The Destiny of France

THE NATIONAL SCENE Editorials, Pages B-1-4 B Debate Over the Defense Gap W Sunday Obituaries, Page 6 EIGHT PAGES WASHINGTON, D. C., FEBRUARY 7, 1960 Primarily a Political Matter The great defense debate pro- part of the 500-plane B-52 bomber THE WEEK IN PERSPECTIVE duced confusion compounded force, he said that 300 Russian last week, with Democratic crit- ballistic missiles, 150 ICBMs and ics on Air Force seizing gen- 150 IRBMs, could virtually wipe erals testimony to allege that the out this country’s retaliatory force, I'nited States is a entering pe- i.e., that 90 per cent which is de- riod of and the great danger, pendent on fixed land bases. administration asserting that The there is now no “deterrent of France gap” Demand Alert nor will one be permitted to Destiny occur. Democratic Senators Symington French President Charles de President Eisenhower, faced of Missouri and Jackson of Wash- Gaulle last week asked for and with “a revolt of the bomber ington seized upon the Power plea enabling generals,” blasted their "paro- to demand an immediate air- got emergency powers, him rule decree for one chial” views. borne alert to keep a sizable num- to by ber. perhaps 100-150, long-range year, from the National Assem- After three weeks of and the Senate. slam-bang bombers in the air 24 hours a day bly debate on the status of United to protect it against a surprise States military power vis-a-vis the missile attack. Senator Johnson A week ago today the betting Soviet the was less than Union, American people of Texas supported the idea in- even, among many have an incontestable right to be directly. close observers, that the Fifth Re- confused. public had reached the end of its But Mr. Eisenhower made it heard days. In Algiers, defiant and well- They have Democratic plain he has no intention of in- leaders in Congress, armed colons manned their barri- making pes- stituting such desperate move a confident that simistic interpretations y cades, seemingly of the tes- unless new intelligence reports the Army of the Republic would timony of Air Force witnesses, demonstrate its clear necessity SECRETARY GATES not molest them in their challenge charge that the United States is Meanwhile, he has asked for $9O Paris heading for its Mollifier and mediator. to authority. In Paris there . perhaps most per- million to help the Air Force stock were rumors of a widespread con- ilous period in history. extra aircraft engines and train spiracy, with tentacles in every They have read newspaper perhaps unintentionally, cast crews for this kind of emergency. ac- major city of France, to topple the counts on of the seme congressional doubt the wisdom of trying to The a President explained in government, remove Gen. de hearings which fail to agree with close the “gap'’ with fixed-base to last month message Congress Gaulle, and to run France from the of the wit- systems. that import military an airborne alert is not now Algiers. nesses' testimony. wise or necessary. Last week, at a But there were factors existing And they have heard the ad- Advances in news conference, he bristled at Design that cast considerable doubt, even ministration, led by President Gen. Power's recommendation and He said that it was likely there during the anxious days of the Eisenhower, counter that the the general's reaffirmation after would be continued advances in week-end after Gen. de Gaulle had United States has sufficient Mr. Gates had called it “unreal- missile design and techniques that cast down the gauntlet and strength, not only in bombers and istic.” He said: would further improve warhead ordered the end of the insurrec- ICBMs, but in aircraft carrier “There are too many of these re- tion. that the colons explosive power, accuracy and rebellious planes and submarine-fired mis- generals iwho) have all sorts of liability. And then he added, could succeed with their defiance. siles, to deter Soviet ideas. 1 cannot be particularly any surprise significantly: True enough, they had succeeded attack if the Russians disturbed because everybody with or, act reck- once before, when the Algerian up- a missile be re- "Since cannot all the lessly. to retaliate with enough a parochial viewpoint over rising of 1958 brought Gen. de called once it has been launched, place . comes . and says force to destroy the Soviet Union. along Gaulle back to power in Paris. would to fire it un- it be too risky that the bosses know nothing But if the American people are But this time til there is incontestable proof of about it.” they were dealing confused they are apparently not ICBMs with the man Winston Churchill aggression. Therefore, our Gen. alarmed. The still is Thomas L. White, Air called fight strictly probably would have to 'ride out’ “the constable of France.” Force Chief of Staff, later testi- a partisan one. Republican mem- the initial attack.” Charles de Gaulle, unblushingly bers fied in secret before the combined of Congress are remaining straightforward, admits to being This surely means that the first Senate and behind the administration. The Preparedness Space the destiny of France. He showed three Atlas squadrons, which will Committees the subject. burden still is on the critics to on the world, and the intransigent be above-ground, cannot be Chairman Johnson told re- Copyright bv Arrangement With the Manchester Guardian convince public opinion that there Algerians, last week what he —World counted upon in the event of a porters afterward that Gen. White Is something terribly wrong—if meant by that characterization. LOUD AND CLEAR Soviet attack. And it means, too, agreed there should be an im- they can. And Gen. de Gaulle, prior to that even the underground, or mediate airborne alert. But Gen. the showdown of last week end, “hardened” bases, that will house White, when queried about this, his hands, Gen. de Gaulle then lin If the West did not agree to nously quiet, with troop buildups a Deterrent had demonstrated also that he ap- the subsequent Atlas and Titan said Senator Johnson must have treaties with both German in sight. But had the almost unanimous plied it to his cabinet. He was sur- peace continuing plain will be vul- sup- squadrons, nearly as misinterpreted his remarks, that states. most U. N. observers believed that While the critics have many ad- port of all the major political prisingly gentle: Only two heads nerable Soviet mis- an to improved he said such alert was not The top leaders of the Soviet the dangerous moments had vantages in the tactics they can parties and factions in Metropoli- rolled, although rumor had sug- siles. necessary “at this time.” Union, Czechoslovakia, Poland. passed for the present, and that employ in this kind of debate, tan France. With the exception of gested as many as four or five The Power statements go a long Romania, Bulgaria. Hungary and the troop reinforcements were they have one serious disadvan- the extreme right-wing Independ- who had insured their departure to explain why Defense Sec- their com- a than have been way Stand of JCS “vacillation” the East Germany signed more of show of strength tage. They forced to ents, the President was given full through during Gates told Congress that St, Cath- war. retary Al- munique in the ornate a prelude to agree that, as of today, the United support most threatening hours of the the administration would not The other three members of the by every political persua- erine’s Hall in-the Kremlin. States does have Os the whose They the strength to sion and undoubtedly by the great gerian challenge. two spend any additional money for Joint Chiefs. Gen. Nathan F. had concluded a major policy deter any Soviet surprise attack; mass of the French portfolios w’ere lost in the debris production of more Atlases, even Twining, the chairman. Admiral population. conference in advance of the com- In other words, there is presently The of the barricades, one name was if it were voted. It explains also Arleigh A. Burke of the Navy and big question was the French ing summit meeting with the Castro's Guest: no “deterrent gap.” exceptionally significant as an in- why the administration is wan- Gen. Lyman L. Lemnitzer of the Army, almost all of which is com- West, and diplomats in the Soviet mitted dication of the certainty of the Their attack has been keyed to ing for the time it can go all-out Army agree with the President. to the suppression of the capital took it for granted that what will Gen. White also took revolt. Would De Gaulle triumph. Jacques Sous- Unruffled they allege happen at on the Navy's mobile Polaris sub- pains to 5-year-old Algerian they had made important major telle, Minister of the Sahara, some unagreed upon future date marine-launched rocket and. a explain that Gen. Power, in say- the officers lead their men in decisions. if the the Air that 300 ballistic missiles could support of the Or Atomic Energy and Overseas Pos- Soviet Deputy Premier Anas- administration does not couple of years later, on ing government? But the wards on the communique’s tas I. arrived in Ha- our would sessions, had been reputedly Mikoyan take certain new steps, which also Force’s Minuteman solid-fuel virtually wipe out retaliatory they, following their known the German question irked the of assist the “power behind the Elysee Palace” vana Thursday for a state visit. are not agreed upon by the critics.

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