Evening star., 1949-04-05
Excerpts From Foreign Ministers Addresses Atlantic Alliance

~ I"CIyH wi
foster the criminal idea of having
recourse to war. To be convinced
of this one has only to read IT. but
one must do so without q precon-
ceived idea.
The peoples here represented de-
test war, and their governments
share their sentiments.
The North Atlantic treaty was
act of faith in the destiny of West
ern civilization. Based on the exer-
else of civil and political liberties,
on respect for the human person, it
cannot perish.
l.. b. Pearson, Canada:
The North Atlantic pact Is an
born out of fear and Illustration;
fear of the aggressive and subversive
policies of communism and the ef-
feet of those policies on our own
peace and security and well being; I;
Illustration over the obstinate OBJ
struction by Communist states of
our efforts to make the United Ma
tions function effectively as a uni
versal security system. This treaty,
though born of fear and Illustration,
must, however, lead to positive social,
economic and political achievements
If it Is to live; achievements which
will extend beyond the time of
emergency which gave it birth or
the geographical area which it now
includes.
This treaty does not, of itself
ensure peace, 1t does, however,
give us the promise of far greater
security and stability than we pos
sess today. BY our combined ef-
forts, we must convert this promise
into performance or the treaty will
remain no more than yet another
expression of high but unattained
ideals. That will not happen to
our North Atlantic pact If each of
us accepts the challenge it pro-
claims; If each of us, with trust In
the good will and peaceful policies
Of the others, will strive to make
1t something more than words. We
know that we can do this.
Gustav Rasmussen, Denmark:
When today, on behalf of Dem
mark, I sign the North Atlantic
Treaty. do so because 1t is an In
strument of peace, and because 1t
has no other purpose than defense
in case an armed attack should
occur against any one of the sigma
tory powers.
The North Atlantic treaty con-
tains a solemn reaffirma ton of the
pledges given by those countries
under the United Nations Charter
The treaty is therefore designed
to strengthen the system of the
United Nations. 1t constitutes
cornerstone in the fundamental
structure of general security.
Robert Schuman, France:
There is no contradiction between
two treaties when both have their
object to guarantee the security OF
the same country but are concluded
with different guarantors. The
multiplicity of possible risks neces-
states a multiplicity of precautions.
This answer we gave to Germany
when, in 1885, she took objection
to the Franco-Russian treaty, in
compatible, according to her, with
the Locarno pact Today, We give
1t to the u. s. S. r. with whom we
remain bound by a defense pact
against a possible German menace
and by the obligation we accepted
never to associate ourselves with
any threat directed against her.
We shall scrupulously honor this
obligation.
When we expand the network
of our friendships, old and new,
do we In fact repudiate q friend
ship which does not satisfy all our
need for security? Is 1t a threat
to any one when we take out in
surance against all risks, when we
organize a system OF common de-
fense against any attack. what
ever its nature?
We are uniting with the inten-
ton of providing o common ana
reciprocal protection. We want TO
discourage in advance any aggres-
sion by making 1t more and more
dangerous for the aggressor. Only
a potential aggressor could legiti-
nately consider it aimed at him.
Bjarni Benediktsson, Iceland:
The nations who are now forming
this new brotherhood are unlike
each other In many respects: Some
of them are the greatest and most
powerful In the world Others are
small and weak.
We all face the same danger In
this world of ours, where distances
have vanished. peace, indeed. is In
divisible. The same disrupttve ele-
ments are everywhere at their sinis-
ter work. Everywhere they are
accusing us, who are working for
peace, Of being wArmongers.
We all belong TO the same cul-
ture. We would all prefer to lose
our lives rather than lose our free
dom. either as individuals or na-
tions. We an believe In friendly CO.
ov>re%fnv. auansNcr nations We all