740.5/6–1754: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France 1
Edcol 126. House Foreign Affairs Committee today approved and released to press following:
“The Committee on Foreign Affairs today, by a vote of 18 to 2 and 1 voting present, adopted the following provision limiting deliveries of military equipment to nations which have signed the Treaty establishing the European Defense Community, making it part of the new Mutual Security Bill now under consideration. This provision was sponsored by the Honorable James P. Richards, South Carolina, and replaces the ‘Richards Amendment’ which was included in the Mutual Security Act of 1953. The Department of State concurs in the Committee’s action.
“The provision prevents the delivery of military equipment programmed for Fiscal Years 1954 and 1955 for the six nations which have signed the EDC Treaty. The nations which have ratified the Treaty as well as signed it can receive delivery of this equipment, but only on condition that they have joined with each other in a new organization for collective defense or are jointly developing collective defense programs in a manner satisfactory to the President.
“The four nations eligible to qualify for military aid financed with funds appropriated for Fiscal Years 1954 and 1955 under this provision would be Belgium, Luxemburg, the Netherlands and the Federal Republic of Germany. France and Italy, although they signed the Treaty, have not yet ratified, and can continue to receive only such shipments of military equipment as remain to be delivered out of appropriations for Fiscal 1953 and earlier. These remaining amounts are substantial.
“The text of the provision follows:
“Provided that in order to promote an integrated defense of the North Atlantic area and to support concrete measures for political federation, military integration and economic unification in Europe equipment and materials programmed for Fiscal Years 1954 and 1955 for nations signing the Treaty constituting the EDC shall, pending the coming into force of the Treaty, be delivered only to such of these nations as have ratified the Treaty and have joined together in or are developing collective defense programs in a [manner?] satisfactory to the United States as determined by the President.”
- Drafted by Fessenden, repeated to Brussels, London, The Hague, Rome, Bonn, and Luxembourg.↩