Evening star., 1961-10-29

4 RC0NCs
Dependable sources, report
ing this today. said United
States Deputy Defense Secre-
tary Roswell Gilpatric outlined
| the build-up in a week-long |
swing through West Europe.
The program already has |
brought the United States to |
semimobilization. The sources
said the movement of $1,000 |
new United States troops to |
Europe is under way and an |
additional two to six divisions
may follow around the first of |
the year.
These reinforcements for six |
United States divisions already |
in West Germany are designed |
to show the Soviet Union that |
the United States means to
fight in defense of Berlin, if
necessary.
Stronger Forces Sought
An added although unspoken |
implication of the rundown Mr.. |
Gilpatric gave to Defense Min |
listers Franz Josef Strauss of |
West Germany. Pierre MeSsmer |
Of France, and Harold Watkin- !
son of Britain is that the three !
countries should contribute
more to Allied power in Europe.
Mr.. Gilpatric ended his talks
evidently hopeful that:
l. West Germany will act
swiftly to help fill the present
5000 million gap between
United States spending and
earnings in deutSchmarks.
2. France soon will assign
two extra divisions, withdrawn
from Algeria, to the supreme
Allied commander in Europe,
Gen. LauriS Norstad. !
3. Britain will strengthen its
strategic military reserve and
step up training of reServists.
The present intention of ending
conScription this year may be
reviewed.
The pattern of Mr.. Gill
patric's talks in Bonn, Paris
and London suggested the per-
formances of these countries do
not yet match their capabilities.
Gold Outflow Cited
In Bonn, Mr.. Gilpatric called
on Mr.. Strauss to join in a new
approach to check the outflow
of United States gold in de-
fense spending. The cost of
United States forces in Ger
many now runs about $500
million a year and this figure
is rising. The Germans are
spending about $400 million q
year on armaments in the
United States.
He proposed that German
armed forces begin sharing
cost of United States military
facilities including base. supply,
repair, spare part and other
logistical depots. He noted
this should be easy seeing
American German munitions
are largely standardized and
the result would be that the
Germans by sharing costs
would be helping close the
dollar gap.
In Paris, Mr.. Gilpatric war
lily steered clear of any request
for the restoration Of American
nuclear stockpiling facilities in
France which President Charles
de Gaulle, in effect, Cancelled.
Those weapons have since been
redeployed. Some United States
air bases in France have been
reactivated.
Mr.. Messmer indicated two
French divisions pulled out Of
Algeria are now training in
European conditions and with
new weapons. Mr.. Gilpatric,
like Gen. Norstad. will be bet
ter pleased when these forma-
tons are actually assigned to
command of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization.
Arms Orders q Factor /
In London, Mr.. Gilpatric
sought to assure Mr.. Watkinson
the United States is not. as the
British suspect. hogsing most
of Germany's big arms orders
which Britain would like to
share.
Mr.. Watkinson in return
pledged Britain to speed certain
arrangements to bring its Rhine
army up to full strength and to
swell its permanent strategic
reserve at home to two divisions
instead of one. Mr.. Gilpatric
was left with the impression the
British shortly will announce
new steps in Parliament to in
sure the swift Gallup and train
ing Of volunteer reservistS.
The end of British conscrip-
tion this year will leave the
nations widely committed
armed forces with less than
100000 men. This worries
American defense authorities
who fear Britain's political and
military support of United
States policies could decline.
For instance, Mr.. Gilpatric is
believed to have emphasized
to Mr.. Watkinson that the
United States would like to feel
1t can rely on quick British
military backing in Asia and
the Middle East. as well as in
Europe. in an emergency.