EUROPEAN NATIONS HAD JUSTIFIED HELP

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 December 1950, Page 5

EUROPEAN NATIONS HAD JUSTIFIED HELP

President Truman's View Of The Determination Of The West

WASHINGTON, December 21 (Reed. 9 p.m.).—ln a .statement today, President Truman said that the spirit shown by Western European countries had justified the United States Government s confidence that they meant business about setting up a common defence.system.

“Let there be no mistake about it. The unity of the unions of western Europe and of the nations of Western Europe and of the north Atlantic area is vital to their security and to ours.” he said. . President Truman issued his statement after Mr. Acheson (Secretary of State) reported to him on the Brussels meeting of the North Atlantic Council. "I was grea'ly encouraged to hear from the Secretary of the serious way in which representatives of the North

Atlantic countries went about the job of bringing to life the military and economic agencies of the North Atlantic community,” said the President. The secretary reported that the appointment of General Eisenhower as supreme Allied commander in Europe greatly heartened and inspired European nations, who see in it new proof of a firm intention of the free nations to stand together. Within the next few weeks soldiers in Europe of members of the North Atlantic community will be training together. Many of our hopes have now become facts, with all that this means for the defence of the free world.