Evening star., 1949-09-04

in Washington when he and Sir
greatly increased threat to the
present democratic government in
Italy. At the same time all the
successes we have scored in recent
months in Greece would be put in
immediate danger. The Greek
guerrillas, who have suffered de-
feat principally because Yugo-
slavia ceased to help them. would
be revitalized by direct and active
Soviet support.
These possibilities, the British
say, must be borne constantly IN
mind. It is not improbable that
within a short time the Atlantic
pact nations may be called on to
take up arms again, not for the
defense of some former puppet of
Moscow, but for their own defense.
Obligation Assumed
Our Intervention in the East
ern Mediterranean was prompted
by the understanding of all West
ern nations that Russia must not
be allowed to obtain toehold in
that area by going through either
Greece or Turkey. We assumed
the obligation of seeing that COM
munism is kept out of that i'm
portant seaWay, because the
British informed us in the fall OF
1946 that they were too broke to
continue the work they had started
in Greece three years earlier. They
were equally unable to provide the
Turks with arms and ammunition
to reorganize their forces.
The Atlantic pact has two
anchors. The United States. which
is the heaviest and strongest, and
Britain and France, which are
the auxiliaries. If one prong OF
the auxiliary becomes damaged
the rest of the anchor becomes
useless.
This is the position of the British
today. Mr.. Bevin will present it
forcefully to his American col
leagues this week when discussions
begin on how to help Britain.
Granting that all our criticisms
of Britain's shortcomings are cor
rect, he is expected to say, what
will the position of the world be
if, under the pressure of the pres
ent domestic crisis. Britains eco
nomic fabric collapses. Normally,
lit may be said, this would be
Britain's own business: if it has
mismanaged its affairs it should
pay the price, for America has
done more than any other coun-
try since VI day to keep Britain
going. But If. while Britain is
gripped by a desperate crisis. the
Balkan powder keg is set af1re
again, what will be the position
of the Atlantic pact powers?
! Question of Defense
How can Britain. asks Mr.. Bevin
and other top British officials,
make good its obligation to become
one of the important contributors
to the defense of the West? The
demoralizing effect of such do
mestic crisis certainly will not be
helpful to whatever action the
British may be called on to take
in such an emergency. It is this
aspect of the problem-the mill
ary-political-which Mr.. Bevir
is expected to stress before his
American colleagues, and those
Senators and Representatives he
may be able to meet during his
six-day stay in Washington.
There is no question that the
problem of providing the prodigal
British with more American
wealth presents complexity Of
factors. How this can be done.
particularly since Sir Stafford is
very stubborn and doctrinaire
gentleman, is question which
cannot be answered easily. But
there is no question that this mill
tary-political element will impress
the administration.
Since 1947, when the admin
istration belatedly recognized that
Russia was playing its own game,
aimed at eventual world conquest,
all our measures to help Western
Europe-regardless of the trap
pings in which they were dressed
had but one objective, to stop
Russia.
| Gen. George c. Marshall him
self was convinced. however, that
his brainchild eventually would
have to be supported by political
and military agreements. I'm
proved economic conditions in
continent like Europe cannot be
successful unless the people in that
area are assured of their physical
security.
Threat to Anchor
Out of that idea was born the
Atlantic pact. with the subsequent
military aid program which is
now before Congress. But neither
the European Recovery Program
nor the Atlantic pact nor the pros
pective defensive rearmament of
Europe can be of any use, Mr..
Bevin and his non-political mill
tary advisers believe, unless Brit
ain can weather the present do
mestic storm. In effect, we are
being told the billions so far spent
, would be a complete waste if the
European anchor of the anti
Communist front becomes ineffec-
tive.
The British Foreign Secretary
believes that he has strong ar
. gument in this thesis. And there
is no question that the lavish ex-
penditure of billions to rejuVenate
Europe was prompted, after the
Truman doctrine was enunciated
in the spring of 1947. by political
rather than purely economic con-
siderations.
4 The administration has placed
, itself in a position now from which