Eisenhower Calls Rejection “A Major Setback”

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27443, 1 September 1954, Page 11

Eisenhower Calls Rejection “A Major Setback”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) DES MOINES, August 30. President Eisenhower tonight described the rejection by the French Parliament of the European Defence Community as “a major setback” in the fight against international communism. The President made the remark after telling an lowa State fair crowd of “the absolute utter necessity of every American taking thought about our relations with the world.” Mr Eisenhower said he regarded the E.D.C. as a “necessary device” whereby the free world could check the spread of communism. “We know that today the central core of great world problems is the aggressive intent of international communism,” he declared.

ThcT President said that in spite of the setback in France, the world of free nations was “still overwhelmingly

strong.” “When we have a setback we are disappointed but we must not be discouraged,” Mr Eisenhower declared. He said the United States was upset by this most recent setback, but not to the point of ending its efforts to bring peace to the people who desire it. “We shall not quit, he said. The United States must not become “an isolated island in the sea of communism,” he added. *We shall not let it occur.”

Shortly before the President spoke, the State Department announced in Washington that Mr Dulles, the Secretary of State, “may have something to tomorrow on the action of the French Assembly. The President and Mr Dulles had baen in conference together at the White House when the news of the French vote wa> received.

The White House Press Secretary, Mr James Hagerty, tore the report from a ticker and took it immediately to the President. Later Mr Hagerty said there would be no immediate comment.

Mr Eisenhower rejected the French fear that inclusion of the West Germans in a European Army would have constituted a threat to France.

He said the Germans would have been admitted “Without any danger” Qf their starting another war. Later, the President said he felt that the total might and productivity of the free world would see the nonCommunist nations through this current crisis and eventually lead to a well-founded peace.

The Allies could not expect to agree on every problem and in every instance, but as long as they would “hang together” on basic principles, the future was not dark.