Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-01

Senate Foreign Relations
Committee obtained unani-
nous consent in the Senate
today to have printed IN
the Congressional Record the
first two articles in the Sc
ries on the condition Of
NATO countries by Crosby
S. Moves, appearing current
ly in The Evening Star.
standing of the problems of mod
ern warfare. Norwegians have
what might be called minute
man concept" of resistance to
attack. The idea of snatching
down the rifle and rushing off
to stop the enemy has an APP
pealing QuaintneSs, its effec-
tiveness, however, is doubtful.
There are, finally, certain po-
litical limitations to Norway's
contribution-the most pressing
being her unwillingneSS to allow
allied airmen to occupy Nor
wegian air bases. Norway made
an agreement with Russia, when
she joined NATO, that foreign
troops would be kept out ex-
cept in case of an imminent
threat of war. But even if there
were no such agreement. the
presence of foreign troops, no
matter how friendly, would rep
resent return of the "occupa-
ton" to a good many Nor
wegians. And there is real con-
Germ about possible impact of
American installations on the
economic and social life of the
country. So far, these political
considerations rather than the
military realities have decided
the matter.
The NorwegianS are famous
for their good-natured stub
bornness, once they have made
up their minds on anything.
IF you try to push them, these
people don't get sore" an official
explained. "They just sit there
and smile, and you can't bulge
them with dynamite.
Spain: A Delicate Issue.
NATO could stub its toe on
Norwegian independence in
another field too. The question:
of admitting Spain to the NATO
community.
1t may seem surprising that
a country so remote from Spain
could work up much steam over
this issue. But the fact is that
no nation in Europe reacts more
strongly to any suggestion that
Spain should be invited to join
up.
The explanation lies primarily
in Norway's own conception of
what NATO is. Basically, the
Norwegjans abandoned their ira
ditional pacif1cism and neutral
ity and went into NATO for two
reasons:
One was the hope Of security
and the realization that neither
Norway or any combination of
Scandinavian states could defend
itself against aggression by a
great power. The other was a
feeling of political and cultural
kinship with the nations that
banded themselves together in
the original North Atlantic pact.
Today, the Norwegians, like
everybody else. are willing to
defer to the need for security.
But. perhaps more than any
other member nation, Norway
emphasizes the second aspect of
the alliance.
The argument is that, without
the larger community of interest,
the military coalition cannot and
will not survive. The Norwegian
has Stoutly resisted an idea that
seems to be taking over the whole
NATO structure: The tendency
to transform it purely and simply
into a defensive military coali-
ton of states, with no more
common interest than general
awareness of the threat of Soviet
aggression.
Concept Is Constant.
The Norwegian argues that an
enduring international structure
cannot depend on fluctuating es-
Inmates of the danger confront
ing it at any given time. For this
reason. he looks on the military
side of NATO as an important,
but unfortunate. necessity. He
looks on the NATO Council and
the hope that it holds for con-
tinuing peacetime cooperation
as the more significant contribu-
ton to the original North Allan
tic idea.
Norway took it hard when
Greece, Turkey and Italy were
let into the North Atlantic club.
The misunderstanding democratic
Norwegian refuses even to dis
cusS the political consequences
in tbs country if Spain were
admitted as a partner. To him
it is inconceivable that the North
Atlantic Community should stray
so far from the original concept
of a union of friendly democratic
powers.
Despite such problems. how
ever, most observers here seem
enthusiastic about the Norwegi-
ans. The total effect is one of
a country which makes up in
spiritual strength much of what
it lacks in economic and military
potential. Resistance and tough
ness of mind may be inconven-
lent at times, but they are assets
that are needed in Europe today.
Tomorrow: Denmark
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