Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-04-08

FOtLOUtng u LfLc tSLL OD
statement By Secretary Of State
Acheson today commenting on
the need for American military
assistance to eight Western
European countries:
The Department of State today
released copies Of communications
exchanged with the Brussels treaty
powers and with Norway, Denmark
and Italy concerning the provision
by the United States Of military as
sistance to those countries.
Before I deal specifically with
these requests I should like to re-
view briefly some of the considera-
tons which have led the executive
branch of the Government TO decide
that the provision of arms and
equipment to free and friendly ma
tons is in the highest interest Of
the American people.
It is now clear that In the world
of today we can no longer rely on
our geographic position to preserve
our security and peace. Our Sc
curity and peace necessarily rest in
the combined security and peace
of the democratic world.
Thus, the single purpose of our
foreign policy has been to make
a free world possible and more
secure. The foreign policy which
this Government has actively pur-
sued since the termination Of World
War II has had as its fundamental
objective the improvement of the
security of the American people by
assisting and bringing about con-
ditions which will make for peace
U. S. Policy Defined.
Our policy has been directed to-
ward preserving free institutions and
nations, to enable them to pursue,
through their own efforts, the dem
ocratic way of life from which we
have benefited so much. To this
end we embarked upon the Euro
pean Recovery Program which Is by
all odds the most important and
hopeful application of the foreign
policy I have described: The policy
of preserving and strengthening the
environments of freedom.
To the same end of preserving
peace, we have. in conjunction with
certain Western European countries
and Canada, signed the Atlantic
Pact. 1t is clear. however, that the
restoration of political and economic
health in Western Europe, SO essen
tial to our peace and security, re-
quires on the part of the peoples of
that area a confidence in the future,
sense of personal security and a
reasonable assurance of peace.
If they do not have that conf
dence, their progress toward recov-
cry and the establishment Of self
supporting sound economies for
strengthening democratic institu-
lions will be handicapped.
1t is against this background that
we have for several months been
developing a program of foreign
military assistance. That program
is being planned on the basis Of in
formation as to the urgent military
needs of certain of the Western
European nations which we received
from them informally some time ago.
Entirely Defensive.
The requests for military assist
ance now formalized by this ex-
change of notes are predicated upon
an urgent need for Improvement in
the defensive capabilities OF the
countries requiring such assistance,
thereby discouraging aggression
against theni
:. The military assistance program,
like the Atlantic Pactssjs part of
policy which Is entirely defensive in
its scope. 1t could not be other
wise. Aggression is contrary to the
basic traditions, instincts and fun
damental policies of the nations
Involved. Ae
There can he, no dctibt that the
Atlantic Pact~countries have much
to lose add nothing to gain from
war. BY the very fact of our demo-
cratic systems of government, we
can never conspire to undertake ag-
gressive action. The public discus
sions in this country and abroad
which will take place concerning the
North Atlantic Pact and the pro-
posed military assistance program
are clear guarantees that We are not
preparing for an aggressive war.
The requests come from certain
of the nations who have this week
Joined with us in signing the North
Atlantic pact. 1t is important to
note, however, that the requests
are not a product of the pact
an instrument which is not yet in
effect. Thus, even without the
existence of the North Atlantic pact,
the need for assistance and the
recommended response of this Gov
eminent would be the same.
need only refer to the address
to Congress on March II, 1s4S, by
the President of the United States,
when he stated in referring to the
Brussels treaty: IT am sure that
the determination of the free coun-
tries of EUROPE to protect themselves
will be matched by an equal deter
mination on our part to help them
do so.'
Consistent With Pact.
In his inaugural address this year,
the President stated as part OF