UNITED STATES WILL RESIST AN AGGRESSOR

Chronicle (Levin), 21 February 1949, Page 5

UNITED STATES WILL RESIST AN AGGRESSOR

Received Sunday, 7.5 p.m. Warrington, Feb. io. Mr. Acheson today discussed the Xorth Atlantie Paei with the Ambassadors of Britain, Canada, France, Bef gium, the Netherlands and, Luxemburg. The Fnited I'ress quotes reliable informants as saving Mr. Acheson assured the meeting that the United States was willing to sign the pact "with her teeth in it. " He said the United States would not stand idly by if an aggressor attacked any of the signatory Powers. "The United States favoured the adoption of the principle that an attaek on one treaty nation should be considered an attack on ali the others. He stressed, however, that Congress alone had the final authority to declare war for the United States. The United Press says informants reported that Mr. Acheson outlined the immediate steps the United States would talce if any signatories were attacked. These were prompt consultation with the other signatory Powers, the possible transfer of arms and the applieation of drastic diplomatie and economic sauctions against any aggressor. The New York Times' Washington correspondent says the Atlantie Powers, State Department and Senate Foreigft Relations Oommittee appear to have moved c.loser together on the drafting of the pact. Today 's meeting gave Mr. Acheson the opportunity to explain that the language of the pact need not exelude referenee to the possibiiity ' of United States' military aid. The correspondent says that with the main issues of the Pact settled, there will be less diflicultv in defining the other measures the , United States might be prepared to take sliort of the automatic. use of military force. The New York Times, in a leader, says neither the North Atlantie nor any other treaty is likely to rob Congress of its power to declare war or refuse to declare war. "But there should he no doubt here or in any other country, that if specified aggression takes place, we will consider it our' business to resist and that this

resistance, if necessary, will take the form of military action. It is this certainty rather than any form of words, that' is at present the world 's greatest promise for peaee."