Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-28
Fifth Of q Series

ruin OF oeIieS
new British team believes. But
what form the changes will take
or how much money can be
saved. no one is now in a position
to say. The study is still going on.
British newspapers have been
full Of fiat statements that this
Or that is to be eliminated or cut
by so much British NATO forces
are to pe cut by almost 40 per
cent 10000 mem; consumption
is to be ended; $40 million is to
be cut from the total defense
budget of $4.2 billion; the RATS
piloted aircraft are going to be
replaced by guided missiles; and
90 on.
Studying Fundamentals
Perhaps all of these things
will be done-or none of them.
Defense Minister Sandys says
this speculation now is largely a
waste Of time.
Actually. most Of the specula-
ton seems to err in being too
specific and not sufficiently basic.
Talks with defense spokesman
indicate Britain is now reasses-
sing the very fundamentals Of its
defense policies and that de-
cislons on specific changes will
not be made until this broad
study is finished in a few months.
1t seems a sure bet big changes
will result. Mr.. Macmillan and
Mr.. Sandys are the first Prime
MiniSter-Defense team since the
end Of the war to have both the
will and the power to do the job.
Mr.. Macmillan. himself, was
Defense Minister for few
months about two years ago. He
had just made reputation as
q fireball and innovator as head
OF the government housing pro-
gram. He wanted to apply the
same energy and techniques in
the Defense Ministry, but his
stay was too short and his al
lotted power TO little.
A quick succession of other
temporary Defense Ministers did
routine jobs-which was what
Prime Minister Eden, preoccupied
with foreign affairs. apparently
wanted.
Now Mr.. Macmillan is Prime
Minister and he has chosen an
other fireball and innovator. Mr..
Sandys, to blow the dust of old
defense policy decisions. Mr..
Sandys has been given the addi-
tional power TO hire and fire
among both civilian and mill
tary personnel in his Ministry, to
order any sort Of change and to
see that his orders are followed.
Already he has changed the
Chiefs of Staff setup to give him.
self more power over the mill
tary.
Officers here. as in the Penta-
gon, tend to take a dim view Of
civilian bosses throwing their
weight around, but Mr.. Sandys
is the type to ride herd on the
brass effectively if it becomes
necessary.
Must Decide on Goals
What will Mr.. Macmillan and
Mr.. Sandys try to do?
They will restudy defense COM
mitments. asking, what do we
really want to defend and how
much Of that can We really
afford?"
Their studies are taking direc-
tons like these:
Should Britain be ready to
fight four kinds of wars-all-out
atomic war, limited atomic war,
brush fire conventional" wars.
and police actions in troubled
parts Of the empire like Kenya
and Malaga? AS Britain does
not believe it possible to limit
A-war, could that part of ma
tional preparedness for instance,
be strapped?
Can the whole military atomic
energy program be strapped, or
does the world prestige it gives
Britain justify the relatively low
cost? Much defense atomic
spending has peacetime civilian
value.)
Can conventional arms be cut
In the light Of the Suez demon
stration that Britain might as
well stop planning to fight wars
without American participation I?
Can the NATO contribution be
cut substantially, keeping in
mind that reductions anticipate
ing a changeover to a nuclear
defense already have been
made?
Can Britain reduce her NATO
forces without expecting cuts
from the other NATO nations,
including the United States?
How much can safely be cut?
Question Of Forces Abroad
Should Britain be defending
Hong Kong. when the Far East
is being nicely protected by
American troops?
Why should British troops be
IN Libya. when 1t vas demon
strated last fall they were of NO
value during an outbreak Of war
In the Middle East?
Is British rule in Cyprus ne
cessary? Did Suez demonstrate
the value Of the Cyprus bases OF
merely show that Britain can
not successfully carry out an in
dependent, Cyprus-based mill
tary action In the Middle East?
Or should Britain accept the
Western worlds responsibility
for defense of the Middle East