Evening star., 1954-09-03
u. 5. Officials
Optimistic on
Role for Bonn
But Defense Plan
iThot Would Replace
EDO Is Big IF
D.. IL
By John M. Hiehtower
Assoeioted Press Sioff Writer

After a week of worry and
soul-searching, United States
officials are fairly confident to-
day that a formula will be found
In a reasonable time for arming
West Germany as a partner in
the anti Communist defense of
Western Europe.
But there is far less confidence
that this formula will promote
European unity. Some other
device may have to be found to
accomplish that purpose-if it
is to be accomplished.
AS Washington views the situ-
alton, the tragedy of French
destruction of the proposal for a
European defense community is
that EDO would have served both
designs.
Diplomatic authorities say
privately the first dangers of the
EDO defeat apparently have
been weathered successfully.
Encouraged by German Tone.
There had been deep concern
here about a violent reaction in
West Germany, including angry
statements against France, out
bursts of extreme German ma
tionalism and the like. State
Department officials said that
has not happened. They regard
as encouraging the moderate
tone of German reaction, based
on the theme of getting on with
the task of strengthening
Europe's defenses and unity.
Another danger seen here in
the days leading up to the French
vote was that American reaction
might take a violent swing. Some
officials now concede that per-
- haps EDO was oversold as So
luton for Europe's troubles. It
was always a means to the end
of strengthening the total de-
fense of Europe. If it failed there
was always a certainty that so
far as responsible governments
are concerned some other means
would have to be found.
The ways still open in prac-
tical sense appear to embrace
only two possibilities:
1.-the American and British
governments now favor solving
the German rearmament prob
lem by making West Germany a
member of the 14-nation North
Atlantic Treaty Organization.
2. Should the NATO plan fail,
London and Washington appear
to have an understanding that
they must then try to rearm
Germany directly. They would
prefer to do whatever they do
with the approval and co-opera-
ton of France.
U. S. Likes British Idea.
Britain has issued a call for
an eight-nation emergency con-
ference to begin drafting a new
plan for West German rearma-
ment. The United States was
reported yesterday to be inclined
to agree to such a meeting.
United States diplomatic Off
cials were understood to feel
such a meeting would accom-
plish two-fold purpose:
l. Provide a way to bring
West Germany into quick con-
sultation with other key Western
powers on the European defense
problem.
2. Help clarity views held by
the main NATO nations before
later meeting of all IA Atlantic
pact partners.
Creation of military units in
Germany after making her a
member of NATO is always
spoken of as a process to be
undertaken only with adequate
safeguards" These safeguards
are supposed to provide against
a resurgence of German mill
tarism. But nobody yet seems
to have any idea of what they
would amount to.
Would Be National Forces.
The NATO approach presum-
ably means that the military
forces which Germany would
contribute to the defense part
nership would be national forces,
like those of Britain, France
and the United States. Such
forces are placed under control
of the supreme NATO COM
mand, but they are not con-
sidered international forces in
the sense of having mixed units,
a common uniform, or being un-
der the policy control ofAa
supernatural political body
such as EDO envisioned.
The rearmament of Germany
under NATO-or directly without
NATO membership and perhaps
over the objection Of France. if it
were possible that way-would
(See GERMAN, Page A-5)