Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-08
MI. Dulles Delivers q Message

Mr.. Dulles Delivers q Message
Secretary Of State Dulles has been treading
a straight and firm path in his travels through
Europe, delivering message that reflects in
significant degree the thinking of the American
public and Of the Congress which represents
that public. The message, in brief, is that the
nations Of Western Europe must progress, and
with reasonable haste. toward formulating the
pending plans for a genuine unity among them
selves.
In pressing for this unity, primarily through
ratification of the European Defense Com
munity treaty and the West German peace
contract, Mr.. Dulles and the American opinion
supporting him are not attempting to remake
the political structure OF Western Europe simply
because they are intrigued by the federation
principle. They are pressing for It, instead,
because they feel that the type of unity implied
in the edo concept would provide the "indis-
penSable cornerstone" of a strong Atlantic
communicated it would tend to submerge
some Of the historic suspicious and rivalries
that have hourished for SO long under systems
of alliances and under the delicate formula Of
establishing balances Of power. These methods
of seeking peace for Europe, and for the world,
have failed.
Mr.. Dulles is fully aware, and so is informed
american OpIIllOIl, CIldC SUCH PIOPUSdIS do t4Ic
single uniform, six-nation European army, the
Coal and Steel Community and the 14-nation
grouping of the Council of Europe are radical
concepts in the blending or partial submerging
of national sovereignties. Mr.. Dulles is GER
tainly aware of the economic problems that
have plagued all of these countries in the
postwar years, of the rather precarious political
situations that prevail in France and West
Germany particularly, of the dead weight inn
posed upon West German thinking by the East
and West division Of greater Germany, OF
the intense French German feelings which
surround the Saar issue, and of Britains deep
conviction that it can stand beside but not be
a part of a continental European community.
He has not asked, nor could he expect, that
all of these troublesome questions be waved
aside casually. He has asked instead, that
their resolution be sought forthrightly in order
that the basic unity and strength envisioned
by such as Monnet and Schuman OF France.
Adenauer OF Germany and DeGasperi Of Italy
can become reality in the near future.
Reports from the capitals which Mr.. Dulles
has visited indicate that he has received tangi-
BILE encouragement. the more heartening because
of the apprehension which had preceded his
visits. For example. Britain, without COM
promising its fundamental position toward
European federation, has announced detailed
plan for "close military association" with the
proposed European army while Foreign Secre-
tary Eden and the British cabinet have ex-
pressed their unqualified approval Of the unity
concept. Italy's Premier DeGaSperi has given
comparable support and has reafhrmed his
approval of American efforts to speed the
process. In France, Premier Mayer and Foreign
Minister Bidault have promised to push for
ratification of the treaties while attempting to
satisfy the National Assembly by set OF
clarifying protocols. And in West Germany,
Mr.. Dulles has talked frankly not only to
Chancellor ADMINISTRATORS commitment to
the pending plans has never wavered-but also
to leaders of the opposition Socialist Party. To
them he made the points that participation in
the European army offered more immediate
and long-range assurances to West Germany
than any other plan, and that West German
abstinence from this program would merely
permit Soviet Russia to continue using the lure
of alderman unity as a trouble making issue.
While Mr.. Dulles evidently has been direct
in his conversations with European leaders, it
would be unfair to him and to the sincerity of
the American commitment to the interests Of
the free world to charge that he has been
delivering series Of one-way ultimatums. At
this point his nearly ended trip appears to have
cleared up some misunderstanding and to have
opened the way for greater progress toward the
common goal