Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
West Europe Leaders
Preparing 10 Demand
United Army Support
BY the Associated Press


12.-Britain's Winston Churchill
and political figures of nine other
Western nations are preparing to
demand support from their gov
ernments for creation of united
European army, sources in the
Council of Europe said today.
Mr.. Churchill proposed such a
unified army yesterday as West
ern Europe's answer to the threat
of Soviet aggression, and the
councils Consultative Assembly
voted approval, SO to 5, with 81
abstentions.
But the Assembly has no powers
to create an army or or to set up
the European Defense Ministry
which it decided should be the di-
recting agency. Its function is
limited to recommendations. The
asSemblymen represent sections
of national opinion, but not their
governments.
The French situation is illus
trative. Two former premiers of
France, George Bidault and Paul
Reynaud, are expected to lead
the drive in France for Mr..
Churchill's plan.
u. S. Help Necessary.
But a foreign Office spokesman
in Paris commented:
What he (ChurchilD asks is
excellent, but it should be &C
complished through the Atlantic
pact and not through the Council
of Europe. Any such combining or
unification of military forces of
the Western world depends on the
participation of the United States
and Canada, who are not and
never will be members of the
Council of Europe but are mem
bers of the Atlantic pact"
Proponents of the United Army
plan expect to introduce it in the
parliaments of Britain, France,
Italy, West Germany. Turkey
Greece, The Netherlands, Belgium
Luxembourg and the Saar.
An 18-man Italian delegation
voted 100 per cent in favor of the
plan and expects little opposition
from Premier Alcide de Gasperi's
unity-minded government.
Scandinavian and Irish dele
cations were mostly against it.
Members of Britain's ruling
Labor Party split over the pro-
posal. Opponents said it was too
vague and the Assembly exceeded
its authority in voting for it. Brit
iSh Conservatives backed Mr..
Churchill, British Prime Minister
in World War II.
Endorsed by Spaak.
Belgian Socialist Paul-Henri
Spaak, president Of the Assembly,
gave his Endorsement for a uni
fed army and high command at
a news conference.
why wait until war comes?"
he asked. "A we'll organized Euro
pean defense would reinforce the
Atlantic community.
Mr.. Spaak explained that the
proposed European Defense Min
istry would be headed by person
responsible only to the European
council. He would be in charge
of general defense matters anc
might preside over a COMMITTEES
made up Of the defense ministers
of member nations.
He said voting of Mr.. Churchill!
resolution represents a spirit o.
revolt in the Assembly againSt
the Committee of Foreign Minis
tiers, which is the councils upper
house. The ministers now hole
veto powers over the Assembly
under council statues.
The Assembly's General Affair!
Commission, headed by Mr.. Bi,
dault, speedily set to work tt
draft convention for the Euro
pean Defense Ministry. A specia
subcommittee on security wa
named to prepare the convention
for presentation to the nationa
parliamentS.
Italian, French and German
assemblymen have formally pro
posed the creation of a European
federal pact, open to adherence,
now by nations desiring close
organic links
Italian Foreign Minister CARL
Sforza said in an interview toda.
he would welcome a federation o
those three nations.
"A complete European fedora
ton will be a long time in tn,
making" he said. Il welcom
most heartily any loyal inter
mediary formula"