Show BABSON'S A SONS SON'S AUTHENTIC ST STATEMENT A W Babson Special to THE EXPRESS De II's GIL Policy Babson Park Mass June 9 1966 Twice in this century France has been laid prostrate by German conquest Both times at tremendous cost costin costin in men and materials the theU theU U S has been a mighty help helpin helpin in recapturing French soil from its despoilers and in restoring French sovereignty Why then does President de so dis- dis distrust distrust trust us Why is h he so intent upon pursuing what seems to be campaign The SecessIon From Nato Neto In both World Wars I and U II our efforts in behalf of France were veritable crusades reo re fleeting not only our horror of aggression but also our tion and our gratitude for the oldest of our nations nation's allies Without French help there might well have been no sue suc end to the American Revolution So it is that dent de GaulIe's decision to the North Atlantic Treaty Or Or- Organization and to direct NATO officials to remove their mili tary headquarters and bases from French soil not only sur sur- sur surprises us but hurts us deeply President de is an ar dent nationalist a complex per peL a man of mystery On the surface it would appear that in hi disenchantment with NATO he is obsessed with the idea of breaking up the whole alliance Certain it is that NATO's operations will be severely sev crippled if France persIsts in her withdrawal an and especially if she sho should forbid NATO flights over her ber terri tern tory Cory The Pilgrimage to Moscow While de government and the 14 other powers belong log ing to NATO are arc busy jockey lug ing for position as the with of NATO forces from France is arranged and ac as President de himself will go to Russia What he expects t to accomplish there is not yet clear Of course France and Bus Rus sia do have two things in com com- common common mon 1 A mutual mistrust of German power and 2 a mu- mu mutual mutual interest in promoting Fran Fran- Russian co-Russian trade Some observers vers claim that the de visit to Moscow is in the nature of a pilgrimage but many others find It hard to picture the French leader as a pilgrim seeking advice or solace or help For all his isolationism de is not stupid lIe He knows very well that in the larger sense and for the long er term there can be no broad accord But de is a realist too and he will be probing for the chinks in the Russian armor and for whatever opportunities ther may be to strike a term short bargain that will at least have good propaganda value What Price Glory By and large Americans view I de upcoming withdraw withdraw- withdrawal al from NATO as stemming from the mans man's stubbornness Here in the States the popular portrayal of de is of a aleader aleader leader preoccupied by his own importance and by the grand grand- grandeur grandeur eur of 01 France The glory of his nations nation's past is said to be ever present for lor him His ambition to restore that glory ought not notto notto to be scorned Would that Am Am- America erica had more patriots of such caliber No matter how bow you view it de decision to get out of NATO and to force the mill mili tary arm of 01 NATO out of France Franceis is a failure lailure for U S diploma diploma- diplomatic tie tic policy It marks the begin ning of a split in the Western alliance that makes the Com world rejoice and that ought to make us uneasy Americas America's Opportunity The postwar establishment of NATO was a significant diplo diplo- diplomatic made matic achievement It was the right move at the right time Also it was eminently right that the young NATO should be dominated by the powerful US since most of 01 its other mem- mem members members bers had been sorely ravaged by the war But the years have passed and Western Europe aided in great measure by the security and the opportunity provided provide by NATO ATO itself ha has grown strong In manpower and andin andin in resources De should not be cri for having perceived the shortcomings and the inequities of NATO in today's awakened and more sophisticated Western Europe One day we may be glad he be has now ruffled our fea fea- fea feathers for he has bas presented America with a challenge and an opportunity NATO needs a anew anew new thrust a new dimension a more realistic power strut ture What a 11 chance this crisis provides for President Johnson who is so well versed in the arts of persuasion and of corn com compromise promise |