Evening star., 1949-03-27

economic and social structure
breaking down.
The second questioned equal
importance-is whether. unless we
accept this burden, Europe will
fall prey to Russia's expansionism.
and whether, if Europe does fall
to Russia, our own security will
be further threatened.
One other question which comes
to the minds of congressman who
in recent years have studied the
international situation first hand.
is whether the precautions we are
now planning to take against pos
sible aggression across the At
lantic will be sufficient without
taking some definite steps also to
secure our defenses in the Pacific.
We are undertaking to defend
our European Allies not only on
their own territories but also in
Algeria. The Western European
nations, which look to us for all
possible assistance, have not
promised anything, according to
the wording of the pact as it
stands, to assist in defense If
Russia should strike at the United
States or at other nations in the
Pacific and Indian Ocean areas.
1t is conceded by those officials
and legislators who are studying
Western Europe's defensive re-
armament that the economy OF
this country will be heavily bur-
dended by this new and inevitable
expenditure. 1t is agreed by all
those who have studied present
conditions in Europe that unless
we proceed to the physical re-
armament of the Western Euro
pean Union the Atlantic pact will
be a dead letter. Our refusal to
provide the necessary arms, even
on a smaller scale than Western
Europe envisages. will play into
the hands of Communist agitators
better than if we had never agreed
to enter an alliance.
The Communists will say not only
that America is ready to sacrifice
millions of lives and watch inn
passively the havoc of new war
in Europe, but also that the
money-minded Americans. refuse
to give their victims" even the
most essential means of fighting
in their own defense.
Treaty Gould Bounce
The Communists will revive the
story of the real causes for the
defeat of the French armies in
1910, which they ascribe solely to
the lack of adequate modern mill
tary equipment, and will say that
America aims to destroy Europe.
American refusal to implement
the Atlantic pact after its rat1-
! fication by the Senate may cause
the treaty to boomerang. 1t will
be difficult, therefore, for mem
bers of Congress to reject a re-
quest for appropriation for mill
tary supplies for Western Europe.
What worries American military
men, who are lukewarm to the
idea of sending large quantities OF
military equipment to Europe. is
whether the French and Italians
who comprise the projected
ground forces have enough tight
left in them to make good use OF
costly American war material.
There seems to be no doubt
among American military men
that the British will make good
and determined soldiers. But they
seem to be uncertain about the
fighting qualities of continental
Europeans.
Some American military experts
contend that after a perfunctory
defense continental Europe will
seek safety in surrender. This
opinion is by no means general.
Some of our htgh-ranking officers
believe that the French, for in
stance, fought poorly against the
Nazis not only because the latter
had better armament and a dev-
astatingly superior air force, but
because the French soldiers had
an inferiority complex about their
German opponents.
IItaly's Case Different
Conditions are different in Italy.
where the soldier of modern times
has fought indifferently in wars
of aggression-against the Arabs
in Cyrenaica, against the Ethio-
plans both in 1885 and 1885, and
against the Greeks. the French.
the British and ourselves in World
War II.
1t is possible, however, that in
a defensive war, in which they
may have to oppose the hordes Of
an atheistic, totalitarian govern
ment, the Italian soldier may give
a better account of himself.
Whereas under Mussolini the
Fascist theology took precedence,
since the war the population Of
Italy once more has turned
strongly toward the church. This
change may be an important fac
tor in the ability of the Italians
to resist the anti-Christan forces.
These are purely psychological
conditions, but have to be taken
into account in the general esti-
mate as to the willingness OF
Western European governments to
make good use of American war
material.
What stands out forcefully to-
day in the minds of those who
carefully analyze the pros and
cons of supporting the nations Of
Western Europe with military
equipment is that if we refuse to
accept what may become dread
fully heavy burden, the Atlantic
treaty will never be anything but
pious wish, and the real pur-
pose for which it has been nego-
tiated-the defense of Europe as
a means to our own defense-will
be defeated more decisively than
If we had never entered such an