Evening star., 1948-04-09
U. s.. Military Support
OF West Europe Bloc
Now Appears Certain
by fhe Assee;osed Press

The projected Western European
Union now seems sure of strong
American military support as a way
to strengthen the West against
feared Russian expansion.
In the opinion of Washington Of
ficials, however, several major prob
lens remain to be worked out, in
cluding the precise forms this sup
port may take.
Belgian Premier Paul Henri Spaak
who has conferred here this week
with President Truman, Undersec-
retary of State Lovett, and other
laeders, told a news conference late
yesterday the European nations will
ask for military as well as recovery
help later on.
Want to Consolidate.
First, Mr.. Spaak. said they want
to consolidate their new organiza-
ton which SO far has gone through
only the first stages.
Mr.. Spaak was one Of the prime
movers in a flye-nation meeting at
Brussels month ago which drafted
a treaty for economic, political and
military cooperation among the
western states.
The five nations which did the
drafting were Britain, France, Bel
GUM, the Netherlands and Luxem-
bourg.
The United States, in statements
by President Truman and Secretary
of State Marshall, already Is on
record as approving the formation
of this western bloc.
Also, as Mr.. Spaak reminded re-
porters last night, Mr.. Truman told
Congress on March II that this
country intends to back up the free
nations of Europe In their struggle
to maintain their freedom against
Communist Russia.
Definite Ideas Worked Out
Even before Mr.. Truman spoke,
State and Defense Department ON
cials had been studying what steps
along that line the American Gov
eminent might take. Their studies
recently have been intensified, and
Mr.. Lovett told a news conference
Wednesday that some definite ideas
have now been worked out, although
no formal policy decision has yet
been made.
Several reasons are given for this.
One is that the United States, with
a broad-scale military program now
pending before Congress, is still in
the process Of deciding how to build
up its own strength.
Once this decision Is reached,
Government ofiicials feel that def
mite promises made to the nations
of Western Europe will carry much
more weight-both in reassuring
the Western Europeans and in
warning the Russians anew that
the United States means business.
Main Lines Of Action.
Two main lines of action are fore
seen.
One is for the United States to
undertake the arming Of Western
European forces in so far as they
need assistance in the form of guns,
ammunition, planes, tanks and
the like.
The other is in the form of an
outright military alliance which the
American Government might make
with the western bloc as a unit. The
Senate would have to ratify any
such step as this, and the whole
Congress would have to approve the
arming decision by passing on
money requests.
Not all the decisions, however,
have to be or can be made here.
American officials say privately they
would like. very much to see the
original Brussels group of five ma
tions expanded to include various
other European countries which
might want to come in.
There has been considerable in
dication that Italy, assuming the
Communists are defeated in this
April 18 election, will be invited to
ipin the western llnion.