Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-05
ICBNs Called
No Substitute
For U.S. Bases


Top Defense ofiicials have
told Congress that long-range
missiles wiz not eliminate the
need for American bases over
seas and q mutual security
program ''as long as we have
nations In the world like those
that are opposing us today"
This forecast was given 10
the House Foreign Affairs
Committee by Defense Secre-
tary McElroy and Gen. Nathan
+. Twining, Chairman Of the
Joint Chiefs Of STAFF. In recent
closed-door testimony on the
Presidents $50 billion foreign
aid program. The testimony
was released last night.
Question on Emphasis
Representative Burleson.
Democrat Of Texas. asked If
the emphasis on overseas bases
and forigen aid could be re-
duced when ICBMs are devel-
oped on an equality with Rus
STA and when submarines are
capable Of launching missiles.
Mr.. McElroy said the need
for overseas bases will change
with shifts In weapon technol-
ogy. But he said "our belief
Is we will be needing overseas
bases for the indeterminant
future"
Gen. Twining added that he
does not lever see the day-if
we are going to be world lead
ers-that we can give up bases
and contacts with nations
around the world"
Representative Hays, Demo-
crat Of Ohio, questioned Gen.
Twining about a recent press
conference statement by Presi-
dent Eisenhower that the
United States is not going to
fight a ground war in Europe.
IF you were in Soviet Pre-
mier Khrushchev's place and
the President said we weren't
going to use our ground forces
in Europe, would you consider
that an invitation to be a little
more bold?" asked Mr.. Hays.
II certainly would not, be-
cause We have told them many.
many times what that would
mean," replied Gen Twining.
We'll, then, don't you think
somebody ought to make it per-
fectly clear what a missile war
Is, what that would mean?"
responded Mr.. Hays.
''It is certainly clear to me-"
replied the General.
Agrees With Hays
Later. Gen. Twining agreed
with Mr.. Hays that if the
Russians start to move against
the allied shield forces in
Europe. the force would become
operative.
IF Russia attacks the shield
forces (security deletion), If the
Russians move against this
shield force in force, that is a
general war" Gen. Twining
added. sand the shield forces
will hold"
Representative Fascell, Dem
ocrat Of Florida, asked, isn't it
obvious to everybody that, since
we are not moving the depend
ents Of the 7th Army, the BIZ
cycles. the refrigerators, the
stoves and other impedimenta,
that we are not going to do any,
thing with the 7th Army?"
'I don't think we will do
anything with the 7th Army"
Gen. Twining replied. 'This is
a political problem. don't know
why people get so excited about
the military aspect"
In Political Phase
Celebrating, Secretary Nc
Elroy said there is very specific
planning going on for various
types of contingencies which
might arise as the Berlin crisis
goes from one step to another.
He agreed with Gen. Twining
that the Berlin situation is in
a political phase, but added
political phases are not dis
tinct from military phases, they
move along together"
Secretary McElroy told the
committee, you have no front
lines in this next one"
This prompted Mr.. Hays to
observe:
Just like I told you fellows
before, If you are right you are
100 per cent safe politically
and if you are wrong you still
win politically because nobody
will be around to criticize you"
0Cafa ;vn norI;,,O