Evening star., 1949-06-08
A Puct for Our Time

Now that the Foreign Relations Com
mittee has unanimously approved the
North Atlantic Treaty, ratification by the
Senate may be viewed pretty much as
foregone conclusion. Whether 1t takes
place before or after final action on labor
legislation the important thing is that
it Is on the way. The vote In It's favor,
moreover. Is expected TO be resoundingly
in excess Of the necessary -thirds-a
fact that will lend emphasis to this
Nations ayowed determination never again
to follow do-nothing policy toward the
threat of aggression abroad.
The significance of all this will be care
fully noted by the world at large, particu-
larly by Soviet Russia For in subscribing
to the Atlantic Pact along with eleven
other free nations, the United States has
decided on a. profoundly historic and far
reaching change In its traditional peace
time foreign policy. The new departure
comparable in Importance to the procla-
nation of the Monroe Doctrine in 1898
places us in a mutual defensive alliance
with like-minded countries In the West
European community, whereas heretofore,
except In time Of war, we have limited such
alliances to our own American hemisphere.
This change, of course, Is In keeping
with the realities of the modern world
a world In which things like supersonic
flight, guided missiles and intercontinental
bombers have annihilated space, reducing
the planet to q small neighborhood and
robbing oceans of their meaning as pro-
tective barriers. In such q world, our
American safety Is iriseparable from the
safety of our friends abroad, and 80 1t is
In our own self-intsrest, as member of
the Atlantic community of nations, to join
q pact under which an attack against one
is considered an attack against all, and
hence a development calling for concerted
measures of mutual defense and assistance.
The commitment involved here, however,
Is not unlimited. On the contrary, 1t is
subject to the constitutional procedures
of each signatory, which means, in the
case of the United States. that the decision
to 60 to war will continue to rest with
Congress.
Nevertheless, despite this limitation, the
mere fact that the United States is a
party to the pact, the mere fact that all
ooi oSVuoA dho PotCatid1 PoWci 40 UCAliilu
1t, is reality of immense significance. It
offers a great new measure of security to
Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Neither
lands and every other signatory having to
reckon with the danger Of being over
whelmed, one ut time. by direct or in
direct Soviet aggression. Were 1t not for
that danger-a danger that could gravely
affect American safety II unchecked
there would Be no need for the treaty.
But the Kremlin's past acts and continu-
Ing threatful policy has made 1t an essen
tial Of our time. II something like 1t had
been in effect In 1899, Hitler might never
have marched; that bitter lesson having
been learned, the idea now is to stay
Stalins hand and thus prevent war.
That is why President Truman has
described the Atlantic Pact as positive
influence for peace" designed to enable
mankind to feel secure and "get on with
the real business of government and
society, the business of achieving a fuller
and happier life for our citizens" That
is why our Government has signed 1t.
That is why the Foreign Relations Com
mittee has warmly indorsed 1t without a
dissenting vote. And that is why the
Senate as q whole is likely to ratify it
overwhelmingly. The Western world is
urgently in need of 1t. The sooner it
becomes operable. and the sooner 1t is
adequately backed by arms, the safer free
peoples everywhere will be.