U.S. Conscription Proposed; 50-Year W. turope Pact

Northern Advocate, 18 March 1948, Page 5

U.S. Conscription Proposed; 50-Year W. turope Pact

President Truman Advises Universal Military Training, Steady Action To Aid Europe

WASHINGTON, Wed. (11 a.m.).—President Truman today proposed temporary reintroduction of conscription in the United States. He also proposed prompt enactment of universal military training, and speedy completion of action on the European recovery programme. Mr Truman said these recommendations represented “the most urgent steps toward securing peace and preventing war.” He described the situation in Europe as critical and asked for universal military training in addition to conscription. He said: “Until the free nations of Europe have regained their strength and as long as Communism threatens the very existence of democracy, the United States must remain strongenough to support those European countries which are threatened with Communist control and police state rule. “We must be prepared to pay the price of peace or assuredly we shall pay the price of war.”

Mr Truman, who was addressing a joint session of Congress on the world situation, said: “I am here today to report on the critical nature of the situation in Europe and recommend action.

settle problems arising from the war, ! but the situation in the world today is not primarily the result of natural | difficulties which follow a great war. It is chiefly due to the fact that one | nation has not only refused to coi operate in establishment of a just and

been persistently ignored and violated by one nation. “Congress is also familiar with developments concerning the , United Nations. Most world countries have joined together in the United Nations in an attempt to build a world order based on lav/ and not on force.

“Rapid changes are taking place in Europe which will affect our foreign policy and our national security.

! honourable peace, but —even worse—i has actively sought to prevent it. | “Congress is familiar with the course of events. You know of the sincere and patient attempts of democratic nations i to find a secure basis for peace through negotiation and agreement. | “Conference after conference has 1 been held in different parts of the I world. We have tried to settle ques- | tions arising from the war on a basis • which would permit establishment of 1 a just peace. You know the obstacles i we have encountered.

“Most members support the United Nations earnestly and honestly, and seek to make it stronger and more effective.

“There is an increasing threat to nations which are striving to maintain a form of Government which grants freedom to its citizens.

“One nation, however, has persistently obstructed the work of the United Nations by constant abuse of the veto. That nation has vetoed 21 proposals for action in a little over two years. “But that is not all. Since the close of hostilities, the Soviet Union and its agents have destroyed the x independence and democratic character of a whole series of nations in Eastern and Central Europe. “It is this ruthless course of action and the clear design to extend it to the remaining free nations of Europe that have brought about the critical situation in Europe today.

“The United States is deeply concerned with the survival of freedom in these nations. It is of vital importance that we act now in order to preserve conditions under which we can achieve lasting peace, based on freedom and justice. “Achievement of such a peace has been the great goal of this nation. Almost three years have elapsed since the end of the greatest of all wars, but peace and stability have not returned to the world. “We were well aware that the end of-, fighting would not automatically

j “But the record stands as a monuj rflent to the good faith and integrity ■ of the democratic nations.

i" “The agreements we did obtain, im- | perfect though they were, could have ! furnished a basis for a just peace—if j they had been kept. I “But they were not kept . They were