Evening star., 1953-04-28

means, in terms OF long-range
capabilities. Belgian politicians,
as well as Belgian bankers, are
keenly anxious to find formula
for doing business in Europe
which will work better for them
than the old-style competitive
formula. -
Because Of their dependence
on foreign trade and their con-
Germ about future prospects. the
Belgians are natural cheer
leaders for the steps that have
been taken toward Western
European economic integration.
They have. in fact, pointed the
way.
Since 1922. Belgium has had
economic union with Luxem-
bourg. In 1948, negotiations were
started to extend the agreement
to include the Netherlands. She
is an active participant in the
infant Coal-Steel Community set
up under the Schuman Plan,
and she looks hopefully toward
the day when Europe must
finally free itself from its present
mass Of strangling trade restric-
tions.
NATO Performance Good.
The healthy state OF Belgium.s
economy up to now has resulted
in an excellent performance in
meeting her military commit
ments to NATO. Belgium is
proud Of the fact that she has
come closer to reaching her Lis
bon goals than any European
country. She is inclined to take
a critical attitude toward the
record of her allies.
Starting from an almost COM
plete state of disarmament at
the end of the war, Belgium has
active forces of 148,00O men in
three divisions. She has under
taken a goal Of more than twice
that strength-450, 900 men in
six divisions, a 500-plane air
force and a 4,000-man navy to be
ready for action by 1854. There
Will be some inevitable revision
in these targets. particularly if
new economic troubles develop,
but at present they are expected
to be substantially achieved.
Belgium's training program is
rated high. especially that of
the army. The small air force
is having growing pains, but is
coming along: like most Euro
pean countries Belgium suffers
from a shortage of officers
trained in modern warfare. The
national military academy turns
out about 100 a year. Most army
units are led by conscript officers
who have received special train
ing under a program that COR
responds roughly to our OCS
system.
Although pay scales for vol
unteerS are among the highest
in Europe-ranging from $40 to
$135 a month for enlisted men
and up to $433 for officers-less
than one-third of Belgium's
army is volunteer. This makes
for a considerable morale prob
lem, since the pay for conscripts
Is 20 cents a day. But speaking
generally about the quality and
dependability of the individual
Belgian soldier, there is no cause
for complaint. When it comes to
natural fighting aptitude, he ap-
pears to have lost little of his
talent since the days when julius
Caesar gave him highest marks
among the tribes Of Western
Europe.
There are, to be sure. a few
serious political snagS to the Bel
gian armament effort, revolving
around the question of the length
OF service for draftees. Although
Belgium was the first country
on the continent to push it's
length Of service to the recon-
mended NATO minimum of "a
months the government was
forced by political pressure to
drop it again. The present term
of 81 months for most classes
is still high by European stand
ards. But government planners
complain that it is not high
enough to permit the country to
live up to its NATO commitments
and still stay within budget linn
itations.
AS in the case with many of
NATO's problems. it comes down
to question of what the other
fellow is doing. With most Eu-
ropean countries setting their
length Of service at 18 months,
it is politically difficult for Bel
gium to go further. The hope of
q certain degree of Standard
ization along these lines is one
factor that makes the idea of
European military integration
appeal to the Belgium mind.