Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-07-26
Trumun's Call for Pact Aid
Puts Cart Before the Horse
Treaty Article Provides for Council
to Make Recommendation First
Bv Gould Lincoln
! The Political Mil

10 wake Recommendations F1fSt
By Gould Lincoln
President Truman very properly recon-
mended to Congress the experimentation Of
the North Atlantic Security Treaty. But
in the bill which he sent to Congress the
President puts the cart before the horse.
The treaty itself provides in Article 9 for
Council whose duty shall be the prepare
ton OF long range program for military
defense against aggression. Instead OF
waiting for the creation of this Council and
for its recommendations, the President asks
Congress for s1.450000 600 to extend aid
IN building up the armed forces of other
signatories to the pact-and asks carts
blanche for the expenditure Of the money.
His word would be the last word in the
distribution of arms. etc
There Is no use blinking the fact that
ratification of the treaty by the United
States meant that this country would begin
arming the nations of Western Europe.
The ratification, too. was definite warning
to Russia that If she moved against any
OF the signatories of the treaty, the United
States would fight. Having won an impress
sive victory in the treaty vote, President
Truman now runs the danger of minimiz-
ing that victory. of diluting it, by submit
ting program which he must have known
in advance would be seriously attacked and
perhaps defeated.
Ignored Warnings.
During the Senate debate of the North
Atlantic Treaty. again and again Senator
Vandenberg of Michigan, the ranking Re-
publican member of the Foreign Relations
Committee who strongly supported the
treaty-and other proponents of the treaty
said definitely they were not committed
to the program which the President has
now transmitted to the Congress- The
President and the State Department appar-
emily ignored these warnings. They did
not take Mr.. Vandenberg into their con-
hdence. although he has been their chief
ally in the bipartisan foreign policy, 80
successfully maintained up to now.
Almost in the twinkling of an eye, when
the Presidents message and the accompany
ing BILL drafted by the State Department,
were received at the Capitol, the opposition
lowered the boom. Statement after state
ment was issued by Senators who had stood
staunchly in support of the North Atlantic
Treaty. including Vandenberg. Dulles of New
York. Saltonstall and Lodge of Massachu-
sets. George of Georgia, indicating their
opposition to the present program of arms
asslstance-at this time. One and all de-
manded that either all appropriations be
delayed until after the still to be created
council. under the treaty, submits its recon-
mendations or that what Senator Vanden-
berg has referred to as an interim" appro-
priation-presumably- much smaller than
the sum asked by the President-be made
Immediately.
The Vandenberg proposal for an interim
appropriation-to be available before the
council formulates a programmes made
publicly Saturday. The administration was
not ignorant of his stand. But the Admins
tration gave no heed to the warning. Almost
1t looks as though Mr.. Truman was intent
upon tossing the bipartisan foreign policy
into the ocean.
Won't Give Blank Check
1t IS becoming more apparent that Con-
gress does not intend, either, to give the
President a blank check, with which he
may do anything under the sun he desires.
The issue Of the atomic bomb and its secret
is involved. Senator ,Vandenberg, It is
known, believes that a long range program
may give to various nations signatory to
the pact various assignments For example.
Britain, with its seapower may be assigned
the protection Of much of the territory
involved from attack by water. France
eventually may become the main reliance
for land forces. What would be more nat
ural than to assign to the United States the
atomic bomb for defense? And why should
billions of dollars be expended to set up
atomic bomb factories in European coun-
tries?
The Presidents message and the proposed
legislation were disappointments to friends
Of the pact on Capitol Hill. If the ad-
ministration sticks to these demands, not
only will there be a long drawn-out fight
but the administration stands in danger of
a disastrous defeat. Such a defeat would
not merely be blow to the prestige of the
President in this country. but 1t would be a
setback for the whole North Atlantic de-
tense against Communist Russias agrees
sive tactics.
Prompt readjustment Of the program,
with the President acquiescing, can improve
the situation immensely.