Evening star., 1949-04-04
Officers Exchanged
By U. s., Canada for
Mutual Defense Stud,
BY the Asseeioisd Press

BY the Asseeiotsd Pres.
The armed forces of Canada
and the United States are ex-
changing officers to work on mu- /
tual defense problems, the Ma
tional Military Establishment said /
today. i
The signatures of the two ma
tions on the North Atlantic Treaty, |
joining them with 10 other coun-
tries in defensive alliance against
aggression. actually will be a re-
affirmation Of a nine-year- old de-
fensive agreement between Cam |
ada and the United States. The
two countries set up a Joint De-
fense Board in 1910, and have |
carried on the cooperative agree
ment since.
The Canadian United States
agreement, like the new North At |
lantic pact, mentions no names of |
possible aggressor nations. But
now it is directed against attack
from the north, over the polar
area or across the North Atlantic /
or Pacific. by Russia.
In answer to a question, the
National Military Establishment
said today that selected indi-
vidual officers of the Army. Navy
and Air Force (are) presently in
Canada for the purpose of in
creasing familiarity with defense
establishments, and arrangements
In that country pursuant to the
joint United States Canada mu-
tual defense agreement"
Group Comparatively Small.
The number of officers ex-
changed varies from time to time,
1t was said, but the group is COM
paratively small. Most of the
officers are Army or Air Force
colonels or lieutenant colonels or
Navy captains or commanders.
This group of officers, most of
whom work at military head
quarters in Ottawa or Washington.
apparently are in addition to
other more technical groups !
These groups, of both officers and
enlisted men, are working in the
field on such projects as testing
Of equipment, weather stations
and radar installations high up
along the rim of the North Amer
lean continent. !
Canada's ground forces are
small tprobably about $4,000 but
fitted to defend the vast frontier
land.
The army consists of two COM
ponents - the active or regular
force and the reserve force. There
Is no. National Guard such as ex-
lists in the United States.
The army is built around a
hard-hitting. highly mobile strik-
ing force, able to move quickly
into a threatened area, whatever
the terrain or weather.
To Main Strong Points.
Instead of attempting to stretch
out her force in a4thin line along
the Far North, Canada~ seeks to
man strong points and patrol
areas Of less strategic Importance.
To guard against surprise, she
relies on intelligence from many
sources - patrols of Canadian
mounted police which visit ham
lets and remote trading posts, air
patrols and aerial photography,
radar and radio, small groups OF
military personnel whose routine
duties are weather observation
but who can keep an eye on the
skies and ground for unfriendly
visitations.
Backing up that intelligence
network is another dominion
unit. the Canadian Rangers. They
are trappers, woodsmen and
farmers whose work takes them
into distant places.
On this integrated system OF
observation, Canada hopes to be
warned of any stealthy inf1ltra-
ton by an enemy seeking to gain
bases in her hinterland.
The United States and Canada
now are looking to development
of a radar net across the north
to warn of approach of enemy air.
craft. Weather stations already
L.. xa..a.,ida start