Evening star., 1949-02-28
Draft of Atlantic Pact,
Due by End Of Week,
PIeases Vandenberg

Plans for the North Atlantic
security program moved ahead
today with a nod of approval
from Senator Vandenberg of
Michigan, ranking minority men,
ber of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee and a top Re
publican spokesman on foreign
policy.
AS word came from the State
Department that the week might
bring completion of the draft Of
the treaty linking the United
States to a defensive regional al
lance with Western Europe. Sena-
tor Vandenberg told reporters
that he is pleased with the prog
reSs being made, and added that
II think we are on our way to a
satisfactory and adequate result" "
His statement was made as
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio,
voiced opposition to the plans to
arm key Western European coun-
tries, saying that the dispatch Of
military equipment to these asso-
ciateS might be an invitation to
Russia to a start a fight, rather
than an encouragement to peace.
Taft Sees Threat.
Senator Taft argued that the
projected security treaty is a de-
fensive arrangement and would
be so recognized by other nations;
therefore, he said he supported it,
: On the other hand. the Ohioan
said he thinks that If this country
decides to help re-arm Europe it
might give cause to the Russians
to feel they are being ringed with
military nations. In that case, he
said they might decide to attack
quickly.
Senator Pepper. Democrat, Of
Florida, a member Of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee. who
pleaded year ago for a better
understanding with Russia, said
he supports the security treaty
and the re-arming proposal.
Senator Pepper told reporter
he thinks an association Of friend
ly North Atlantic nations is justi-
fed until we get an effective in
ternational police force"
Position Changed.
His statement evidently marked
some change in his position since
last March. He urged the Senate
then, while it was considering the
original European Recovery Plan
Legislation. to strip this plan Of
every reference to the fact that
we are using it to beat COM
munism, to stop Russia"
This week will be one of the
climactic periods in the develop
ment Of the proposed security
program. Here is the outlook:
/. Secretary of State Acheson
and the representatives of Canada,
Britain, France, Belgium, the
Netherlands and Luxembourg
were due to meet today or tomor-
row in another treaty drafting
session. They hope to have the
draft complete by the week end.
2. Some further meeting be-
tween Secretary Acheson and the
Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee is regarded as possible, al
though plans were not fixed.
3. The Norwegian government
is expected to reach a formal de-
cision favoring Norway's adher-
ence to the security treaty. The
negotiators here may come to
some agreement on the timing Of
an invitation to Norway and
other nations in the North At
lantic area which will be brought
into the treaty talks.
4. Along with the pact nego-
tiations, the United States and
the Western European countries
are now working at top speed to
complete plans for the so-called
mutual aid military program.
Military and State Department
officials here have been screen
ing European arms needs esti-
mates for several weeks. This
week may give the European
military leaders the first official
word of what they can expect
| from the United States.