Evening star., 1951-02-08
The Political Mis
Senate Vote Now Seen
On Troops in Europe
Resolution to Be Advisory
And Will Not Fix Number
The Political My
By Gould Lincoln

The Senate, the Democratic leadership
OF that body has now determined, Is to
be given an early opportunity to vote on
the advisability of sending additional
American troops to the NATO forces un-
der Gen. Eisenhower in Europe. II the
Democrats have their way. the resolution
adopted by the Senate will be advisory
only and will have no bearing on the
question Of the power of the President to
send the troops to Europe. Nor will it
undertake to fix the number of troops
to be sent.
A report on the European situation
the willingness and the ability of the
North Atlantic treaty nations in Europe
TO oppose Russian aggression and also
the fighting potentialities of Spain and
Yugoslavia and West Germany-has lust
been made by Representative John F.
Kennedy, Democrat, of Massachusetts,.
IL VIII be read with interest in view
OF the approaching Senate debate.
Mr.. Kennedy is son of former Ambas-
sador Joseph Kennedy. For five weeks
ne travelled In Britain, France and Italy
and IN Spain. Yugoslavia and West Ger
many. He went abroad particularly for
the purpose Of learning at first hand
about conditions. His findings are that.
II Europe is to be saved in the event of
Communist aggression from the East
Russia and her satelites-tte European
nations must greatly step up their de-
IenSe activities. especially in the in
creased output OF arms and the increased
tralnlng OF military personnel.
"Plain and Brutal Fact"
IF Europe Is to be saved" Mr.. Ken
nedy asserted, Europe must commences
to make sacrifices sufficient for that mr.
pose and commensurate with the danger
that threatens to engulf her peoples. The
plain and brutal fact today is that Europe
is not making those sacrifices. Except for
Yugoslavia and Spain, her military bude-
cts, In terms of their proportions of the ma.
tlonal income. are far below those wa
propose for ourselves Her draft Of man.
power is less severe than what we sur-
gest should govern here. This effort to-
day is clearly not enough"
Clearly. too, Mr.. Kennedy believes that
II Will be to the advantage of the United
states and OF the whole world and peace
II europe can be saved. His contention
Is. however, that we cannot do the lob
without total effort by Europe itself.
and that this country cannot "link its
whole fate to what is presently q desper-
ate gamble"
We can and will survive despite
europe. but with her it will be that much
easier" said Mr.. Kennedy.
Gen. Eisenhower, in his own recent re-
port on conditions in Europe, more op-
tlmlstlc In tone than Mr.. Kennedy'x
nevertheless said, too, that the European
nations still have long way to 90 If they
are to build up an adequate defense.
WEAKNESS in England.
.O1 England Mr.. Kennedy said: There
Is Will to resist in England, but at the
same time deep spiritual and physical
WEAKNESS over the thought of war" He
aoded there Is definite resentment
there against our Korean policy for two
reasons. First, because England thinks
1t waste and diversion of valuable re-
sources which might be devoted to Eli.
rope. and second, because the conflict
WIN Red China endangers her own pre-
caflous position in the Orient and be-
cause IL enhances the possibility of all
out war with Russia.
In France, Mr.. Kennedy was IN confer
ence with the top military and political
leaders. His analysis was that France
knows she must bear the lions share of
tne manpoWer necessary for the creation
OF western European force, that she
LOOKS long1ngly to German manpower for
assistance but is unwilling to paw the
price Germany demands for rearning
France fears that rearming GERMANY,
too, might incite Russian aggression
France" said Mr.. Kennedy, gives me a
sense of division and confusion. of hesita-
tion and doubt"
Mr.. Kennedy found extraordinary re-
cuperatlon in Germany Steel. pig iron.
coal production have climbed fast and
Germanys national income has almost
reached that of England. At the same
time In Germany skepticism of the re-
armament effort was rife, and the Ger
mans want no part of it unless they are
TO be permitted an army of their own.
1t Is Mr.. Kennedy's belief, however. that
1t is imperative to incorporate Germany
into the Western European defense sys-
tenn. The situation in Italy he declared
most precarious.
He talked with Marshal Tito in Yugo-
slavia. Tito said that if attacked he will
light long enough to bring the West in on
his side. He added that his needs will
be arms and equipment, not men. He ex-
pressed an opinion that America is
wasting her strength in Korea. The
strategic area, he told Mr.. Kennedy. is
not in Asia but in Europe.