Evening star., 1950-08-07
Paris Asks More
u. ). and British
Europe Troops
Pledges 3-Yeor Arms
Outlay Of $5.7 Billion
To Halt Communism
By the As.ocioted Press

~ HS NSsoSioieo FfeSS
PARIS, Aug. France pledged
herself to a three-year rearma-
ment program today to help guard
against Communist aggression and
called on Britain and the United
States to station "a sufficient num-
ber of divisions" in continental
Europe.
Thus she joined the vanguard
of European countries, who have
announced their determination to
step up spending for defense, with
the aid of American arms and
money.
The government announcement
said France will spend the equiva-
lent of $5,710,000,000 on rearma-
ment. It promised an immediate
increase in military spending from
420 billion francs ($1, 200 billion)
to 500 billion francs ($1, 1,428, $780,
000) next year. This would divert
an estimated 80 per cent of the
national income to defense costs,
and the three-year program is
expected to take at least 10 per
cent of the total income. Britain's
stepped up program will cost that
much, too.
Is New Divisions.
The statement said the program
will give the French army is new
divisions. 1t also proposed a uni
fed command of all armies Of the
Western world now deploying
against possible Communist at
tack, and suggested a pool OF
finances and resources to make it
run efficiently.
France was the fourth to reply
to President Truman's recent re-
quest to Atlantic Pact nations as
to what they would 90 about re-
arming in view Of the present
world situation.
Britain, Denmark and Norway
have made similar announcements.
The British are ready to spend
SIS, 500, 900 900 on defenses over the
next three years with American
help.
Denmark plans to spend 400
million kroner (about $57 million)
in the next two years.
Norway today proposed to spend
the equivalent of $35, ,125 900 more
for defense. Her 1850 military
budget totals about 81 billion.
Calling for unified defense, the
French statement said:
THE French government points
out that this considerable effort
on the human, industrial and
financial plane would be useless II
there were not stationed on the
continent of Europe sufficient land
and aerial forces to assure the
maintenance of peace.
Warns of Sacrifice.
These forces, to be constituted
rapidly, cannot result from a
single effort by the continental
powers. This sentiment is partic-
ularly lively in the minds of the
French, who have unhappy men,
cries of the unhappy events OF
1910 when Germany invaded
France), and who today note the
consequences of initial insufficience
of forces ready to oppose aggreS-
sion"
The French announcement
which was handed to American
officials here, said the plan for
more military spending would
mean considerable sacrifices" for
Frenchmen. It said the program
would enable France to keep in
Germany and in French union
trouble areas troops proportion
ally greater than many other ma
tions" of the Atlantic pact.
A spokesman made 1t clear
France wants more British and
American occupation troops in
Germany. Herve Alphand, French
delegate to the Atlantic Pact joint
command, said France still will
not accept rearmament of Ger
many or any change in the limits
set on German industry, such as
the present ceiling on steel pro-
duction.
The French plan presumably
came up for quick Franco -Ameri-
can discussion. Charles Spoford,
United States delegate to the At
lantic Pact council; Ambassador
David K. Bruce and French Pre-
mier Rene Pleven lunched to-
gether an hour after the an