Evening star., 1952-12-24
The heNATOOutIook

Although its results have been generally
described as disappointing, the now-adjourned
Paris meeting of the Atlantic Council could
hardly have accomplished anything spectacular
against the handicap of our American presi-
Dental interregnum. This Is so because the
leadership of the United States is indispensable
to the councils decision making, and that lead
ership-now changing from Democratic to Re-
publican-win continue in state of suspended
animation until General Eisenhower is inaugu-
rated and can speak and act with full authority
as the Nations Chief Executive.
Considered in relation to such situation
a situation in which the future course of Amer
lean foreign policy has been subject of con-
siderable uncertainty for our allies abroad-the
shortcomings of the Paris meeting have been less
than surprising. Compared to what it agreed
upon at its Lisbon session earlier in the year. the
council, chief directing agency of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization, seems to have done
little more than hem and haw at its latest gath
ering. Indeed, it seems to have backtracked in
way that suggests an unwarranted mood of re-
Taxation on the part of several members of the
NATO alliance-a loss of the sense of urgency
that is still very much needed in the common
defensive build-up against the threat of Soviet
aggression However. since this probably is more
apparent than real there is good reason to hope
that the outlook will be quite different after the
Eisenhower administration moves into office and
is able to deal affirmatively and authoritatively
with the overseas doubts and questioning caused
by the political transition now taking place in
our country.
AS they stand today, of course, the decisions
of the Paris meeting certainly seem to have
raised more questions than they have answered.
For example, in designating British Admiral
Earl Mountbatten as commander of NATO's
naval forces in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic
Council has excluded the American 9Th Fleet
from his authority, and it has thus failed to
establish a genuine single commando failure
that is bound to lead to future debate and dis
cussion for a better arrangement. Similarly, In
declaring that the war in Indo- China is matter
of common concern to all members of the West
ern alliance the council has really settled MOTH
ing as regards what should be done to bolster
France in that crucial Far Eastern conflict-an
issue destined to loom large in the months
ahead. Finally, in halving General Ridgway's
request for an expenditure of $473 million on
airflelds, communication lines and similar in
stallations, the councils European ministers
have displayed marked inclination to subordi-
nate important military needs to economic con-
siderations, and this has led to fears of serious
showdown in the anti-Soviet defensive build-up.
But the Atlantic Council, although it's Paris
session has thus been generally unsatisfactory,
has made a special point of emphasizing-as
formal decision-that it will hold another meet
ing "as early as possible in the spring" This
indicates that it is we'll aware of the deficiencies
and the tentative nature of its latest actions.
Presumably, it will do more thorough and
effective job when it convenes again. At any
rate, since the Eisenhower administration will
then be going concern, the present element of
uncertainty will no longer exist and the atmos-
phere will be more conducive to firm decision
making by the United States and its NATO allies.