Evening star., 1951-01-08

CROWN OF our gOoQ nelgnpOrS III
this hemisphere.
These actions will bring greater
strength for the free world.
They will give many people
real stake in the future and rea-
son to defend their freedom.
They will mean increased pro-
duction of the goods they need
and the materials we need.
Second, we shall need to con-
tinue our military assistance to
countries which want to defend
themselves.
The heart of our common de-
fense effort is the North Allan
tic community. The defense of
Europe is the basis for the de-
fense of the whole free world
ourselves included. Next to the
United States, Europe is the
largest workshop of the world.
1t is also a homeland of great
religious beliefs shared by many
of our citizens-beliefs which are
now threatened by the tide of
atheistic communism.
Strategically, economically and
morally, the defense of Europe is
part of our own defense.
That is why we have Joined
with the countries of Europe in
the North Atlantic treaty. pledg-
ourselves to work with them.
There has been much discus
sion recently over whether the
European countries are willing
to defend themselves. Their ac-
tions are answering this ques-
ton.
Our North Atlantic treaty
partners have strict systems Of
universal military training. Sew
eral have recently increased the
term of service. All have taken
measures to improve the quality
of training. Forces are being
trained and expanded as rap
idly as the necessary arms and
equipment can be supplied from
their factories and ours. Our
North Atlantic treaty partners,
together. are building armies
bigger than our own.
None of the North Atlantic
treaty countries, including our
own country, has done enough
yet. But real progress is being
made.
Confidence in Eisenhower.
Together. we have worked out
defense plans. The military
leaders of our own country took
part in working out these plans.
and are agreed that they are
sound and within our capabil-
tiles.
To put these plans into &C
ton, we sent to Europe last
week one of our greatest mill
tary commanders. Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower.
Gen. Eisenhower went to Eu-
rope to assume command of the
united forces of the North At
lantic treaty countries. includ-
ing our own forces in Germany.
The people of Europe have
confidence in Gen. Eisenhower.
They know his ability to put to-
gether a fighting force of allies.
His mission is vital to our Sc
curity. We should all stand
behind him and give him every
bit of help we can.
Part of our job will be to re-
inforce the military strength of
our European partners by send
ing them weapons and equip
ment as our military produc-
ton expands.
Our program of military as
sistance extends to nations in
the Near East and the Far East
which are trying to defend their
freedom. Soviet communism is
trying to make these nations
into colonies, and to use their
people as cannon fodder in new
wars of conquest. We want
their people to be free men and
to enjoy peace.
Our country has always stood
for freedom for the peoples of
Asia. Our history shows this.
We have demonstrated it in the
Philippines. We have demon
strated it in our relations with
Indonesia, India and China. We
hope to join in restoring the
people of Japan to membership
in the community of free ma
tionS.
1t is in the Far East that we
have taken up arms, under the
United Nations, to preserve the
principle of independence for
free nations. We are fighting
to keep the forces of Communist
aggression from making a slave
state out of Korea.
Significance of Korea.
Korea has tremendous sig
nificance for the world. 1t
means that free nations, act
ing through the United Nations,
are fighting together against
aggression. e.sz
We understand the :impor-
tance of this best If we look
back into history. If the
democracies had stood up
against the invasion of Man
churia in 1881. or the attack
on Ethiopia in 1885. or the
seizure of Austria in 1888, if
they had stood together against