U.S. Military Forces Under Atlantic Pact

Chronicle (Levin), 24 March 1949, Page 5

U.S. Military Forces Under Atlantic Pact

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter,

Copyright)

Received Wednesday, 11.4U p.m. WASHlN GT ON , March 22. Mr. Miliard Tydings, chairman of the Senate Anned Services Committee, sai'i today that the military forces of the United States rnight have to be in ereased because of the Atlantic Pact eornmitments, but in tlie' long run tne •Pact together with the. projected arm> shipments to Europe should enable a cut in the American Army. He added that European manpower equippen partly with American arms . could taka over an appteciable portion of the responsibilitieS for the Atlantic secui1ity zone. i The tJnited Press correspondent in ' Washington learns that the tentative plan provides for three regional defence setups under the Pact. One groups the United States, Canada, Greenland and Iceland; another Britain, France and the Benelux countries,- and the third the Scandinavian nations, It was also learned that the National Security Resources Board advised the State Department that 2,000,000,000 .dollars of thd first 'vear arms spending would not dangerously1 depl'ete Amen I can resources and that diplomatic (officials are ready to ask Congress foc at least a fohr-year programme to build up the military strength of the free nations. Mr. Robert Taft, Republican leader of the Senate, announced that he would move to cut 1,000,000,000 dollars off th-, European Recovery Bill when it reaehed the Senhte. Mr. Taft said he had no quarrel with the sum of 4,280,000,000 dollars for the year starting Julv 1, but thought the sum of 1,150,000.000 dollars proposed for the three months to Julv 1 was obviously padded. Mr. Taft added, however, that he 'would vote for the Bill even if the Senate refused to cut the amount.