DEFENSE: Quit Wringing Our Hands

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After traveling 12,000 miles to survey U.S. installations and aid programs in twelve European and African lands,-a Senate Armed Services Subcommittee last week made an interim report. Its biggest news: general approval of U.S. defense measures in far lands.

The subcommittee (South Dakota Republican Francis Case, Pennsylvania Republican James H. Duff and Mississippi Democrat John C. Stennis) found that, as usual, there is some confusion and waste in the U.S. effort overseas, e.g., "about $5,000,000 was expended on a field in Egypt, the use of which is now denied the United States." But many past errors have been corrected and "by and large a good construction job is being done." Said the report: "The progress of restoring a balance in world power has been much greater than is generally recognized. One simply cannot see ... the bases that are coming into being and . . . the performance of jet-propelled aircraft . . . and . . . the skill with which United States airmen fly anywhere at any time without having increased confidence in the ability of the free world to defend itself. We were told that one man in a single jet bomber-fighter ... at forward bases can carry more destructive power than all the bombers that were in England in World War II. . ."

In "miraculous West Germany, tough Turkey, battle-tested Spain and reborn Greece," the three Senators found allies who "will fight Soviet aggression to the death." Given proper equipment, these countries alone could stop a conventional Russian ground attack, the Senators thought. Their conclusion: "It is time to quit wringing our hands and talking in tones of despair."