-
tries factories are working overtime
to supply the armed forces. They
know that in Austria, for instance
there are six American comba
planes against some $50 Russian
planes and that Tito could walk intt
Italy with practically no opposition
Europeans frequently asked th'
blunt question: How strong il
your air force and how many para
chute divisions do you have at hom,
to come over once more and stop {
Russian onslaught" The Congress
men passed over such questions Al
honest answer would have beer
most discouraging, and they felt tina
they could not lie to these war -tiree
peoples.
European military men who have
the responsibility of planning the de.
fense of their countries were bluntly
frank. Their opinion is not heart.
ening: The Russians can get to tht
Channel as fast as they can drive
there in their tanks and can brine
their ground forces by truck, rail.
way and on foot. No organized re.
sistance can be offered. because there
are no military forces available west