Evening star., 1949-03-19

we can make it sufficiently clear, in
advance that any armed attack
affecting our national security would
be met with overwhelming force, the
armed attack might never occur
Collective Self-Defense.
The same thought was expressed
by the Foreign Relations Committee
of the Senate last year in its report
recommending approval of Senate
Resolution 239.
The committee is convinced" the
report said, that the horrors OF
another world war can be avoided
with certainty only by preventing
war from starting. The experience OF
World War I and World War II sug-
gests that the best deterrent to ag-
gression is the certainty that imme-
diate and effective countermeasures
will be taken against those who
violate the peace"
That resolution, adopted by an
overwhelming vote of the Senate
expressly encourages the develop
ment of collective self-defense and
regional arrangements within the
United Nations framework and the
participation of the United States
in these arrangements.
What are the principal provisions
of the North Atlantic pact? should
like to summarize them.
First, the pact is carefully and
conscientiously designed to conform
In every particular with the Charter
of the United Nations. This is made
clear in the first article Of the pact
which reiterates and reaffirms the
basic principle OF the charter. The
participating countries at the very
outset Of their association state again
that they will settle all their inter-
national disputes, not only among
themselves but with any nation, by
peaceful means in accordance with
the provisions of the charter. This
declaration sets the whole tone and
purpose of this treaty.
The second article Is equally
fundamental. The associated coun-
tries assert that they will preserve
and strengthen their free institu-
tions and will see to it that the
fundamental principles upon which
free institutions are founded are
better understood everywhere. They
also agree to eliminate conflicts in
their economic life and to promote
economic cooperation among them
selves. Here is the ethical essence
of the treaty-the common resolve
to preserve, strengthen and make
understood the very basis Of toler-
ance, restraint and freedom-the
really vital things with which we
are concerned.
Self Help and Mutual Aid.
This purpose is extended further
in Article 3, in which the partici-
pating countries pledge themselves
to self-help and mutual aid. In
addition to strengthening their free
institutions, they will take practical
steps to maintain and develop their
own capacity and that Of their
partners to resist aggression. They
also agree to consult together when
the integrity or security of any Of
them is threatened. The treaty sets
up . council, consisting of all the
members, and other machinery for
consultation and for carrying out
the provisions of the pact.
Successful resistance to aggression
in the modern world requires mod
ern arms and trained military
forces. AS q result of the recent
war, the European countries joining
the pact are generally deficient in
both requirements. The treaty does
not bind the United States to any
arms program. But We all know
that the United States is now the
only democratic nation with the re-
sources and the productive capacity
to help the free nations of Europe
to recover their military strength.
Therefore, we expect to ask the
Congress to supply our European
partners some of the weapons and
equipment they need to be able to
resist aggression. We also expect
to recommend military supplies for