Evening star., 1949-08-06
Soviet Arms Strength
Seen as Dismaying in
Paris Experts S Report
MonteiI Fears France
Will PIoy Fore-Guord
Role in Any New War
By Dorothy Thompson

Role in Any New War
By Dorothy Thompson
In the debate on the Atlantic
Pact before the French parliament
on July Is. the governments de-
fense expert, M. Monteil, pre-
sented more exact picture OF
the relative strength Of the Soviet
Union versus Europe than did the
Secretary of State in his state
ment for the House Foreign At
fairs committee, three days later.
M. Monteil declared that the
20O,000,000 inhabitants of the
Soviet Union are maintaining
100000 soldiers in a state OF
mobilization. Half are in land
armies; half a million are mill
tary police; 100000 each are In
military-marine and air force.
Land armies encompass 180 large
divisions. The air force has $1,000
first-line planes. and Russia has
the industrial capacity to produce
10000 planes annually.
Youth organizations engaged in
military training cover 100000
young men. Russian military bud
get is $4,000 100000, and IA per
cent of all industrial activity is
devoted to armaments. whereas in
Germany, in 1899, only 80 per
cent of industry was so allocated.
Conclusions Drawn.
M. Monteil concluded this dis
maying report by saying:
I'VE fear that we shall again
have the glorious but dangerous
role of being fore-guard. Our
army cannot be of immense num-
bers but must be of highest quail
ity. The Atlantic Pact can prove
to be the best or worst measure
dependent upon how military
agreements are implemented. We
have the right to await from Our
allies all the assistance we need In
order to win the first battle"
At the same time. French opin-
ion still holds Germany to be a
menace equal to Russia. The com.
mittee on foreign relations recon-
mended ratification of the pact
by the Chamber of Deputies only
on condition that the acceptance
of any new Atlantic Pact members
must be ratified by the French AS
sembiy. This is obviously designed
to prevent Western Germany and
Spain from being admitted to the
defense of Western Europe and,
incidentally, makes American for
eign policy dependent on a ma
jority of the French Parliament.
Editors note: France has now
ratified the pact without reserva-
tions.)
On July Is, the French foreign
minister. Robert Schuman, made
this explicit:
"It is unthinkable to France or
her allies that Germany should be
admitted as nation capable OF
defending itself or of aiding the
defense of the West"
These words can only be in
terpreted in Germany to mean
that in case of Russian aggression
all Germany will be abandoned
to the Soviet armies. She will not
be defended, but be battle-ground
and possibly the victim of atomic
bombs.
For, ON July %, referring to COL
lective strategic plans, French
military authorities were quoted as
wondering whether the atomic
bomb could be developed into a
tactical as we'll as a defensive
weapon-whether for instance
it could check a moving army
by making a strip OF territory
untenable."
What Strip of Territory?
What strip of territory, and
where? Since the Atlantic Pact
rules out preventive war and could
therefore, only operate after Rus
sian armies had moved, these
armies would have to be encoNnt-
cred Thy atomic bombs accord
ing to the above reasoning) with
in Europe.
It must be assumed that Russia
would not undertake an attack
on Europe without herself pos
sessing atomic weapons or their
equivalent in destructive power
If, therefore, a battle with such
weapons is engaged in the heart
on Europe, what will become of
the civilization the Atlantic Pact
Is designed to save?
Mr.. Acheson is correct in saying
that the threat and fear of the
Soviet armies is the most powerful
instrument for spreading COM
munism. But what is true for
Eastern Europe is also true for
Germany. Nations and personal
survival outweigh theology. If
Germans are convinced that, in
case of war, their country and
they themselves will be abandoned
to invading Soviet hordes. they
may be expected to draw logical
conclusions.
If one cannot defend oneself
against the enemy, or be defended
the next best thing to do is become
his ally.
(Released by the Bell Syndicate. Inc)
0II~ 1.>k@-l j.