Evening star., 1949-02-20
Nation S Papers Split
On War Commitment
In Atlantic Pact
by the Asseeiotsd Press

S4Cwo O1 oVntC4AAC11OS Wy GWO wy
foreign policy spokesmen opposing
automatic American military COM
mitment under the proposed North
Atlantic defense pact.
Some papers regarded with un-
mistakable concern the stands of
Senators Connally, Democrat, o1
Texas and Vandenberg, Repub-
lican, of Michigan. who last Tues
day fatty told the Senate the
United States must not bind itself
TO a moral obligation to 60 to war.
The two Senators. chief legis-
lative spokesmen for American bi-
partisan foreign policy. argued
that only Congress could declare
war and that insertion of an auto
matte military clause in the pact
would violate the Constitution.
Question Called Academic.
Some papers, like the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, viewed the question
as academic.
who would suppose" asked the
Post-Gazette, that this country,
having armed members of the pact
and having worked out a common
strategy with them, would sit aloo1
were one of them blitzed by
The Milwaukee Journal ,editori-
allied that if war comes again
there will be no time for summon
ing Congress or listening to it de-
bate.
Whatever fundamental stand
this country is going to take must
be taken now and that decision
must be made clear to
our friends-and perhaps more
clear to our enemies" the Journal
added.
The New York Times termed
the outcome of the Senate debate
inconclusive. But over that de-
bate. it added. hovered the shades
of the 'willful men of the twen-
ties who repudiated the last peace
treaty, with the League of Ma
tions Covenant, and led the
United States into that isolation
which helped to breed the Sec
ond World War"
The New York Herald Tribune
said:
1T is possible to ask whether
Senator Connally was put
ting 1t tactfully when he repudi-
ated any agreement which would
commit us to go to war .. A
more chilling way to destroy the
whole purpose of the pact
would be hard to imagine"
The Kansas City Star said it
could see no reason why the Sem
ate debate stirred up an inter-
national commotion of sorts, ad-
ding: Every informed European
must have known Congress is for
hidden by the Constitution to dele
gate its authority to declare war"
Asserting that the American
people must be told quickly the
provisions of the pact, the Colum-
bus (Ohio) Dispatch said it may
represent the beginning of an in
ternational journey which later
We would regret ="
Senator's Stand Backed.
The Denver Post said the two
Senators spoke quite properly but
added there is no need for West
ern Europe to fear. The United
States is in European defense up
to its ears and obviously intends
to stay there.
The Baltimore Sun said the ef-
fectiveness of the pact is not de-
pendent upon a binding war
clause.
The Chicago Tribune COM
mented that the people had bet
ter make themselves heard now
or they will find another promis-
sorry note has been signed and that
one Of these days it will be ten
dered for redemption"
Commitment Opposed.
The Philadelphia Inquirer de-
clared that the United States must
not, even by inference, commit
itself to war. The Inquirer said
however, that realities of the
atomic age make it plain that il
q Western European country were
attacked, America would not re-
main idle"
The Indianapolis News said Eu-
ropeans must understand that the
reluctance of Congressional lead
ers is not due to the giving OF
military aid: the issue is a purely
constitutional one"
The Christian Science Monitor
said: mot all Americans share
$50 the opinions that Americans
are not responsible for the dis
agreements which might grow up
in Europe Much more represent
ative is the wider concept OF
American responsibility-and in
deed stark national interest-ex-
pressed by the Vandenberg resolu-
ton"
Constitution Stressed.
The Boston Globe commented
that any pact must conform to
the tenets of the American Con-
stitution."
The Louisville Courier Journal
said our Allies must be reminded
that ANY treaty is worth only
the mutual confidence of the sign
ers, one in the other"
The Los Angeles Times said
that the Senate row indicates
it Is already too late to repair
the psychological damage that
has been done by secrecy. (But)
1t is quite likely that we shall
enter into some kind of an alli-
ance ="
The San Francisco Chronicle
said: "The necessary omission
from the Atlantic treaty Of any