Evening star., 1948-03-21

'ASS VI dnosIieT oeieCLlVe service ACT
alton ground personnel and to bring
pessimism regarding the shape of
things to come.
The world situation has placed us
In a position where we must take
stock and decide within a short
time what our attitude will be.
Western Europe is definitely
threatened by the Communist drive.
The European Recovery Program,
which possibly could have made a
difference last year, cannot help the
Western European nations to resist
the Communist onslaught backed
by the Soviet military might.
Chocolate bars" as economic as
sistance is described by some real
lists. cannot resist tanks and air
planes. There seems to be no oues-
ton that henceforth we must face
the Russians with the same strong
arguments" they themselves are
using.
Under these circumstances two
ways are open to us: Either the
American Government decides that
Europe must be written off because
we cannot get prepared in time to
lace the music-and in such a case
the ERP can be of no real use. Or
the American Government decides
that for its own national security
that portion Of Europe which is not
behind the iron curtain is essential
and we must get ready to meet any
emergency.
Two Ways Open to Us
In this latter case two things are
essential: One is to provide air
planes and war materiel to those
Western European countries which
are ready to resist Soviet encroach-
ments. The other Is to start getting
our own forces-particularly avia-
tion-ready for any emergency. And
this does not mean that We can
wait until after the conventions
have decided who is going to be the
Republican and Democratic nomi-
neeS and after the election cam
paign is over. 1t means that we
must start at once with all plans
for military preparedness.
Since last month the representa-
tives of Western European powers
have been advising the officials with
whom they are in contact in Wash
ington that they need primarily
military weapons-principally air
planes and tanks-to meet the crisis
which they believe will reach its
height sometime in the next few
months. They do not claim, of
course, that food, fuel and raw ma
terials are not needed by their
countrymen; quite the contrary.
They say that countries which may
have to face the brunt of another
invasion should have enough in
their larder to feed and clothe their
people. But food and clothing alone
are not enough to resist an aggres-
sor far more ruthless and sly than
the Nazis. And they are urging the
American Government not to delay
any longer.
Must Meet Emergency
If the policy makers decide that
Europe is important and must not
be abandoned, half measures such
as announcement of doctrines, large
expenditures for economic admin
istrations and declarations of grave
concern" are no longer sufficient.
We must meet the emergency head
on with everything that the Ameri-
can people have. This may or may
not lead to war; there is a posi-
bility that the Russian military men.
who are more realistic than their
political leaders, may influence the
kremlin to wait for a better time
to continue its expansionist policy.
There is an off chance that because
we have the atomic bomb which the
Russians know can play havoc with
their main centers of production.
the mild counsels of the military
men, such as Field Marshal George
zhukov, may be reluctantly lis
tened to.
Heretofore America, whose mill
tary might was realized if not recog-
nized by the Russians during the
war, has never put her foot down
and warned the Kremlin that it can
go no further without locking horns
with her. At no time since the pull |
Verlzation of foes by the powerful ]
ground and air forces has I
Russia believed that the soft"
people could be induced to ,
shoulder rifles again. Plans are now :
available for reconstruction of some :
OF the Western European armies. ;
This will take time unless Congress
Immediately appropriates funds to ,
resume mass production in our :
plants.
How Will We Play 1t /
Under existing condition the whole d
of Western Europe could be subiu- i
gated by the Russians within less s
than six months. And the Rus
slams will not hesitate to do the
lob thoroughly if they are sure that
America will talk, react with indig-
nation, bring the matter up before
the United Nations and use all the
diplomatic machinery short of wal.
But there is a strong feeling among
military men in this country that
any positive indication that we are
willing to go the whole hog might
stop the Russians in their tracks.
1t Is a chance we may have to
take. A passive attitude, events in i
the last three years have shown us. {
will further encourage Russia's ag- I
A militant attitude l