Evening star., 1949-03-21
Atlantic Alliance Held
New League Of Nations
Within u. n. Setup
Lons-Awoited Answer
To Veto Used by Soviet
Seen in New Pact
By David Laurence

Seen in New Pact
By David Laurence
The Western world has given
through the North Atlantic pact
something more than notice that
it will resist armed attack from
an aggressor. What has been
evolved is a new approach to the
problem of world organization
a new League of Nations within
the United Nations structure.
Means of military cooperation
to resist attack have been formu-
lated, to be sure, but there is also
set up machinery for practical CO.
operation in the field of economic
as well as cultural programs.
The new pact is the long
awaited answer to the veto ex-
ercised by the Soviet government
inside the United Nations, where
all manner of cooperation has
been blocked and where also no
machinery to police international
disorder has been established,
even though the United Nations
charter specifically provided ways
and means for such steps to be
taken.
A military council or staff to
invoke military protection will
have been brought into being
precisely as the Security Council
itself was to have functioned.
Provision is made for Russian CO.
operation. because the entire
pact is related to the United Ma
tions and any military measures
that are taken can be superseded
whenever the Security Council. in
which Russia sits, gives evidence
of taking over the task.
Aims to Keep Peace Everywhere.
Thus the new treaty does not
narrowly confine itself to the
hypothetical contingency in which
Russia might be the aggressor but
to the broader field of preserving
peace everywhere in the area des-
ignated. This is geographically
very large. and presumably the
Latin-American countries will be
invited to join so that In the end
almost all the world except Rus
sia will be united and a practical
means of using physical force to
enforce the decisions of the pow
ers will have been provided.
1t will be noted that the treaty
defines an armed attack against
any one of the nations signing it
as including any attack on the
forces of occupation. This says
plainly to Russia that an attack
on the Berlin airlift would bring
all the signatory powers into COM
mon consultation so that united
action In resistance would then
follow.
It is significant, too, that while
no measures of a military nature
are to be brought into play and
the obligation is merely to consult
when political independence" is
threatened, there is nevertheless a
pointed hint that Communist &C
tivity inspired by Moscow and de-
signed to overthrow parliaments
by intimidation will have the
closest scrutiny of the powers
signing the new treaty.
Benefited By 1919 Experience.
It Is important to bear in mind
that the trainers of the new pact,
benefiting by the experience OF
the 1919 debate in the Senate on
the League of Nations covenant,
made it clear that each country
signing the treaty is to be the sole
Judge of whether military aid is
to be furnished and the extent
thereof. This means Congress will
have to declare war or authorize
the use of the armed services OF
the United States or else pass laws
to be kept in force which will per-
NIT instant action without fur
ther Congressional action. This,
however, Is something outside the
treaty and in a sense is domes-
tic question. It is one for each
country to decide.
Both houses Of Congress will be
in on any decisions that will au-
thorize the President as comman-
der-in-chief to use the armed
services when there isn't even time
for a declaration of war. In the
past. Congress has found itself
ratifying a state of war rather
than embarking on declaration
of war. The japanese attack
on Pearl Harbor brought World
War II to the United States and
resistance was ordered by the ex-
ecutive without waiting for an
official declaration by Congress,
though 1t followed a couple of days
later. This twilight zone, so to
speak, may occasion some debate
in Congress later on but ought to
be resolved realistically.
Meanwhile, the text of the
treaty has been written in such a
way as to make possible virtually
unanimous support in the Senate.
This, incidentally, would be a
splendid way to notify all poten-
tial aggressors that America is
united now in wanting everybody
in the world to know that an
armed attack on the powers which
signed the treaty will! be regarded
as cause for American interven-
ton.
Had such a policy been known
to the Germans either in 1914
or in 1899, the whole course Of
world history might have been
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