Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-11-21
British Appear
Ready 10 Accept
u. ). Admiral
Two Moves Reported
Settling Dispute on
Vests Navy Command
By the Associated Press


ROME. Nov. 21.-Britain today
was reported ready to agree to
appointment of an American adj
miral to command the Vests ma
val forces in the Atlantic.
A qualified informant said the
British concurrence was made
possible by agreement of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organiza-
ton Military Committee, meeting
here, on the exact responsibilities
Iof the Atlantic naval commander
and also on the establishment of
IA new English Channel COM
mander under a British admiral
The Atlantic naval commander
will operate under sharply defined
powers. the informant said, indi-
eating that Britain will retain
certain powers she considers vital.
British Blocked Appointment.
Presumably these would include
control of the western sea ap-
proaches to the British Isles.
The British previously had
blocked appointment of an Ameri-
can to the post.
The new English Channel Com
mand will be under Gen. Eisen-
hower's headquarters (SHAPE)
and will direct western defenses
in the Channel and the south
ern part of the North Sea.
Though the military group has
authority only to recommend, the
NATO council was expected to
approve quickly its recommended
tons on the commands during
its session which opens here
Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Vests top mill
tary men today studied just what
and how much Gen. Eisenhower
needs to carry out an accelerated
buildup Of his international army
Gruenther Reports.
A top-secret listing of forces
air fields, equipment and other
requirements was made for them
by Gen. Eisenhower's chief of
staff. 1t. Gen. Alfred NJ. Gruen-
ther.
Attending the closely guarded
meeting were the chiefs of staff
of II member nations Of NATC
and a representative OF army-less
Iceland.
Gen. Eisenhower is known to
want an international army of
between 80 and 40 divisions ready
with the most modern equipment
by the end of 1852.
Plans Not Scaled Down.
But informed sources here for
the council meeting emphasize
that Gen. Eisenhower has not
scaled down his long-range plans
for a much bigger force by the
end Of 1854.
How big an army he envisages
never has been divulged, but in
formed estimates put the 1854 tar
get at 10 to 80 divisions.
There is no change OF plan. y
a qualified informant said. 1--WE
just realized that by trying little
harder and utilizing our potential
we could get a force by the end
Of 1852 which would be extremely
difficult to overrun-and such a
force would be a real deterrent to
war"
Ahead of Schedule.
"The long-range goal stands
the informant added. Actually
we are little ahead Of schedule
in building our forces even under
the earlier plan"
The original plan called for a
slower armament buildup to be
completed by the end of 1854. TAX
ing more time to arm meant that
European industry could get into
fuller arms production-that the
NATO powers, aside from the
United States. could make more of
their own guns.
A battle-ready force by the end
of 1852 is going to have to get a
much higher percentage of its
equipment from the United States.
How much more equipment is
needed and what it will cost Is not
yet known, Gen. Gruenther's re-
port may provide a good clue to
the member nations.
The Military Committee has fin
ished its study of a 13-point
agenda. On Friday the commit
tee will hand over its studies to the
NATO deputies and the top coun-
Gil will hear them next week.