Evening star., 1951-02-04

Marshal Viscount Montgomery
and Gen. Alphonse JUN, probably
has the largest military establish
ment in Europe today. Her 40
divisions are under arms and are
well oficered. Spain produces
small arms. but sadly lacks tanks
and communication equipment.
She could produce some of
these if the American or British
industries. were to provide the
necessary tools and some techni-
cal experts. She has ideal sites
for airfelds. where an air force
could be based in the event that
the Russians were to overrun
France and the Lowlands. Be-
hind Spain's 40 regular divisions
there are at least twice as many
reserve troops which have had
military training.
The British and French govern
ments last October turned down
Turkeys request to join the At
lantic pact, in which Italy-a
weak Mediterranean nation-has
been accepted. And Turkey is as
good a democracy as can be found
anywhere in Europe.
The other Mediterranean ma
tions which have real ground
forces are under more or less
similar handicaps. Greece and
Turkey receive a limited supply
of war material under the Tru-
man doctrine. The amount is
far smaller than that earmarked
for the members of the Atlantic
pact, because the assistance was
intended to permit those nations
to fight guerrillas, as in the case
of Greece, and to improve their
defenses against a possible Rus
sian attack, as in the case of
Turkey.
Support under the Truman
doctrine is sufficient for this pur-
poses But it is nowhere near
enough if we want to count on
those nations as actual allies in a
finish fight when the chips are
down. None of them can obtain
needed equipment for their ex-
isting forces until the needs Of
the Western Allies have been met.
Africa's Potential
President Truman is expected
to ask Congress for nearly So
billion for the Western Allies. The
bulk of that sum will be used in
the manufacture of military
equipment of these nations in
the United States. 1t stands to
reason that after we have sup
piled our own forces, which are
expected to reach the 3.5 million
mark by the end of this year,
and after we have sent noun
tains" of military equipment to
the Atlantic powers in Europe
there will be very little left for
the countries which have an ac-
tive military force already in
existence.
There is little likelihood that
France will be able to muster
more than Is divisions within the
next two years-and it may be
too late by then. But there is
body of trained and loyal North
African warriors in Morocco and
Algeria who could make up the
deficiencies of the French in
Europe. According to military ex-
perts, this area of North Africa is
peopled by fanatical Moslems,
who cannot be undermined by
Communist propaganda and who
could produce a fighting con-
tingent of half a million men.
Thus, the specter of the "invin-
chile" and overwhelming Russian
ground force is not as serious as
most of us in this country are
led to believe and fear. 1t could
be offset without much trouble
by the intelligent utilization Of
forces in existence today, forces
which we are prone to overlook
for political and theological rea-
sons.
OF course, the main burden Of
providing these enemies of COM
munism with war materials must.
fall on the United States.
In fact. 1t is not manpower
which we lack at this time. We
have not yet begun to produce
war materials in such quantities
as to arm all the nations which
offer us their support.