Atlantic Pact Is Signed

Chronicle (Levin), 6 April 1949, Page 5

Atlantic Pact Is Signed

WASHIN GTON, April 4. The North Atlantic Treaty of mutual defence was signed today by the representatives of 12 participating Powers. The treaty has been doscribed as ending the military isolation of the I'nited States, as United Nations and the European Recovery prograinme ended its political and economic isolation. Alr. Trunian, in giving the signal for the signing of the treaty, declared that it would be a positive infiuence for peace and, a "sliiekl against aggression." The British Foreign Secretary (Mr. Ernest Bevin) warned : "We don't glorify war, but we won't shrink from it if aggression is threatened. " Speeehes by Mr. Truman, Mr. Bevin, Mr. Acheson, and representatives of the other signatory Powers preceded the signing of the treaty before 1200 diplomats and officials in the State Department's auditorium. The signatories represented 332,000,000 people in Europe and North America. State Department officials saicl that every Embassy in Washington was represented at the cerenionv exeept the Embassy of the Soviet and countries associated with lier

At the ceremony, Mr. Truman said: ' ' This treaty is a simple document. The nations which sign it and agree to abide by the peaceful principles of United Nations to maintain friendly relations and economic cooperation with one another, to consult together whenever the territory or independence of any one of them is threatened, and to come to the aid of any one oi them which may be attacked. It is a simple document, but if it had existed in 1914 and in 1939, supported by the nations which are represented here today, I believe it would have preventcd the acts of aggression which led to two world wars."