U.S. CONGRESS WARNED

Chronicle (Levin), 29 July 1949, Page 5

U.S. CONGRESS WARNED

(N.Z.P.A.-

— Reutor

CoBsequesces Oi FaiSure To Approre Arms Aid

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WASHINGTON, July 28. The Secretary of State, Mr. Dean Acheson, today warned Congress that the "free nations of Western Europe, with whose security our own security is bound up, are incapable today of defending themselves against a major armed attack." Testifying before the House Foreign AfTairs Committee in favour of the administration's 1,450, 000, QOO-riollar military assistance programme, Mr. Acheson said that this fact, combined with the fact that the "Soviet Union today maintains the large-t peacetimeN force in the history of the world," ncvessiintm1 fhat Congress approved the programme promptly. He said : "The coniblnation of these two f'-etr — a huge aggressive for >* on the one side airl adnilttedly inadequate dei'enc-o i'on. cs on the other — has eivnt *d a morbid and pei'vr.sive r e-n e of inseeuritv in Wi st ••■n rkuNme. That fear is .Hisliised. The danger is real hove'o- inuch some may try to argue it out of existence." I Mr. Acheson said that the possibilities of "direct military aggression" upon Western Eurone t-cuhl ^ be ignored. "When pohVral aggression fails, as it ha- I'ailed ;so far in Western Eurepe. totalitarian regimes are • "n temptcd to gain theiiv oh;o»-tives by military nvans, pariieulnrly when they consi h r •:> c Teetive resistanee Is ne vdlde."