Evening star., 1949-03-28
North Atlantic Treaty
Combines FIexibiIik
With Promise Of Aid
Unprecedented Pact Seer
Needed Because Attack
Itself Would Sturt War
Bv David Laurence


The North Atlantic Pact will be
debated thoroughly-as 1t should
be. because its commitments are
unprecedented in American his
tory. In the end it will be ap-
proved-also for unprecedented
reasons:
The airplane has completely
revolutionized warfare and has
made cumbersome. if not hazard
OTIS, the customary debate In a
democracy at the time Of an at
tack by another nation. g..
In the old days nation sent
declaration Of war and even
In some instances gave warning
by breaking off diplomatic rela-
tions.
Nazi Germany opened. World
War II without warning by air
bombardment of Warsaw,
Hitler gave Russia no warning
when he attacked in June. 1941.
Japan gave the United States
no warning when Pearl Harbor
was attacked even before the final
note terminating relations was
formally delivered.
The aggressor state in the next
war, with atomic bombs available,
will hardly send a warning.
Thus the United States has had
10 develop a formula for instan-
tarieous action and yet one that
would conform to constitutional
processes.
Pact Is Ambiguous.
The Atlantic Pact is in a sense
ambiguous, because it appears to
give each nation freedom of ac-
ton to decide whether and when
1t will join military action of
other countries in resisting ag-
gression. and yet 1t shows on its
face that every signatory nation
is morally bound to take such
action.
The wording was deliberately
selected to overcome the difficult
ties which have hitherto plagued
democracies in meeting the sud-
den and arbitrary action that an
aggressor government can take
without warning.
What the pact means. of course.
Is that even in advance Of any
act of aggression there will be
military preparation and co-op-
Grafton by all peace-loving ma
tions who will line themselves up
to deal with a theoretical ag-
gressor.
- For, while the democracies can.
be expected to preserve the
amenities Of international rela-
tions and will not themselves
initiate action in anticipation of
q hostile act, they will neverthe-
less not be caught asleep if q
sudden act of aggression ma
terializes from the one state or
group of states from which hos
the action could logicallyS be ex-,
peeted' IN the wake o. s iftefifa-
tiofial- events Indicating n6i1co-
opera ton or potential aggression.
:srE~4ee in history 9hsa UMted
States most ApowerfM oHation'
in the world STOOD 'sloof and
then at great cost in lives and
resources crossed the Atlantic to
participate IN an alliance against
Sggression. That fact has estab-
shed a precedent which it would
eem would not need to be ex-
aimed again to any other ag-
ressor government.
Treaty Flexible.
But, unfortunately, it is not the
2rtainty of American participa-
On in the defense of Europe which
+ is vitally important to publicize
sr formalize in a treaty Of agree
'nent with European countries. 1t
is something much more effective
by way of assurance-the actual
presence of American forces on
European and Asiatic soil at bases
from which airpower can be in
simultaneously released for retalia-
tory action the moment any sud-
den attack occurs.
If on the other hand, the ag-
erosion does not take on the grave
aspect of an overt act plainly in
tended to open a world war and is
merely one of those annoying "in-
cidents" which sometimes occur
and which can be resolved by di-
plomacy, then the mere exercise
of the Atlantic Pact's machinery
calling for consultation" may be
enough to give time for mobiliza-
ton or for retreat by the aggressor
state.
There will be instances, no
doubt, like the sinking OF the
American ship Panay in Chinese
waters by irresponsible japanese.
This incident was settled by an
apology from Japan and the pay
ment of an indemnity. A mistake
in the Berlin airlift area could |
lead to complications adjusted
without war. There are lots OF
skirmishes that could occur. 1t is
conceivable that the process OF
calling special session Of Con-
gress or a sudden meeting OF the
British Parliament to consider
proper steps could warn an ag-
gressor that resistance could be
expected. =.
The text of the pact permits OF
slow and deliberative action or
prompt reprisals. Also it is quite
likely that, if a sudden attack oc-
Cured. the President could con-
slider that a state of war had
arisen and then Congress could
be requested to ratify the exist
ence Of a state of war-which, by
the way, was the legal sequence
of events in both 1917 and 1941.
Many Questions Possible.
The greatest value OF the At
lantic Pact is that everybody
knows the United States Is COM
.-:x4~s ~ ,ccict tho ElIronea n