Evening star., 1950-07-23
Spofford's Job Is
To Smooth the Way
For Aiming Allies
By Wallace R. Deuel.

under way in London Tuesday.
Deputy foreign ministers Of the
II signatories of the North Atlantic
treaty, especially designated for
this task, will meet in the British
capital July Is to set up a per-
manent, full-time council of
deputies" to speed the integrated
arming and general coordination
of policies provided for in the
treaty.
The American representative in
the council will be Charles M.
Spofford. a highly successful At
year-old Wall Street corporation
lawyer-and a Republican-with
a reputation for inducing men of
different nationalities to work
harmoniously together to produce
impressive results. Mr.. Spofford
is flying to London this week end
to take up his new duties.
Korea Speeds Plans -
The foreign ministers Of the
North Atlantic treaty powers de-
cided to create the Council OF
Deputies two months ago. Even
then the world outlook was SOM
ber and menacing, and even then
the planning and other prepara-
tions for the integrated defense
of the Atlantic community were
tagging behind what the foreign
ministers thought the situation
called for.
The outbreak of the Korean war
has immeasurably increased the
need for speed in strengthening
the free world.
"The attack upon the Republic
of Korea makes it plain beyond
all doubt that the international
Communist movement is prepared
to use armed invasion to conquer
independent nations" President
Truman said in his message to
Congress Wednesday. 1--WE must
therefore recognize the possibility
that armed aggression may take
place in other areas"
These other areas must now be
strengthened, the President de-
clared, and he named the North
Atlantic in this connection.
"The defenses of the North At
lantic treaty area were considered
matter of great urgency by the
North Atlantic Council (of For
eign Minister) in London this
spring" Mr.. Truman pointed out.
Recent events have made it even
more urgent that it was at that
time to build and maintain these
defenses."
Europe, in other words, far
from being lost sight of. is still
high-if not highest-on the list
of American priorities for peace
and security and, therefore. for
preparedness and protection.
Councils Role Vital
81 am sure" the President said.
that those who have it in their
power to unleash or withhold acts
of armed aggression must realize
that new recourse to aggression in
the world today might well strain
to the breaking point the fabric of
world peace"
The Soviets, that is, cannot
hope to start new KoreaS" else
where in the world with impunity,
in the hope of dispensing and dis
sipating the free nations strength
In minor theaters.
The Importance of the North
Atlantic Council of Deputies in
this dangerous and unstable world
Situation-and the Importance of
Mr.. Spoford'S role in the council
would be hard to exaggerate. It
can be stated in series of propo-
sitionS somewhat as follows:
The survival of the free world
depends primarily on the survival
Of the North Atlantic community.
The survival of the North At
lantic community depends in the
first instance on the successful
cooperation of the Community's
members with each other.
That cooperation depends pri-
marily on the successful execution
Of the terms of the North Atlantic
treaty.
The successful execution Of the
treaty's terms depends to a con-
siderable extent on the successful
functioning of the Council of
Deputies.
And, finally, the functioning of
the Council of Deputies depends
in large measure on the zeal, skill
tact and ability of Mr.. Spofford as
the representative of the leading
member of the Atlantic commu-
nifty.
The individual on whose shoul-
ders this grave burden of respon-
sibility rests is a well-built, youth
disappearing and engaging
man. 5 feet II inches tall and
weighing ITO pounds, whose waist
line is still clearly smaller than
his chest measurement, thanks to
sports and regular setting-up ex-
erciseS.
Mr.. Spofford has a broad brow
and q full, strong nose, mouth
and chin, the latter deeply cleft
in the center. When he concen-
trates, deep horizontal burrows
show across his forehead.
His Biggest Job
He has straight brown hair, SO
dark that it looks black, which he
parts low on the right side and
which has begun since the war
to show a few strands of gray.
He has an outdoors" some
what ruddy complexion and shows
IS o'clock shadow" toward the
end of the day.