| Show OPERA OPERATION TION UNITY The 8 he West East-West Struggle Places Europeans in Political Quandary By FARNHAM F. F DUDGEON Editor r Second in a Series i Europeans today are having an an it extremely difficult time trying to face in two opposite directions at atthe atthe atthe the same time There Is of or course the ever er present Soviet threat of ot military invasion Europe Is Concerned But as the United States enters election In which r t into a crucial year o the fate of or European military and economic aid will be determined in congressional debate in next Novembers Novembers November's Novembers November's No No- vember's election ejection these people are areA f A extremely concerned with political l 1 events in the United States i American taxpayers can feel fairly fairly fairly fair- fair ly sure on one important aspect of this situation Their representatives from both houses of or Congress have poured into Europe in good numbers numbers num- num I bers to observe hand first-hand the poi poa po- po a i and military situation as it exists When hen the great debates start both bothIn In the thc halls of or Congress and on the campaign platforms of or Americas America's home towns there will be a store of 4 II hand first observations which will enable the American voters to ask direct questions and be reasonably sure of getting well-founded well replies 1 with regard to the stake we have in Europe N f I Both American officials and the officials of or other countries told us usa fc tor that these congressmen and senators senai senators sena- sena i tors who visited them took a good look and should be able to present i. i JJ h a clear picture re We noticed that 1 both political parties were well represented rep- rep resented in these congressional inspection inspection in in- ti f t. t teams No Backing Down DownIf If II economic and military aid from the United States were to be withdrawn withdrawn withdrawn with with- drawn or seriously curtailed it would be difficult to speculate on 1 the outcome of ot such action These countries certainly would not immediately immediately immediately im- im mediately back down or go over overto overto to the other side u I Countries like Turkey Greece and Yugoslavia have no choice but to toI I stand as firmly as they can against the Soviet Union In Turkey we were told for example that the world would not be in such a sorry state i. i today if other countries had taken as firm a position against Russia as have bave the Turks In Yugoslavia there Is great cont concern con- con t cern corn on the part of many observers as to whether or not the people of or the United States are completely convinced that the Tito defection from rom the Kremlin has been complete and nd unqualified Our representatives in Europe voice the general opinion that Yugoslavia has indeed cast her bel lot with the West In countries like Italy and France there are thousands of people who still vote as Communists However However However How How- ever the general appraisal of these voters by American officials seems to be that only o a small percentage are real hard core Communists I They ally themselves with Communists Communists Communists and vote for Communist candidates candidates candidates can can- as a a protest against the theother theother theother other political al parties which currently currently currently cur cur- govern these nations If It the cold war turned to a botone hot bot one these people would undoubtedly fight against the Russian C Communists There would be some local sabotage of course but the majority majori majori- ty would support the west 1 i A subject of continuing speculation speculation speculation specula specula- tion by thinking men in Europe today today too to to- o day is this problem of or the will to fight Europe is tired Its economy f s has bas been shattered by almost non- non ending wars through the first half hall of this century Its people bear cal and moral scars of these con con- filets Much of the physical property which was destroyed during World War II has been rebuilt But the minds of the people who have survived survived survived sur sur- these wars are not rebuilt They look with understandable suspicion suspicion suspicion sus sus- upon alliances which conceivably conceivably conceivably con con- could thrust them into another another another an an- other war And yet et at the same time the they know that their fate is completely tied to the democratic principles of government best person personified personified per per- son today by the United States In their attitude toward peace and md war these people are arc little different than Americans They know even better than we do the high and horrible price of war But somehow one senses that the they know too that unity must be maintained against Russian aggression Somehow you feel that they instinctively instinctively instinctively in in- agree with wah General Eisenhower when he says Political Federation I believe that there will be no r permanent position of serenity and confidence for the western world as long as we are confronted with the Communist menace As a counter there must be created a United States of or of-or or political federation of Western Europe and Western Europe Europe Eu Eu- rope must include at least Western Germany and preferably United Germany t Many of or the American officials with whom we spoke sincerely believe believe believe be be- lieve that such a federation of European European European Eu Eu- countries is the thc only answer to the and political problems lems of these countries Such a union will not come easily but the Europeans themselves know that something other than continuing continuing continuing ing subsidization by the United States must be done to give them an equitable status in the worlds world's family family family fam fam- ily of peoples And it is here in this realm of future range long planning that one encounters a European viewpoint perhaps not thoroughly understood or appreciated by the American taxpayer er Two Personal Questions In the early stages of our trip we encountered an American businessman business business- man who was primarily concerned with getting us to find the answers to his two most important questions 1 I. I Do these people the Europeans Europeans Europeans Euro Euro- really appreciate what we weare weare are doing for them and 2 When are they going to get off the back of or the American taxpayer taxpayer taxpayer tax tax- payer Appreciation is hardly the word for the feeling which most Europeans Europe Europe- ans have for the United States with regard to the financial and military assistance which it has rendered They know and say freely and openly openly openly open open- ly that this aid has been their sal sal- But by and large these people people people peo peo- are strongly nationalistic and they are not happy with their fate o of being the recipients of American benevolence They dont don't leel feel eel that we are giving them anything They feel that we are buying their partnership in an alliance against a common enemy They feel also that they would like to have the aid which we have been giving them terminated just justas as soon as it is militarily and economically economically economically eco eco- safe to do so They feel that we are arc buying much with the money we are spending in Europe Many of or them are frank to say that it is much better for America to have a front against Soviet Russia located where it is today than it would be to have a front on the Atlantic seaboard of the United Sta States test |
