Evening star., 1949-04-05
Senate Expected
To Get Atlantic
Pact This Week
Program Of MiIitoy
Aid Also Due TO Be
Presented Soon
(TeTtS and Excerpts OF Speeches
on PAGE A-5.J
By Gornett D. Homer

lAN ANol III AGAdLikA AItdLs
hailed by President Truman as a
shield against aggression and the
fear Of aggression" headed for
Senate debate today.
Secretary of State Acheson and
the foreign ministers of II other
nations signed late yesterday the
20-year security pact designed to
head off any Russian aggression
with a united defense.
This cleared the way for final
action to bring into force America S
first peacetime military alliance
with Europe-ratification by the
United States Senate and the
other six original sponsors of the
l2-nation treaty.
The President, who acclaimed
the pact last night as "a milestone
in history" is expected to send it
to the Senate this week with an
appeal for speedy approval. There
was little doubt the treaty would
win the necessary two-thirds vote
for ratification. but how soon was
uncertain.
Aid Program to Be Offered.
Mr.. Truman also plans to ask
Congress soon to authorize a pro-
gram of American assistance in
building up the armed strength of
the European members of the al
lance. costing between $1,000
100000 and 100000. 900 for the
first year. This program to back
up the pact is more controversial
than the treaty itself.
Speeches by the President and
the treaty signers at the ceremony
launching it in the Departmental
Auditorium yesterday afternoon
emphasized that it Is aimed at
preserving peace by discouragirg
aggression.
They made clear that the IL
North Atlantic nations were i'm
PEELED to form the regional oe-
fenSe system by the fear breeding
actions of Russia, while sharply
rejecting Moscow charges that the
pact is aggressively directed at
Russia.
In this pact" Mr.. Truman said.
I'VE hope to create a shield against
aggression and the fear of aggres-
sion.''
Truman Follows Ministers.
Mr.. Truman spoke after Mr..
Acheson and the Foreign Minis
ters of Belgium. Canada. Denmark,
France, Iceland. Italy. Luxem-
bourg. The Netherlands. Norway.
Portugal, and Great Britain had
given their views of the treaty.
Then he watched the Fol eign
Ministers and their Ambassadors
here sign their names to the pact
and stood with Vice President
Barkley at Mr.. Acheson's light
o1lOuldCl do bllC oCCl Ctdl III oLd tC
signed for the United States.
Mr.. Acheson described the al
lance as a warning of "woe" to
those who set their feet upon the
path of aggression"
''We want to discourage in ad-
vance any aggression, by making
it more and more dangerous for
the aggressor, said French For
eign Minister Robert Schuman.
Paul-Henri Spaak. Premier and
Foreign Minister of Belgium, said
the magnitude of the forces"
brought together by the pact is "af
a nature to discourage any future
aggressor.
Treaty's Aim Summarized.
Luxembourg Foreign Minister
Joseph Bech summarized the
treaty aim this way: Its purpose
is both to prevent war from break
ing out, by establishing a balance
between the forces confronting
each other, and to win any war
of aggression that may be directed
against one or all of the signatory
states"
Mr.. Truman branded as "aoso-
lutely untrue" Soviet charges that
signing of the treaty was an ag-
gressive act.
I'm taking steps to present ag-
gression against our own peoples,
the President said, we have no
purpose of aggression against
others. To suggest the contrary
is to slander our institutions and
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