Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-20
Churchill Warning
Credited for West
Unity at Farley
ey the Associated Press

BERLIN, Feb. 20.-A secret
warning by Prime Minister
Churchill-that if American
forces were to leave the CONT
nent. the British Army would go
with them-helped forge West
ern unity against Russia in the
Berlin Big Four talks.
Western officials who reported
this today said the warning was
aimed at France. It was deliv-
cred during Mr.. Churchill's Ber-
muda talks in December with
President Eisenhower and French
Premier Joseph Laniel.
The informants said Mr..
Churchill let Mr.. Laniel and For
eign Minister Georges Bidault
know that unless France pressed
on to ratify the project for a
European Defense Community,
the West would be confronted
with this choice:
/. Either bring German re-
sources directly or indirectly
into the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization.
2. Or watch American with
drawal from Europe.
British Would Leave, Too.
The aged British statesman
solemnly added that if the
Americans were to leave the
Continent. Britain's troops would
march out with them.
In that case, Mr.. Churchill
was said to have declared. west
and south Europe, to the Chan
mel and to the Mediterranean
would be open to the Red armies
of Russia and its satellites.
The information, from persons
with access to the records of the
Bermuda conference, was that
Mr.. Bidault and his aides were
annoyed at first by the blunt
ness Of some Of Mr.. Churchoill's
remarks. Mr.. Bidault at the
time was pinch-hitting for Mr.
Laniel, who was i'll. One Of the
things the French repeatedly re-
sented was what they considered
a disparaging reference by Mr.
Churchill to the condition and
efficiency of the French army.
Mr.. Bidault also expressed
some apparent defiance when Mr.
Churchill spoke of possible new
arrangements to bring Germany
into NATO. In a roundabout
way. the informants said, he
reminded Mr.. Churchill that
France still possesses a veto
right in NATO counsels. The
implication was that France
member of the American-Brit-
ish-French standing group OF
NATO-would block Germany's
direct entry into the alliance.
But French cooperation was
evidenced by a pledge to con-
tinue working for the earliest
possible ratification of EDO
This project for a six-nation
one-uniform army of Europeans
would include IL West German
divisions.
Bidault Keeps Pledge.
Mr.. Bidault, in the view OF
his American and British COL
leagues. admirably kept his
pledge during the Big Four talks
here. In the past his attitude
toward EDO had been described
as doubtful. But many times
in Berlin. as Soviet Foreign Min
lister v. M. Molotov tried to
destroy EDO. Mr.. Bidault showed
it would have to be over his
dead political body.
Secretary Of State John Foster
Dulles and British Foreign Sec
rotary Anthony Eden had agreed
in advance that Mr.. Bidault
should have the limelight on the
Berlin stage. measuring the
strength of Western unity and
rallying French domestic opin-
ion. Both believed that if the
West emerged from Berlin with
unity intact, the conference
would have been worthwhile
They went home convinced that
happened.
Mr.. Bidault, going back to
Paris to face his Sternest politi-
cal test. told Mr.. Dulles and Mr.
Eden his government intends
trying to secure EDO ratification
nv midi Anril