Evening star., 1951-12-16
Revision Predicted
In Europe Arms Aims
Through NAT0 Study
BY John M. Hightower
Assoeiofed Press Siaff Writer

py Jonn NJ. f7I9hfower
Associated Press Staff Writer
A substantial revision of West
ern- European defense targets
was predicted yesterday by Of
flcials familiar with the secret
results of a study of Western
Europe's rearmament needs and
abilities.
The study was made by a COM
mittee of the North Atlantic
Treaty powers.
w. Averell Hartman, American
member of the NATO group, is
due home from Paris next week to
report to President Truman and
other officials on its work and to
help decide the size of next years
American foreign aid program.
Advance drafts of the NATO re-
port have already been received
/ here, however, and they indicate
I action along these lines, 1t was
learned:
1. The NATO countries should
exert all possible efforts at the
present rate of. mobilization to
concentrate on building up what
ever armed forces they can in
the next few months. This is the
principle involved in Gen. Eisen-
\ hower'S recommendation that his
Western European defense force
be brought up to battle readiness
! without delay SO that he would
have around 80 divisions in fight
ing trim by mid-1952.
May Take More Time.
2. Over the long pull it may
take more time than previously
scheduled to raise the total num-
ber of divisions estimated as nee
essary to guarantee Western Eu-
rope against Soviet conquest.
This means simply that instead of
aiming for about 90-odd divisions
in the European defense force by
1854, the military planners will
very probably aim at about the
same number IL to "a months
later.
3. AS an alternative TO extend
ing the time in which the divisions
would be raised, the total number
of divisions to be sought could be
reduced. This may be employed |
as a supplementary method of
easing the arms burden. But in
dications here today were that
American officials and presumably
those of many other countries
would prefer extending the time
or. at most, only tentatively trim
ing the number Of divisions.
All this does not mean there
will be any letup in the drive to I
get Western European nations to
do all they feasibly can. Some of
them have been baking at in
creased military spending but Gen.
Eisenhower told them in Paris yes
terday that unless we get ahead"
with buildup of forces well
never achieve the serenity and
confidence to which Western Eu-
rope and the rest of us are
entitled"
Financial Difficulties Cited.
The Atlantic Alliance Commit
tee. formally designated as the
temporary committee of the North |
Atlantic Treaty Council, was
formed at a council meeting in
Ottawa in September to resurvey
the whole Western rearmament
effort and come up with new pro-
posals for dealing with it as neces-
sary. The main practical problem
the council has had before it is
the inability Of one European
country after another, including
France and Britain, to carry
through its partial mobilization
program without serious financial
difficulties.
The essence Of what the council |
Is expected to suggest as the way +
out is that instead of setting up
some future target for a complete
battle-ready military force and
planning everything backward
from that the Western powers
should switch around and work
from here forward"
Out of this principle comes the
proposed concentration of efforts
during the next few months on
providing the particular kinds of
equipment which Gen. Eisenhower
would need to bring the divisions
available to him into a balanced
force by the middle of next year.
From there on present official
thinking is that the force buildup
should be such as to keep it bal
anced so that whatever the size
Of the force it would always be
ready to fight full-strength.
New Concept Eased Pressure.
This concept of getting a force
In being in Europe promptly in
stead of two years from now has,
In the opinion of authorities here,
eased the pressure for attaining