The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1949-05-13
CONGRESS FACES COST

1HO WOAio cAeNatAOh 40 PAOSiuHhS VIII
gress with serious problems of d finan-
cial nature, including appropriations for
the European Recovery Program, the ma
tional budget for defense and the request
of European nations for assistance in re-
arming.
Consideration, of the North Atlantic
Pact is expected't to. take some time: In
addition, the proposal to supply arms to
the Europeans signers will also be under
prolonged scrutiny. There is also the
formal request of the leaders of several
Western. European countries for some
military assistance. including. an increas-
ed number of American troops for semi
permanent station on the European Con-
/. tinent.
The situation in Western Europe is
Kenneth G. Royal, who points out that the
nations of Western Europe, neither in
dividually nor collectively, have the forces
to prevent armed aggression from the
East They look to the United States for
assistance and Mr. Royall says that we
~oi''OS "A'ASS0fo WV dSDCClS
and depend, entirely on, economic assist
ance." This would be totally unrealistic,
he says, Gin the face of Il police state
which recruits it's troops by terror and
coercion and controls them by the same
MEANS"
Mr. Royal points out also that the
Western European nations are devoting
much the greater part of their resources
: to their ground armies" with the average
about twice as much for the army as for
the air force and navy. combined, When
these steps result in strong armies, our
problem will be simplified, but, at the
present time. we cannot risk our DESTINY
in war on the ability of the nations of
Europe, or Africa, or any point in Asia,
to hold back an invading force without
our help on the ground"
The United States has about $4,000
men in the u S. zone of Germany. Tn. addi-
ton, we have two fighter groups of IS
planes each,, one with jet planes and. the
other with the conventional Thunder
bolts. In England, the Air Force has three
B-29 groups. training ona rotating basis,
and the Navy maintains a. carrier task
force in the Mediterranean.
The requirements of the nations of
Western Europe, in order to prepare a
more competent military force, will in
clude artillery, fire-control equipment
tanks and anti-tank weapons, radio COM.
munications and. radar. In addition, trans
port equipment is urgently needed because
vast amounts of vehicles were DESTROYED
during the waN The British, it is pointed
out, are expected to supply the larger
part of the jet-fighter aircraft require
ments of the Continental signers. of the
Security Pact.
1t is apparent to members of Congress
that if the United States continues to i'm
plement it's, foreign policy, there will, of
necessity, be an appropriation to carry on
the Economic Cooperation Administration
This is expected to amount to $5,580,00O,-
600. The nations own budget for defense
is expected to aggregate SIS, 200, 100000,
or more To this must be added the sums
necessary to supply the Western nations of
Europe with some assistance in the way
of organizing and equipping their ground
armies.
Undoubtedly these items constitute a
severe drain upon nation as rich as the
United States. Nevertheless, they are based
upon the premise that without balance
of military force in Europe, there is
greater danger of aggressive warfare and
that, i'm the event of such struggle, the
United States. will inevitably become in
volved in it's own defense. If these con-
illusions are correct, the nation has no al
tentative but to carry out it's foreign policy
to the limit of it's financial ability.
go