Evening star., 1952-02-27
Achievement at Lisbon

Although most OF its decisions have yet
TO be translated into concrete action, the Council
OF the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has
concluded its Lisbon conference with record
OF accomplishment that should hearten the on.
tire free world. No miracles have been per-
formed, OF course, and many diff1eultes still ie
ahead, but In terms OF aeeeleratlng the Vests
defensive build.up, the conference.-the ninth OF
ts Kind since the founding OF the great alliance
seems definitely 10 have been the most fruitful
30 far In NAFos history,
Thus, 10 begin with, the Lisbon eenferees
have agreed upon eFganisatienal measures OF On
important though undramatie nature. The
measures include On increase In General Eisen-
heweFs responsibilities and authority, They also
include decision under which the North
Atlantic couneil-rmade up OF top.ranking min
listers who form the chief directing agency OF
NATO-Will establish permanent headquarters
near Paris, There In keeping with this decision,
representatives OF the ministers viii serve % Q
continuously operating organization headed by
Q secretary general who In sense will be
kind OF civilian counterpart to the supreme mill.
tary commander.
But these organizational matters, though
important, have been the least significant of
the subjects dealt with ut Lisbon. For the con-
ference has resulted In q long list Of inter-
full Of great and even revolutionary potentiaties
In respect to promoting the unifcation Of free
Europe and vastly increasing the strength OF the
Western world as whole. The chief Of these
decisonS-Whch include an agreement on
financing and pushing forward an "infraStruc-
ture" program for the development Of cir bases
and communcations--are those bearing upon
O) the creation Of supranational army and
az the degree Of armed power that NATo IL
supposed to bring into being during the balance
Of the year.
As unanimously approved Of Lisbon. the
supranational or internationalized army ID 20 be
made Up Of the merged forces OF Luxembourg,
Belgium, the Netherlands, italy, France and West
Germany. These six nationS-constituting the
European Defense Community-are to organize
the army within the framework Of NATo Just
as soon as they sign and ratfy treaty creating
1t. In effect, as far as the Bonn Germans are
concerned, the treRty-given its acceptance by
oil the parliaments eoneerned-Will pave the
way for their rearnament and make them close
associates In the Atlantic Pact, with the pacts
special guarantees. Beyond that In non.
military sense, the project. taken together with
programs like the schuman Plan, will give fur
ther impetus to the drive for free EuropeS uni-
hcation.
Owing particularly TO the uncertain temper
OF 6OtlH ana ThtAh EhEA1hNnCHtb, many uuVptS
ing Thomases feel that 1t viii be long time,
If ever, before this supranational army becomes
q reality However, regardless Of that the Lisbon
conference has decided that the NATO allies
must in any event undertake to have In Western
Europe by the end Of the current year 1000
operational aircraft and about 30 divisions as
nearly combat-ready as possble--forces that are
to be over and above those Of the Greeks and
Turks who have been formally received at Lisbon
as ful-fedged members Of the Atlantic Pact,
but whose precise role in the coalitions common
defense and command setup has yet to be
worked out.
II Ia only too easy, obviously, TO visualize
how events including decisions In Ctr own Con.
gress-Car and may impede efforts TO effectuate
these NATo plans. Even 90, the mere feet that
IA different nations have been able TO agree upon
them adds up To progress Of very great impor.
tance-af achievement bright enough TO encout.
age the hope that the Atlantic community Will
not faiter or backtraek now, Certainly, II 10
moves steadfasty ahead along the road mapped
at lisbon, II can become Oh inVihelble bulwafk
OF weird peace and freedom