"Match the High Purpose"

The Red drive in Korea spurred Western Europe into action. At Fontainebleau last week the defense ministers of the Brussels pact nations (Britain, France, Benelux) agreed to increase armed forces and .speed war production.

France planned to up its defense budget by 20%. Said Deputy Jacques Chaban-Delmas: "Within one year our ground forces will be raised to 25 divisions, supported by a tactical air force of 2,500 planes to be furnished by the U.S. In two years'time we expect to have 35 divisions."

Said Prime Minister Attlee: "British resources are still strained, [but we will try to] match the high purpose and resolve to which Mr. Truman has given expression." Britain's defense budget, to be debated this week, and already by far the biggest in Western Europe, would almost certainly be sharply increased. Italy planned to raise its army by 80,000 to treaty limits of 250,000. The Dutch called up 30,000 trained reserves.

This week the Atlantic Pact Council which the foreign ministers of the twelve North Atlantic Treaty nations set up last spring (TIME, May 29), began its permanent sessions in London. The council's first four jobs: 1) create a balanced collective force based in Europe; 2) set up mobile forces in reserve which can be moved quickly to any trouble spot; 3) partly mobilize industry for war production; 4) work out a master plan of rearmament.

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