Evening star., 1951-02-10

wv ~ NJ ~
Nations was built on this same
central idea as the Concert of
Europe and the League of Ma
tions. Hating and faulty as it
may be. we cannot abandon this
idea and this hope.
But it must be clear that the
U. N. for the present will not be
a substantial protection from
Communist aggression.
Involvement in Asia.
Our men are holding heroically
to the mission assigned us by the
United Nations in Korea. We are
suffering great losses. Gen. Mar
shall says we must send $4,000
men a month. We cannot yet see
the end. But if we were to drive
Jail the enemy out of Korea, how
much Of our armies must remain
there to protect it?
Japan, Formosa and the Philip
pines are vital links in our ma
tional security. This must not be
minimized by nations anxious to
direct our energies to Europe. We
will need retain much military
strength in the Pacific to protect
those areas.
Certainly there is little stark
reality In talking about American
ground divisions in Europe in
view of our involvement in Asia.
Pact Commitments.
The sixth consideration in our
decisions revolves around the
North Atlantic Pact and the pro-
posals to start another American
expeditionary land army to Eu-
rope.
Current statements stretch this
pact far beyond its text. The pact
provides that the nations shall
aid each other in case of attack
There has been no attack.
Moreover, at the time of ratifi-
cation of that alliance the ad-
ministration, through the Secre-
tary of State and the chairman
of the Foreign Relations Commit
tee, gave positive assurances that
under the pact no expeditions Of
American ground troops would be
sent to Europe. That certainly
meant no forces to Europe prior
to attack
But last fall it became evident
that the administration was con-
templating sending ground troops
to Europe. 1t was also evident
that after years of gigantic Amer
lean subsidies. the European At
Ilantic Pact nations had done
nothing of consequence toward
their own defense 80.
Eisenhower a Symbol.
Then Gen. Eisenhower was ap-
pointed to organize the military
strength. And the general has
become the potent symbol of the
policy of at once sending Amer
ican ground troops to Europe.
The American people are in
debted to Gen. Eisenhower for
many gerat services But his
appointment does not commit the
American people as to policy.
The stark realities in Western
Continental Europe are their large
Communist parties and the dis
unities which gnaw at their vitals
Their prejudices prevent taking
Spain into the alliance with %
divisions and the most defensible
area in Europe. For some reason
Turkey and Greece are excluded
from the Alliance.
Small Beside Russia.
i From press reports based on in.
formation from European official.
and from Gen. Eisenhower's state.
ments, it would appear that hi!
army. including the two American
divisions now in Germany, will
: start with 8 or possibly 10 di.
]. visions; by the end of two years
: including American divisions, il
would seem to be 35 or 40 di.
/ visions.
The stark reality is that such
an army is small compared to the
strength of the enemy.
!; America is at present the ma.
jor deterrent to the Kremlin's
ambitions of world conquest
) There is nothing that Stain
would like more than to get the
! United States into his clutches
by fighting us on the ground in
Europe. There lies his overwhelm-
ing strength.
! Disaster could thus come to the
American Hemisphere with nc
salvation to Europe.
Way to Peace Left.
;. Despite all these stark reali-
ties and these problems, I have
believed there is a way to at least
an uneasy peace for the world.
i In my address of six weeks
;Iago, I stated that we should not
land men or send money to Eu-
rope until large European forces
were in sight.
i I suggest that air power and
the navy is the alternative tc
sending American land divisions
to Europe.
\ Stain we'll knows we coulo
carry on that kind of war fol
: his destruction for indefinite years
: The air threat has been during
four years the most powerful de.
terrent to any attack on Western
Europe. It is far more powerful
, than pouring American division.
{ into the reach of this Asiatit
horde.
, The whole Korean tragedy i.
{ developing proof that the way tt
punish aggressors is from the all
and sea and not by land armies
1t would be infinitely less costly
! in dead and disaster.
Costs Are Compared.
To train, equip, place in Europe
and maintain for one year 10 OF
the usual combinations of Ameri-
can divisions would cost about
4 " &,