Evening star., 1954-09-01

wednesdays tasks seem inSurm0untable
Where Now, America?
It is appropriate, in an inverse fashion,
that the American Legion should have
chosen this time for It's march down historic
Pennsylvania avenue. For who can say that
this parade does not serve to mark somber
turning point In the American way Of life?
The music from the bands, the PEN
nants iuttering In rare August breeze, the
veterans who have left their youth behind
them-all are keyed to recollections Of past
wars and fading victories Even the parade
route itself is rich In memories Of an older
American America which, IN its igrlo-
rance, perhaps, was sure and confident Of
the future.
On this OCCASION however, parade or no
parade, America must look ahead with un-
certainty. The European Defense Commu-
nifty, upon which SO much Of our planning
has stood. has been killed in the French
Assembly. So where do we CO. from here?
A hundred excuses and apologies can be
made for what France has done. And as
many recriminationS can be heaped upon
the French for doing it. But that is the sort
and all Of the hopes that had been built
upon 1t in ruins, it still must be asked: What
alternative is there?
Little will be found in the empty words
of Premier Mendes-France, who now speaks
with masterful ambiguity OF new solu-
ton" which should be studied rapidly" It
Is not unfair to ask where M. Mendes-
France really stands. The vote in the AS
sembly against the treaty was $40 to 264,
with some of the deputies still hesitating as
they walked up to the ballot urns to cast
their votes. A switch Of 28 votes out Of the
583 which were cast would have saved EDO.
Might not the result have been different If
the French Premier, on Sunday, had sup
ported EDO instead of attacking it? Has he
always been secretly opposed to the concept
embodied in EDO?
1t Is necessary, also, to wonder about
more elusive things than the real senti-
ments OF the Premier Of France President
Eisenhower, speaking in Iowa, comedies that
the defeat Of edo is serious setback" But
he talks hopefully about the "levels Of in
telligence" in the free world, the agricul-
tural and Industrial skillS of the "free' peo-
pie, their free adherence to cause rather
than regimepted adherence to govern
n1er1t." Secretary of State Dulles. deeply
disappointed, is more to the point. He re-
minds the French that EDO was their idea,
and he suggests that in this vote to retain
their sovereignty" they may well have
planted the seeds of their own destruction.
But Mr.. Dulles, while he is pretty grim about
1t. evidently feels that he, too, must sound
a moderately hopeful note. At any rate he
says the United States must not turn to
course of narrow nationalism; that the
Western nations must act quickly to do
what can be done to restore sovereignty to
the Federal Republic of Germany and "to
enable it to contribute to international
peace and security"
Neither Mr.. Dulles studied vagueness
nor the Presidents CHEEKY optimism can
serve, however, to obscure the questions
that must be tormenting both men. Is it
possible to achieve any military security in
Europe by rearming Germany without full
French cooperation? Can we still count
upon France as a reliable ally? Or has the
threat of Russian A-bombs and H-bombs
brought about in France, and perhaps in
other of our allies, state of mind which
forbids them to enter into any commitment
which might involve risk of war in their
homelands?
Mr.. Dulles, in the light of the French
action on EDO, says that we must reap
praise our foreign policies. And indeed we
must. Perhaps that resppraisal should in
clude another look at what firm agreements
we are prepared to enter, into. at what bind
ing commitments we Will make. But it
should also include the most searching ex
animation of the question as to whether,
short of direct attack. neutralism has i'm
mobilized our allies. If it has, the Commu-
nists have won the psychological battle for
Europe And 1t would be an act OF folly for
us to continue to plan our own defense on
the basis OF any more false assumptions.