Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-02
President Says Alliance Halted
Communist Coins in Europe
NATo
continued Prom FIrsl PAGE

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North Atlantic Council, paid
tribute to American support Of
European security efforts. Mr..
Spaak recalled the change In
American foreign policy which
led to the formation Of NATO.
I'VE are apt TO forget" he
said, "that for Americans 1t
represents what almost amounts
to o revolution. It Is to
the honor Of the American Ma
ton and its leaders that they
should at that time have been
so fully aware Of what the new
situation demanded and that
since then they should SO reso-
luteiy have accepted the re-
sponsibilities it implied"
The new American policy, he
said. meant q partial devia-
ton from an exclusively indi-
vidualistic policy: 1t implied
the acceptance Of immense
risks and responsibilities. It
involved, almost Of necessity.
sending overseas large con-
tingents Of armed forces"
Halls Craftsmanship
Mr.. Luns called the Ameri-
can adherence to NATO, truly
an act Of unsurpassed states.
manship."
The ceremonial opening ses-
sion, which was open to the
public, was held in the same
chamber IN which the NATO
treaty was signed 10 years
ago. It was devoted to general
speeches and assessment OF
NATO's progress.
The real work Of the confer
ence - co-ordinating Western
positions on the Berlin crisis
and Germany's future. discus
sion Of cold war trouble spots /,
throughout the world and con-
sideration of suggestions for
improving NATO's internal
structure = were saved for late
meetings which win he senret
The conference will continue
through Saturday morning.
Berlin Discussed
Mr., Spaak touched briefly on |
the Berlin crisis this morning.
"By again raising the issue
of the status of Berlin and by
handling the German question
as it has" he said, Moscow is
playing a game in which the
ultimate stake is the very ex- |.
istence Of our European polit-
.ical institutions and defense
system.
I'VE must therefore, even
more resolutely than before. in
tensify our collective defense
effort, strengthen our political
solidarity and extend our CO.
operation to all fields in which
our common interests are in !
volved."
, Mr.. Spaak said NATO over
the past decade has changed
from "a mere defense pact" to
"the core of a union without
precedent. It constitutes.
in a world in the grip of
fear and confusion, the es-
sential factor of equilibrium
and peace"
He and Mr.. Luns urged that
NATO extend its interests to
all vulnerable areas of the free
world.
Greeted by Herter
Acting Secretary of State
Herter, filling in for the ailing
Secretary of State Dulles. i
greeted the group for Mr..
Dulles and then gave special
recognition to those among the
original signers of the NATO
treaty who were present today
at the anniversary meeting.
He mentioned Secretary
General Spaak. Foreign Minis
ter Lange of Norway. Baron
.Silvercruys Of Belgium. AM !
'bassador Thors of Iceland, AM
.bassador Striker Of The Neither
lands, former Ambassador i
'Morgenstierne of Norway and
former United States Secretary /.
of State Dean Acheson.
Berlin Is Main Topic
Mr.. Spaak already had made
It clear in advance of the OPEN
ing session that the principal Il
subject of the NATO meet
ing will be the Berlin crisis
and the future Of Germany.
The Foreign Ministers of
France. Britain, Germany and (
the United States agreed last |
night on a tentative program
of action in the crisis, and they
will present this program to the
NATO foreign ministers today
for comment and recommended
ton.
Mr.. Spaak told a news con-
ference last night that the all
lance had done well in its first
10 years, but that the Berlin
crisis posed a threat that, If
not met firmly. could lead to
the "disintegration" of NATO.
Cites SO Threat
I'VE cannot suffer a diplo-
matte defeat in Berlin" he
warned. The situation, he said,
is similar to that of the Rhine
land crisis of 1896. European
nations at that time permitted Il
Hitler to reoccupy the Rhine
land instead of stopping him
when the stopping would have
been comparatively easy.
I'VE cannot abandon 2 mil
lion Berliners." Mr.. Spaak said.
I'VE must maintain the guar
antees that exist"
Asked what tactics the West
could use to ease the Berlin ,
situation. Mr.. Spaak replied:
do you think it is wise that
on the eve of a conference on
Berlin. We should publicly state
what concessions we viii make?.I