Evening star., 1954-10-04
A Good Day for the Free World

A Good Day for the Free World
The free world has reason to rejoice
today in the accomplishments of the nine
power London Conference. For they are
accomplishments that promise-if ratified
as promptly as hoped-to provide gen.
timely adequate substitute for the French
defeated European Defense Community.
And that means, in turn, that they promise
to add greatly to the Vests strength and
unity against the continuing threat of
Soviet aggression.
Broadly stated. the chief London
achievement is this: That the nine powers
Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg,
Italy, West Germany France, Britain, Can
ada and the United States-have agreed
upon an elaborate formula to grant full
sovereignty to the free Germans and to
rearm them as equal partners in the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization under condi-
tions and controls effective enough to allay
Frances fears about possible revival of
their past conqueSt-Seeking militariSm
This formula complex of agreements
that may well occupy great and shining
place in history as 1.-THE London Actin
cludes the following major elements: ~
An Anglo-French- American pledge to end
the occupation of West Germany "as
quickly as possible; (2) expansion Of the
1948 fve-nation Brussels mutual-defense
pact (France. Britain and the Benelux
countries) to include Italy and Chancellor
Adenauer's Bonn Republic; (3) agreement
to admit the latter Qtaly is already in)
into the NATO alliance "forthwith;" az
establishment of special safeguards against
the danger of runaway rearmament by the
free Germans; (5) Bonns formal self
limitation-a commitment made through
DR.. Adenauer-regarding future production
of German weapons; and (6) Britain's ex-
traordinary promise, involving surrender
of some sovereignty, to bind itself as never
before-politically and militarily-to the
European continent.
Certainly, although they add up to
something less than the ideal envisioned in
the rejected EDO treaty, these agreements
represent a big and historic advance in
terms of promoting the unity of non-Com-
muniSt Europe and enabling that crucial
area-through Franco-German reconcilia-
tion and general o-operation-to build up
sufficient strength to cope with the Soviet
menace. Thus, for one thing-the most
important thing at the moment-the Lon
don Conference has paved the way for what
is absolutely indispensable to the security
of the entire Atlantic Community That is
to say, it has paved the way for creation of
a formidable West German army of II di-
visions, plus a s1zable West German air
force. And it has done so in manner that
has satisfied the adroit and hard-bargain-
ing French Premier Mendes-France that
he can be really hopeful about having "The
London Act" ratified soon by the National
Assembly in PariS-a hope based largely on
Britain's unprecedented and truly magnan-
imous pledge to commit itself and its armed
forces, on a large scale, to the projected
new system OF continental defense.
This situation, of course, still involves
a number of big "ifs." There is no guaran-
tee, for example, that Mr.. Mendes-France,
who apparently is determined to stake the
life of his government on the issue, will be
able to persuade the French Parliament
the body that killed the EDC-to ratify the
substitute London agreements. Similarly
although 1t seems highly improbable, DR..
Adenauer may be reversed by the German
Bundestag, and obviously the Krenlin will
spare no effort to defeat the whole enter
prise with all-out propaganda maneuvers
compounded Of cajolery and threat.
With all that said, however, the out
look for affirmative parliamentary action
by every one of the nations involved seems
bright. For the Western temper today
contrasted with the bleak mood of crisis
and defeatism that existed only a week or
so ago, after the wreckage of the Edo
Is ebullient. And it is ebullient with good
reason in view of the triumph of states
manShip at London