U.S. Ready To Meet Any Soviet Intimidation

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26748, 4 June 1952, Page 7

U.S. Ready To Meet Any Soviet Intimidation

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 2. The United States Secretary of State (Mr Acheson) said to-night that the United States was ready to meet all Soviet gestures ofiintiniidation in Europe with quiet determination and steadiness. He gave this assurance in a report to the American people in a natidn-wide radio and television broadcast on his recent mission to Europe. During the mission, agreements were reached for ending the Occupation of Western Germany, setting up the European Army and extending the guarantees of the North Atlantic Treaty to all European Army countries. Mr Acheson said that the whole purpose of this series of agreements had been to give “unmistakable and public notice of our intentions.” No secret or undisclosed commitments or guarantees had been given.

The arrangements threatened no one. They were wholly peaceful in purpose, and they constituted an alliance for peace, Mr Acheson said. “In spite of this the Soviet Union has continued to stage in Berlin and along the borders of its zone a series of intimidating gestures.

“These actions of the Soviet Union shall not succeed in ; their purpose, which is to deflect of delay the continued progress of the European Defence Community. “The very extravagance of Soviet propaganda in recent days is an impressive tribute to the extent of this progress. “Generations .of statesmen have vainly tried to achieve what was recorded in the actions at Bonn and Paris last week. “These actions are not only historic for Europe but of importance to the entire world.

“These agreements upoh principles and institutions welding together free peoples for their defence and wellbeing greatly advance the purposes to which all our efforts since the end of the war have been directed,” he said. The striking thing about the meetings in Bonn and Paris was the free agreement of two former bitter enemies —France and Germany—on all measures that looked toward the future. Mr Acheson hailed the agreements as “the birth of a new Germany, a new Europe, and a new period.’ in history.” ’ Assurance to Congress Earlier*, Mr Acheson told Congress that the United States had made no secret commitments and given no secret guarantees to the West German Republic. Mr Acheson was questioned closely by several Congressmen when he appeared before a joint closed session of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee to report on the contractual agreement with Germany and the revised protocol to the North Atlantic treaty which would establish formal relationship betweeen the North Atlantic Powers and the six member countries of the European Defence Community. -President Truman, in a special message to the Senate, asked for speedy ratification of the treaties. Senator Tom Connally (Democrat, Texas), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he would arrange for committee hearings as soon as practicable.