Evening star., 1950-08-20

Hoped Peace Had Come.
Five years ago, when the wa
had ended, we hoped that peac'
had come. The American peopl
and the government have steadil.
addressed their efforts and re
sources toward peace. We hav'
pledged ourselves in the Unitet
Nations to policy of COLLECTIVE
security and we have faithful.
supported that pledge.
The decision of the Presiden
to commit our forces in Korea il
support of the United Nations i
the ultimate proof of our ad'
herence to its purposes.
Soviet Russia undertook tn,
same solemn obligations. As {
permanent member of the Sc
curity Council, it assumed upor
behalf of SO nations an additiona
responsibility to prevent aggres.
sion and to maintain the peace.
I do not intend to. review the
events of the last five years. It i!
enough to say that since the sign.
ing of the charter, Soviet Russia
has pursued a course of aggression
which has brought under its dom.
ination 10 of the 20 countries o1
Europe, the ancient community Of
China and almost one-third oI
the people of the world.
Aggression in Korea.
It's course before Korea was ont
of indirection and subversion. II
Korea-it is one Of open aggres'
sion. This aggression must be de.
feated to confirm the future Of
the United Nations, to assure de-
fenseless nations. and to make i
clear that no aggressor can sue
ceed against the moral judgment
and the determination of the peo'
Piles of the world. 1t is of the
greatest Importance that tht
members of the United Nation!
send forces to Korea quickly fol
the relief of the military situation
and for the historic purpose o.
establishing a solidarity which
will deter other attacks.
Tonight I want to speak to yol
briefly, and as clearly and forcibly
as I can, about a single aspect o1
the threat of Soviet aggression. I
is the threat to Europe-the ares
which you know. It is a threat
which places Western Europe. thu
United Kingdom, the United
States and all the countries Of
the North American continent ir
mortal danger and In their great.
est peril In history.
I believe a brief review Of the
European situation will set the
stage for several proposals that
am going to advance for your con-
sideration. Since the armistice ir
Europe, the Soviet Union has
a huge military force
This vast army has been over
hauled and completely modern
lied. The estimates of its size vary
Shinwell Speech Cited.
Three weeks ago, I heard Mr.
Shinwell, Minister of Defense OF
the United Kingdom. speak to the
House of Commons. He stated
and was corroborated by Mr.
Churchill. that British Intelli-
gence believes that 2.8 million
Russians are under arms in 17s
divisions, one third of which are
mechanical. Mr.. Churchill esti.
mated that 80 divisions might be
readily at hand for a European
offensive. and that a proportion
ate number of the Soviet's 10000
tanks and 10000 planes. along
with supporting arms, are also
available. > = i.'' - @
Facing this massive force is 9
comparatively minute combina.
tion of American, British, French
Dutch and Belgian troops amount.
ing to slightly more than IL di.
visions. serving without unified
command.
The danger implicit in this dis
parity in armed strength is ap.
palling. Under present conditions
the Soviet forces could overrur
Europe at any. time. If the pres.
ent disparity is allowed to con-
tinue, the futility of opposing
Soviet aims in Western Europe
will become more and more ap-
parent to Europeans. The hope
lessness of their position in the
face of Soviet aggression will in
evitably sap their determination
to resist and Europe could in time
fall by default.
This possibility Of actual Soviet
conquest or indirect absorption
of Europe strikes at our own Sc
curity.
"Where Would America Stand?'
Where would America stand n
Europe should fall before an at.
tack? The Ruhr, the Saar and the
other great industrial centers o1
Western Europe, the scientists
and the manpower of the West
would be in the domain of thu
Kremlin. If Great Britain shoulc
then fall under the weight o1
rockets and atomic weapons, the
American continent would be iso.
lated and surrounded by foes. We
would be compelled to re-arm al
a war scale and stay armed. The
economic strain of maintaining 6
state Of seige would be severe anc
continuous. We would face prog.
ressively lower standards of liv.
ing and a long night of trial anc
suffering.
Europe is vital element in the
American strategy of security
The defense of Europe is insep-
arabic from the defense of the
United States.
The United States has done
much to assist the free nations
OF Western Europe to build the
means and the will to resist ag-
gression. In part, the aim of the
Marshall Plan was to rebuild ar
economy that would provide the
resources to defend against oner