Evening star., 1952-03-01
Text of Acesons Report to Nation on Mutual Defense Needs

solid substance of strength and
unity.
First the military experts Of
the member nations developed
joint strategic defense plans.
But paper divisions and long
range mobilization plans will not
deter aggression, in an age when
we cannot count upon a cushion
Of time to prepare to defend our
selves against attack. In build
ing up their military forces, our
European allies had to start al
most from scratch, but they have
tackled the job with determine
ton. Since 1949, our allies in
Europe have doubled their mill
tary budgets. Every one Of them
has heightened its period Of mill
tary conscription. Military pro-
duction in Europe has been ex-
panded almost four times beyond
the 1949 level. More than half q
million men have already been
added to their military forces on
active duty. Even more important
has been the steady conversion Of
these troops into effective combat
units, through improved organi-
zation, training and equipment.
A little more than O year ago,
a unified NATO defense force was
established under the command
OF General Eisenhower, to which
the European NAT'O countries
contributed a major part Of their
national forces. Since 1D4D, the
number Of organized combat divi.
sionS available TO NATO has more
than doubled.
Ali Of these things were Under.
taken not merely for their military
sake-itnportant as that is-but
Because they are part Of the still
larger Idea Of helping 10 BRING
about real Unity 10 the European
community within the framework
OF the Atlantic community.
Germany one Of Great Tasks,
one OF the great tasks has been
70 bflhG Germany back Int The
european family OF RatieRs, Fhis
"a q matter OF Importance ana
deep ifElhteFest beth % the 6eFs
mans and 20 the rest OF Western
HHFeper II you le9k AZ a map OF
HHF9per y6H can see at ehee that
10 makes q great deal OF difference
whether HHF9pe IA 10 be made de-
fenslhle west OF the Rhine, or near
the Hlbe, where the IFen Curtain
new cuts thFeHgh Germany, And
II makes A great deal OF difference
net only 70 the Germans thems
selves, but also to the people of
Scandinavia, the Lew Countries,
TO England, France and Italy,
But dealing with this matter,
We were graphing with problems
that had roots In the ancient past,
aggravated by events still fresh
IN memory, There was q natural
and reasonable desire on all sides
not to create conditions that would
permit q recurrence Of the terrible
events of the past,
The statesmen Of Europe under
stood fully that II was right and
proper and necessary that Ger
mans should be enabled to parti-
cipate in the defense Of an area
IN which their own country lies.
But the problem that worried the
people Of Europe, including the
Germans themselves. was: How to-
do this without raising again the
danger Of unhridled German mill.
tarism? And how to restore Ger
many to a position Of dignity and
equality in this effort 30 that it|
would willingly and enthusias-
tically participated
Intricate and Complex Issues.
Now these things I have been
talking about were involved In the
meetings with the British and
French. and later the Germans.
In London; and In the meeting Of
the North Atlantic Council In Lis.
bon. These issues, aS you can see,
are intricate and complex, but
they were brought to q focus at
these meetings In the five main
points ! cited O moment ago.
The first thing we wanted to do
at Lisbon was to reach agreement
On 0 realistic plan for increasing
NATo's military forces. The su.
preme Command must be as.
sured Of the largest number
of effective combat forces that can
be developed this year, and we
wanted TO 10y the groundwork for
further increases In 1853 and 1854.
In order 10 do this. II was neces.
Sary to determine the real eco.
nomic capacity Of each NATOI
country and to agree on specific
goals for each country. Il was
also necessary to get agreement
on the military and economic
measures which the various coun.
tries must take In order 10 reach
these goals.
All these things were done. Al
Temporary Council Committee
worked out realistic goals In con.
sultatlon with each government
The estimates for 1859 we're Aes
ceptgd as Arm goals. The forces
which Will be made available mi
Europe by the end 6f 1884 will
C6hstltuts \ real fighting force
cbthp6seH 6f. h specified humber UtI
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