Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-03
Visible and Within GRASP

General EISENHOWER In MS nrSt annual
report as supreme military commander of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, has pre-
sented SOLDERING but nonetheless inspiring pic
ture of what the United States and its Allies
have thus far accomplished in building up the
defenses of the West against the towering
menace of Soviet aggression.
OF course, since he may soon put aside his
uniform to return to America as an active con-
q tender for the Republican presidential nomi-
nation, General EiSenhoWer's assessment of
NATO's actual and potential achievements has
been interpreted by some politicians as kind
Of campaign document. That view however,
adds up to nothing but grossly frivolous esti-
mate of what he has had to say and of his
purpose in saying it.
For his report, far from being politicians
bid for votes is in effect solemn and eloquent
appeal to all the NATO countries to continue
working together, without relaxation, to COM
plete the great task they have set for them
selves as matter of self-preservation. Cover
ing the year that has passed since the estab-
lishment of SHAPE (supreme Headquarters of
the Allied Powers in Europe), the report points
out that good progress has been made toward
bringing armed forces into being to counterbal-
ance the vast and threatening power of the
Soviet Unions ITS divisions and 10000 aircraft
But at the same time it emphasizes that the
Alliance must still cope with manifold difficult
ties and shortcomings" of very serious ma
ture- militariy, politically, economically and
otherwise.
Thus, for one thing lot Of extremely hard
work remains to be done to make available to
SHAPE in the current year the so divisions and
1000 operational aircraft agreed upon at NATO's
Lisbon Conference. In addition, large support
ing elements including engineer contingents,
heavy artillery units and supply forces-must be
made available. Further than that, it is of
utmost Importance ID that West Germany be
brought more and more into the picture as
participant in the common defense and ca that
the continental members of the Alliance step
up their cooperation and promote greater
progress toward unity by calculating programs
like the Schuman Plan for a coal-and-steel
merger. In connection with the latter point,
General Eisenhower has been at pains to warn
that without such progress it would be "fatuous"
for anybody to assume that American taxpayers
will be willing to keep on pouring money and
resources into Europe.
Nevertheless, despite the many weaknesses
and difficulties still affecting the Alliance, and
although "at this time the forces assigned to
SHAPE are not of themselves sufficient to stay
the hand of an aggressor," the Eisenhower re-
port is full of quiet confidence and encourage
ment. It observes, for example-perhaps with
a bit of understandable there is "some
comfort in knowing that NATO controls other
forces than those assigned to SHAPE. These
extra forces-which help to Offset the Soviet
strength poised behind the Iron Curtain-in-
clude: Cd Greatly superior sea power in the
Atlantic and Mediterranean; (2) Britain's
home based fighter and bomber commands; 81
the tremendous capacity" of our atomic-armed
strategic aircraft in North Africa and the United
Kingdom; az our very big lead in productive
potential and skilled manpower; and 90 "a
whole sequence of fundamental changes"
caused by new types of arms" that may render
obsolete Russia's huge land armies.
It is because of factors like these that Cen
eral Eisenhower, while warning that NATO is
only beginning to achieve real security, has de-
clared that defeatism would be as foolish as
complacency at this stage. Actually, in his
Judgment, "the tide has begun to flow our way"
and if we and our Allies have the will to COM
plete what we have started-the viii and the
steadfastness-we can be sure of success in the
end. Certainly as he has put it, visible and
within grasp we have the capability of building
such military, economic and moral strength as
the Communist world would never dare to
challenge"
And in turn, by the same token, there is
also visible and within grasp" the prospect of
a day when the Kremlin may at last find it
both imperative and profitable to cooperate in
a decent peace designed to endure for genera
lions. AS General Eisenhower has made clear
this is the immensely bright opportunity that
can be brought to fulfllment through NATO.
If we neglect it, If we backslide now, if we
falter or vacilate or grow suddenly irresolute.
the consequences can be tragic and apocalyptic
for the entire free world, including not least
of all ourselves.