T he decision of France on EDC

he decision of France on EDC is one of vital importance to us. There can be no successful defense of Western Europe without the use of German troops, and there is no practical plan for the rearming of Germany without French consent. EDC was a French proposal aimed at controlling the military strength of a liberated Germany. Great Britain and the United States prepared and approved a treaty to liberate Western Germany after EDC has been approved by France and five other European powers. But the so-called peace treaty with Western Germany has not been approved by France because France has not yet approved EDC although it has been approved by Germany, Holland. Belgium, and Luxemburg. If France votes to amend the treaty the only way Germany could be • rearmed would be through the joint action of Great Britain and the U. S. in granting national sovereignty to the areas of Western Germany, which "they now occupy. Under that sover-. eignty, Germany could be accepted as a member of NATO. Bift action of that character does not dispose of the French troops in the area, of Western Germany occupied by the French nor does it dispose of the issue of our subsquent use of major airfields built in France at great expense and lines of communication across France to supply troops in Germany.

The principal reason „ t h a t France has not approved EDC is that under it a super-Government is to be s#t up and those who join that super-Government will waive some elements of sovereignty. The communist party in the French Parliament, which is the largest of all, is opposed to EDC because it wants no strong defense in Europe against the communists. Extreme Nationalists like General De Gaulle are opposed to EDC because of theit pride and their hope that France will continue to be treated as a _ major world power*