Evening star., 1949-05-15
U. 5. Warns Of Danger
0fWest Europe Attack.
Despite Blockade End
BY John N. Hiehtower
Asseelossd Press Stuff Writer

Ine STATE department issued q
new warning yesterday of danger
Of o possible Russian attack On
Western Europe. despite the cas-
ing Of cold-war tensions brought
by the end Of the Berlin blockade.
A new power balance must be
created In Europe, the depart
ment insisted. because present
Western defenses are 80 weak
they actually Invite military ag-
gression." Although Russia was
not specifically named in this
connection. there was no doubt
Russia was meant.
The warning climaxed the first
complete official statement Of ad-
ministratioh plans and argu-
ments - for rearming Western
European nations in the Atlantic
Pact, beginning with q s1,130.-
100000 military aid program this
year.
The statement came in the form
Of o peace paper" 1t was re-
leased yesterday for Voice Of
America" foreign broadcasts. As
q foreign policy declaration the
paper has great interest abroad.
Other papers in the State De-
partment series Building the
Peace" have dealt with the At
lantic treaty, European recovery
and similar major developments
In American foreign policy.
Six-Point Military Aid Plan.
Yesterdays pronouncement out
lined the six-point military aidl
plan for Western European and
other non Communist nations. 1t
also gave q preview Of the reasons
to be advanced to Congress for
the plans adoption.
President Truman, the State
Department said, will present the
aid program to Congress soon.
His recommendations will total
81, ,450 900. 900, the $1,130. .000, 900
for Europe in the fiscal year start
ing July plus 1920, 900, 900 for
Greece, Turkey. Iran and q few
other countries under Soviet-Com-
munist pressure.
The arguments for the program
developed officially the fact that
Secretary Acheson and his State
Department aides do not yet find
evidence Of any basic change in
the Soviet Communist threat to
Europe on which 50 much of this
country's own foreign policy moves
are based.
The situation created by the
Hitting of the Berlin blockade
Thursday and the meeting of the
Big -Four Foreign Ministers at
Paris q week hence is being closely
watched by Mr.. Acheson for signs
Of Russia's real aims. Actually
neither he nor his aides are be-
lieved to have expectation that
the need for continued develop
ment will be lessened In any i'm
portant degree.
Power Centered In u. 3.
The State Department summed
up the European military situa-
ton, as 1t relates to American arms
aid, this way:
At present, the power Of the
Western world ts centered In the
United States, 5000 miles from
Europe. The peoples Of Western
Europe have been somewhat re-
assured by development Of the
North Atlantic Treaty. but they
are still worried about invasion
dangers. The United States must
assist" the countries to develop
the power needed to resist inva-
sion.
"It must be perfectly clear to
the people of the United States"
the State Department said, that
we cannot count on our friends
In Western Europe to resist If our
strategy in the event Of war is
to abandon these friends to the
enemy with promise Of later
liberation"
Under the North Atlantic Treaty
"plans for the common defense
Of the free world must provide
for the security of Western Eu-
rope" the State Department as
serted. Meanwhile. 1t said, the
situation must be regarded as out
Of balance and dangerous.
LAS Of now" the State Depart
nnent said. "the inadequate de-
fenses Of Western Europe invite !
military aggression. and increas-
ing prosperity makes 1t a prize
all the more tempting.
Single Aid Program Urged.
'Not until we share our
strength on q common defensive
front can we hope to replace this