Evening star., 1952-02-22
By the Assoeiated Press

By the Assoeioted Press
LISBON, Portugal, Feb. o.
The United States agreed in prin-
ciple today to give France an ad-
ditional $570 million in aid to help
fulfill her rearmament program,
an authoritative American source
said.
The figure is not final, but is
the one tentatively agreed upon,
the source said.
He disclosed the decision just
before the full North Atlantic
Treaty Organization Council met
to give its blessing to the Euro
pean army plan to bring IL Ger
man divisions into a unified force.
France, in turn. will raise an
additional sum estimated at 100
billion francs ($285 .million) to
close the gap between what her
rearmament plans will cost and
what her inflation-stricken econ
omy can afford.
Request Made to Snyder.
A spokesman said most of the
new United States assistance will
be in the form of procurement
contracts outside the United
States. arms, contributions to the
infrastructure Supporting net
work Of air bases and commune
catious) and similar measures.
1t will not he in the form of
direct dollar aid because that
would require special Congress
sional authorization.
French Premier Edgar Faure
put in the request for additional
aid in a conference with United
States Secretary of the Treasury
John w. Snyder yesterday.
United States Secretary of State
Dean Acheson called in his senior
advisors this morning to discuss
the French request.
Cost of Bases Divided.
Meanwhile. finance and defense
ministers made substantial prog
ress" in splitting up among the
Allies the estimated $3.50 million
cost of building air bases, COM
munication lines, depots and
headquarters across Western Eu-
rope.
The United States is expected
to end up with between 80 and 40
per cent of the check.
The formality of approving the
proposed European army-an es-
timated 2-million-man force of
Germans, French, Dutch, Bel
gians, Italians and Luxembourg
ers-would come about this after
noon, council sources said,
They also believe NATO en-
dorsement will greatly ease the
path for congressional approval
of the $7.9 billion President
Truman is asking for foreign mill
tary aid.
American leaders here had been
fearful that without quick en-
dorsement for the European army
Congress might slash appropria-
tions and stall plans for an Allied
defense system big enough to
warn of any Communist assault,
A senior American last night
expressed hope that following
NATO approval the six EDO ma
tions-France, Italy. West Ger
many, The Netherlands, Belgium
and Luxembourg would rush
abe i'd and sign a treaty before the
congressional hearings on the aid
bill.
Plans call for creation of a Eu-
ropean army of 43 divisions-14
French, IL each from Germany
and Italy and five from the three
Benelux nations.
After signature, the treaty must
be ratified by all six national
Parliaments before recruiting of
Germans key part of the plan
can begin. France. fearful of
revived German military ma
chine. insisted on that.
Informed sources said today the
NATO armed force commander,
Gem Dwight D. Eisenhower, feels
a go-ahead for the EDO from the
II NATO members is of consid-
cradle psychological importance
NATO's blessing for EDO is
necessary because, when France
first proposed a European army
Is months ago, NATO noted that
(oaa NYATN noca 10N