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WM34 SEP 2 3 1974 • Uneasiness in Europe Over Haig By John M.:C4oshko things military. Much of this U.S. Army, Air and Naval WashingtorrPost`Staff Writer anti military feeling springs personnel grouped in the BRUSSELS,—The contro- from the Vietnam war, European Command. versy in the United States which European youth Although no one will say over Gen. Alexander M. Haig equates with Mr. Nixon. so publicly, Haig's appoint- Jr.'s appointment \ as Su- As a result, the Nether- ment is clearly a bitter hill preme Allied Commander in lands government took the for many command officers. Europe has failed to spark position that Haig's appoint- His takeover of the com- an echo froth l'America's. al- ment was not exactly help- mand, scheduled for Nov. 1, lies in NATO. ful to its attempts to con- is the most talked-about sub- That does not mean there vince its domestic constitu- ject in U.S. officers' messes hasn't been considerable ency that Holland has a throughout Europe, and mil- criticism On this side of the vested interest in remaining itary sources say that the Atlantic about President within NATO. Yet, while all sentiment, particularly Ford's selection of Haig for the other European NATO among professional army of- both the top NATO military members have essentially ficers, is overwhelmingly post and the command of the same problem, they all hosile. U.S. forces in Europe. steered clear of the Dutch Their objection is de- The weight of press com- effort to mount a campaign scribe as being based not on ment in most NATO coun- against Haig's appointment. ideological grounds but on tries has been clearly unfa- NATO sources say this the fact that Haig achieved vorable. And, among offi- was due to a number of rea- his position through service cers of the American forces sons, chief among them a in the White House rather stationed in Europe, the ap- desire not to embarrass and than coming up through the pointment has triggered a possibly antagonize Mr. normal military channels. clearly diseernible, though Ford at the very outset of In a service where most not openly displayed, feel- his presidency. Therefore, officers find promotion a ing of bitterness about the even those with reservations- slow and grinding process, elevation of a man regarded ALEXANDER HAIG ... muted criticism about the wisdom of the ap- there appears to be great re- as a "political general." pointment apparently de- sentment over the way that But the reaction was quite cided that accepting Haig Haig, in the words of one of- different among those who- consideration that has cause was the lesser evil. ficer, "jumped the line." make the decisions in the 12 controversy in the United countries that participate A secondary reason cited In private conversation, States--namely, the conten- by some is the fact that the these officers point out that with the Unied Staes in tion that Haig has been com- NATO's integrated military present Netherlands govern- -Haig was catapulted by Mr. promised by his poliical ment, which loomed as the Nixon- over 240 generals to structure. Here at NATO he- role in the Nixon adminis- adquaters, sources in the spearhead of any opposition four-star rank, although he tration. movement, has developed a had never held a major field various national delegations Dutch sources say that say that their governments reputation for eccentricity command during his army they have nothing against in NATO circles. service. accepted the Haig. nomina- Haig personally and do not tion with barely. a whisper mean to imply that they Earlier this year, Prime This, many contend, is of dissent. think he was involved in the Minister Joop den Uyl's So- grossly unfair to the num- The sole exception was Watergate coverup. But, cialist-led government pro- ber of officers who have far the Netherlands, whose gov- they add, Foreign Minister voked the anger of its allies greater experience and dem- ernment made it clear that Max Van der Stoel feels by proposing cuts in the onstrated records of it was displeased and tried that Haig is so closely iden- Dutch forces beyong what achievement in traditional to sound out the other Euro- tified with former President NATO regards as a save military command and staff pean allies about rejecting Nixon that his appointment level. Then, two weeks ago, areas. Haig. In the end, though, as supreme commander Defense Minister Henk Vre- As a result, the tendency the Dutch, seeing that they amounts to "a public-rela- doling seemed to go, out of is to regard the appointment had no support, withdreW tions disaster" for NATO. his way to deliberately en- as a bad precedent harmful their objections, and Haig's Influencing the Dutch rage the rest of the alliance. to the morale of senior offi- appointment sailed through government is the fact that " While the Haig appoint- cers and likely to convince NATO's Defense Planning public opinion in the Neth- ment has made remarkably younger officers that the Committee without incident. erlands, particularly among few waves within NATO, the path to advancement lies in The initial Dutch opposi- young people, has grown in- story is somewhat different politics. tionwas based on the same creasingly hostile to a!1 regarding his other - job as commander of the 300,000 .

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