Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-16
President Says U.S.WouId Use
A-Weapons in Any Future War
But Only on Military Targets
Goes Further
Thun Dulles in
Revealing Policy
BY Gornett D. Homer

sAET6SluGub EISENHOWER SalQ To-
day the United States would use
atomic weapons in any future
war whenever they could be di-
rected against strictly military
targets.
This pronouncement came
during a news conference at
which the President also said
there always is a possibility of
war and that American cities
always are going to be vulnerable
IN some degree to atomic attack.
Asked If this country was pre-
pared for any eventuality in the
Far East. Mr.. Eisenhower said 1t
was prepared in general but no
one could tell what kind Of sur
prise might be planned in q
particular place. What he is
striving for is a generally re-
spectacle posture of defense, he
added.
Mr.. Eisenhower said he could
see no reason for not using
atomic weapons against strictly
military targets just as bullets
would be used.
Goes Further Than Dulles
His statements seemed to go
further than Secretary of State
Dulles did when he told his news
conference yesterday that he
imagined the United States
would use tactical atomic wea-
pons in any major military
action in which 1t might become
involved.
In raising the. question at the
Eisenhower news conference to-
day, a reporter told the Presi-
dent Mr.. Dulles had indicated
that this country would use tao
tical atomic weapons in any gen.
eral war in the Far East.
Mr.. Eisenhower. did not limit
his comment to Heneral war or
major conflict. but spoke Of any
combat.
He emphasized that he could
not pretend to foresee the con-
ditions of any particular con-
hict.
Then he noted that the United
States has been producing vari.
Gus types Of atomic weapons
since World War II.
No Details on Weapons
He did not 60 into any descrip-
ton of these as Mir. Dulles did
yesterday in talking ct. small,
tactical atomic weapons that can
be directed against military tar
gets without bringing on the
mass destruction Of cities as
would a super hydrogen bomb.
The President went on to say
that in any combat where these
things-as he called the tactical
atomic weapons--can be used
strictly against military targets,
he could see no reason why they
shouldn't be used just as you
would a bullet.
Any question that would arise
about the use of atomic weapons
would come when you could not
be sure their destructive effects
would be limited to military tar
gets, the President said.
With that one qualification,
Mr.. Eisenhower added. he would
say yes, of course, they would
be used.
No Other Qualification
Mr.. Eisenhower put no other
qualification on this policy other
than his initial remark that he
could not pretend to foresee the
conditions Of any particular con-
f1ict. Under the law. he would
have to make the decision to use
atomic weapons If the question
ever arises.
His remarks seemed to in
dictate that he would favor wider
use Of the small. tactical atomic
weapons than provided for in
present plans for the defense Of
Western Europe as described in
Paris yesterday by Gen. Alfred
M. Gruenther, Supreme Com
ander Of North Atlantic Treaty
Oranization forces in Europe.
Gen. Gruenther said his forces
e N