Evening star., 1950-10-30
German Participation
In Defense Of Europe
Is Focus OF PACT Talks
By John A. Giles

By John A. Giles
The vexing question of German
participation in the proposed COM
bined European defense force ap-
peared today to overshadow all
other problems of the North At
lantic Treaty Organization De-
Tense Committee as it resumed
deliberations at the Departmental
Auditorium.
There were hopes. but not a Ger
tainty, that the II nations de-
fenSe ministers could complete
final action on that and other
questions, including the non-con-
troversial one of setting up a
supreme commander for the force.
Gen. Eisenhower has been promi-
nently mentioned for that post.
The defense ministers with their
military advisers called at the
White House at midday and were
greeted by President Truman in
his Office. Then they went into the
rose garden for a group photo
graph.
The President stood with De-
fense Secretary Marshall at his
left and the defense ministers of
Great Britain and Italy-Emanuel
Shinwell and Randolfo Pacciardi
at his right. The President and
the British and Italian represent
atives engaged in a three e-way
handshake for the benefit of
photographers.
Meanwhile, the immediate for
nation Of single departments of
defense and foreign affairs for the
IL NATO nations was urged by a
group Of influential American citi-
zens. The recommendation came
from the Atlantic Union Commit
tee, a private organization at
tempting to bring about a federal
government of the democracies.
1t is headed by former Supreme
Court Justice Owen j. Roberts.
French Plan Presented.
In the first closed session of the
Defense Committee on Saturday,
French Defense Minister Jules
Moch presented his governments
views about the German question.
The details of that presentation
were not announced, but the
French stand as outlined before
has been that the formation of
German military forces should
await European Defense Coun-
Gil which would control an inter-
national military force. If even
tually there are any German units
IN it they shouldn't be big, but
should be smaller than division
size. In Lyon. France, yesterday
French Premier Rene Plevin
promised that his government
would not back down on that |
stand.
But the French plan does not |
agree with, the American and
British ideas. They contend that
the menace of Russia is so great
and urgent that everything pos
sible should be done swiftly-in-
cluding formation of German
units to help the combined de-
fense against the threat of Com
munist aggression.
Breathing Spell Allowed.
The Sunday recess gave the
ministers an opportunity for
phone consultations with their
home governments. The North
Atlantic Council-the top policy
making body of NATO and COM
posed of the foreign ministers
has asked the Defense Committee
to come up with a plan for Ger
man participation "at the earliest
possible moment" but it may be
necessary to defer that matter to
q later meeting.
On Saturday. according to the
committees communique, work
was completed on the first half
Of it's agenda." Although the
matter of the supreme commander
was high up on the agenda. for
some reason the final agreement
on that point was left aside while
German rearmament and other
problems were discussed.
so to 20 Divisions Mentioned.
There have been reports that
the combined army would consist
OF from so to 10 DIVISIONS to
10 of them while
strong naval units would be sta
toned in the Atlantic and Medi-
terranean and a mighty air
armada based in Britain and on
the continent. This country also
would likely to be called upon for
about half the warships, all the
strategic bombers and from five
to 10 tactical air groups.
recommended an acceleration in
assembling these forces.
United States Defense Secretary
Marshall has called for the re-
lease of information on the forces
but whether the other nations will
see eye to eye with him was open
to question.