Evening star., 1948-12-19

safeguard world peace by re-establis
the continent.
Tests of public sentiment apd the
pulse of Congress inspire the de-
partment to hope that delays en-
countered by the European Re-
covery Program will be cut in half,
and that the pact will be ratified,
with adequate appropriations, be-
fore the adjournment of Congress
on June 80.
Four Big Assignments
The design is. to create an At
lsntic alliance as an expansion OF
the Western European Union, which
was founded last March II at Brus-
sells by Great Britain, France and
the three Benelux countries-Bel-
GUM. the Netherlands and Luxem-
bourg. Like the Western European
Union the proposed Atlantic al
lance would function as regiona.
organization under the charter Of
the United Nations.
For three months to come, it is
estimated, the State Department
will be occupied by four assign
ments, Of which the last will be
the actual drafting Of the treaty
The first will be the conclusion OF
with representatives OF
the five so-called Brussels Powers
which have now, in Washington
entered upon their final stage. The
second will be consultations with
leaders of Congress regarding the
sort of treaty provisions it would
be likely to approve. The third
task will be that Of sounding out
such additional countries as appear
to be logical recruits for the At
lantic alliance.
During talks current in this city
three principal decisions are aimed
at-the minimum defense require
ments of Western Europe, the pro-
portion which the participating
countries undertake to- supply on
their own account and the share
which the United States will con-
sent to defray.
Would Add Cost to ERP
At this writing, all figures remain
conjectural. But the presumption i:
reasonable that Western Europe viii
demand, for initial defense, at leas
20 divisions with modern equipmen
and Empowered tactical air sup
port. In reserve, ready for shipmen
and action at short notice, tn,
United States would be expected tt
maintain an added Is divisions out
of its own 'rearmament resources.
Estimates as to American costs fol
helping equip the European division.
range from SIS to So billions for the
first fiscal year. The amount, what.
ever it proves to be, would be super.
imposed upon ERP donations, thi.
country's multibillion defense pro
gram and occupation expenses ir
Germany, Austria, Trieste, Japar
and Korea.
AS one method Of economy the
United States is insisting that West.
ern Europe organize itself as mill
tary entity, with overall schedules
of equipment. Dealing with the
members as individual nations, it i
argued, would multiply expense, a.
there would be costly overlapping ol
items. It is significant that the
State Department deprecates ths
general definition of the new pro;
gram as q revival Of lend-lease
This term is held to suggest one
way operation. The title preferred
Is mutual aid" which connotes th'
largest possible contribution by the
peoples concerned.
Still In the field Of surmise are
also the countries which may be in.
vited to enlist in the defense ALI.
ance. A glance at the map Of ths
North Atlantic, however, reveals the
membership which most probably
would be desired. 1t would include
the United States and Canada, with
Greenland, Iceland
Fire, Norway, Denmark and Portugal
Norway's Strategic Value
Norway, with its geographical
position and border touching OF
that of the Soviet Union near Pet
samo, gains further strategic value
from its ownership of the com.
manding island of Spitzbergen
Greenland is a colony of Denmark
Portugal is not only q gateway tt
the Iberian Peninsula but possesses
in the Azores an aerial stepping
stone to Europe. We already have
rights to the use of airbases in New.
Greenland, Iceland, the
Azores and England, as well as in
Germany, Tripoli and Morocco.
Under consideration for eventual
membership are Italy and the pro-
spective West German state. The
former, a Mediterranean country
might draw in its wake Greece and
Turkey. Should the necessity ever
rise for arming democratic Ger
many, an effort would be made to
olacate France by granting her
oriorities of volume and time in the
delivery Of military furnishings, and
BY attempting secure precautions
against any resurgence of the Teu-
;cnic peril.
There have been suggestions that
South Africa, New Zealand and
as members of the British
commonwealth, might desire to stand
beside the mother country and Cam
ida in the proposed union. Thanks
20 the regional defense pact con-
,luded at Rio Janeiro, the United
States in case of need would be as