Statesman's Report

This week the North Atlantic alliance, on which rests much of the free world's hope for survival,marks an important anniversary. Just a year ago, NATO's militarycenter, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, began operations at Paris under the leadership of General Eisenhower. In its first, critical twelvemonth, what has SHAPE achieved? Supreme Commander Eisenhower answered in a notable anniversary report that is at once a clear accounting of SHAPE'S work, an impressive measure of Eisenhower's stature as a statesman and, possibly, Ike's valedictory before leaving SHAPE.

With sure, broad strokes, Eisenhower painted a worldwide canvas of struggle between freedom and Communism. He brought together many complex factors --geography, national history, economics, ideology, production, living standards, morale--that affect the defense of the North Atlantic. Salient passages:

The Danger. "No turbulence in the world scene fails to react directly on our common enterprise in Europe . . .

"We are competing with an ideological force, Communism, which has joined with the imperialistic ambitions of a group controlling all life and resources found between the Elbe and the China Sea. Throughout this vast region, unity is achieved by the simple techniques of the police state. In this concert of action and power lies great danger for any single nation exposed directly or indirectly to the unrelenting, never-ending attacks of propaganda, subversion, force and the threat of force . . ."

The first half of the 20th century, observed Eisenhower, brought forth destructive conflicts that threatened the very base of Western civilization. "It seems almost as if the nations of the West have been, for decades, blindly enacting parts in a drama that could have been written by Lenin, prophet of militant Communistic expansion. This pattern of events, which points so surely to disaster, can be changed if only the peoples of the West have the wisdom to make a complete break with many things of the past and show a willingness to do something new and challenging . . ."

The Need. Unified action behind NATO is a supreme necessity; all the allies must work together with "enlightened self-interest." Political factions, industry and labor must look beyond narrow horizons. "Each important geographical area must be defended primarily by the people of that region . . . fighting the battle of individual freedom for all . . ."

Before it could establish a proper moral base, the NATO peacetime coalition had to face in Europe "the false but glittering doctrine of neutralism ... an intellectual defeatism, in some quarters bordering upon despair . . ." There were other obstacles. But "the effect of the negative factors was largely canceled by a stern fact which denied refutation: the job had to be done . . ."

The Supreme Commander described the military array beyond the Iron Curtain, "deployed and poised as for war." Against the Soviet divisions stood the meager forces of free Europe. To build an adequate defensive shield, two big problems had to be solved: "How to persuade the nations of the free West to allocate afresh their resources in production and manpower," and how to organize strategically.

The Plan. SHAPE divided its front into three parts: a central stronghold of Western Europe, with flanks on the north (Norway, Denmark) and south (Italy and the Mediterranean). Commands were set up in each sector. An international staff at SHAPE, under General Alfred M. Gruenther, centralized all planning.

More difficult was the other big problem. "Everywhere we turned, we ran into political and economic factors. One thing was clear: nothing would be gained and much lost through any substantial lowering of the already low standard of living in Europe . . ." For help in meeting the economic-political situation, Eisenhower gave praise to the "monumental" work of NATO's Temporary Council Committee (the so-called "Wise Men") whose recommendations were approved at Lisbon in February.

The Supreme Commander emphasized the importance of two other, related items in SHAPE'S long-range planning: the enlistment of Western Germany in the North Atlantic defense and the unification of Europe through steadily closer economic and political cooperation.

The Appraisal. A sober but hopeful realism touched Eisenhower's overall appraisal: "There is no real security yet achieved in Europe; there is only a beginning ..." Many divisions have yet to be trained for immediate service and as a reserve. Europe's arsenals must be greatly expanded. Air power is far from adequate. SHAPE'S planners have to keep in mind the economic health of each ally--including the U.S. "America cannot continue to be the primary source of munitions for the entire free world . . . The U.S. cannot long continue such expenditures without endangering her own economic structure . . . We must be careful that we do not prove that free countries can be defended only at the cost of bankruptcy."

Eisenhower's conclusion: Despite the difficulties still present and ahead, "the tide has begun to flow our way, and the situation of the free world is brighter than it was a year ago."

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