Evening star., 1951-08-19
BY BIoir Moody
Senator From Michigan

6eudIoE STum A0ICllBhh
The whole program to build the
military strength of the Allied free
nations against the threat of Red
atomic aggression is still danger
ously deficient, and far too slow.
The Eisenhower mission has put
the train of rising North Atlantic
power on the track and started it
rolling. 1t is gathering speed. Both
the psychology and the perform
ance of our partners in Europe are
on the rise.
Gen. Eisenhower, as Allied COM
mander, has unQueStionably given
the free Europeans new spirit and
new hope. His spontaneous magne-
tiSm is beginning to reinStill the
indispensable ingredient of any
successful defense - confidence
Some of our Allies-not all-are
contributing about as much in
men and money, United States ex-
pert analysts estimate, as is pos
sible without internal economic
deterioration.
But if survival is the stake-and
if it isn't, an undertaking of this
magnitude doesn't make sense
then the combined efforts of the
United States and all our N. A. T. O.
North Atlantic Trade Organiza-
tion) Allies is not yet big enough.
nor fast enough, nor urgent
enough.
Still Business As Usual.
Many important men in West
ern Europe are still thinking in
terms Of business as usual.
Many believe that the threat to
freedom is at least partly a fabri-
cation of "impulsive American
ISM" Since it would be very bad
indeed for the United States If the
efforts to create an adequate force
to deter or repel aggression should
fail, some seem to feel that the
United States therefore has no al
tentative but to do anything the
other countries leave undone.
These appear not to realize that
while failure on the continent
would be serious for Americans, it
would be suicide for Europeans.
Measured against conditions
and capacities Of the postwar, pre-
Marshall Plan Europe of five years
ago, and considering the greater
internal pressureS to divert lin
tied fiscal and material resources
away from military to other prof.
ects, progress has been remark
able.
But against the yardstick OF
today's grim No. l fact of life
that we must fashion the pace and
scope Of our effort to stop an on
slaught whenever it may come
the program, as 1t stands, falls
short in both timing and magni-
tude.
Full Story Not Told.
The full story has not yet been
given to the public, either here
or abroad, nor to the Congress.
The top men Of N. A. T. o. are
currently working to decide how
It should be told. and when, and
how much Of it, and by whom.
The details, of course, are top Sc
cret, and cannot be reported until
they are officially released.
But it can and should be dis
closed that there is a gap between
the level Of strength which was
agreed by the top N. A. T. o.
board to be the actual requirement
in men and equipment for the
defense of Europe. and the maxi
mum that has even been asked for
from Congress or the European
parliaments.
The request th"t has been made,
In the $8.5 billion foreign-aid bill
now pending Ia Congress, and in
the military budgets Of Europe
contemplates a force substantially
short of the goals Of strength in
forces and weapons established by
the strategic board as vital.
The present program provides
that even this inadequate level Of
strength will be reached not in