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move off dead center. In a Novem–
ber 13 speech before the weak and
ineffectual European Parliament in
Strasbourg, France, Chancellor
Brandt went far beyond the custom–
ary appeal for a vague, undefined
"European union." The dramatic
developments on the international
scene of recent weeks, said Brandt,
"demonstrated the inability of the
European states to serve as a factor
of peace and stabilization in the
world
as long as they are unable to
act as one."
"The unifi.cation of Europe," he
continued, "is not merely a question
of the quality of our existence. It is a
question of survival. .. ."
The answer to Europe's dilemma,
said Brandt in no uncertain terms,
was the creation of "sensibly orga–
nized European government." The
individual European states, he
added, must "transfer to that gov–
ernment those sovereign rights
which in the future can only be ef–
fectively exercised together."
What sovereign rights sbould be
transferred to such a central govern–
ment? Among other areas, said
Brandt, economic and monetary
rights, definitely "foreign affairs
and ... security, " meaning, of
course, military defense.
Brandt's plea - Britain's
Sunday
Telegraph
called the speech "histo–
rie" - undoubtedly discomforted
sorne Europeans who feel that the
time is still not ripe to consider the
creation of such supranational au–
thority within the Community.
Brandt , nevertheless, was un–
compromising in his caJI for effec–
tive, not superficial, unity. "A choir
of contradictory European voices is
of no help to anybody.... We can,
and we will, create Europe." The
goal of a European union, he
stressed, remains "our unshakable
aim. We want to acbieve that goal
before 1980."
lndependent European
Defense Urged
It remains to be seen over the
next few months whether other Eu–
ropean Jeaders view the Middle East
PLAIN TRUTH February 1974
crisis in the same perspective of ur–
gency as Herr Brandt. But it is inter–
esting to note that only eight days
after bis speech, parliarnentary lead–
ers from Britain, France, West Ger–
many , ltaly and the Benelux
countries utged their respective gov–
ernmeots to establish a joint advi–
sory body to advise in the
establishment of a commoo Euro–
pean nuclear defense force. Such a
force would be completely indepen–
dent of American direction. The
parliamentarians, who were gath–
ered in París for a meeting of the
Western European Union, carefully
avoided technical details but sug–
gested that the presently indepen–
dent British and French forces
would form the logical nucleus of
such a defense.
France's outspoken Foreign Min–
ister Jobert took center stage at the
París meeting. He called for a
"strong and resolute" European de–
fense. He said that Europe must
henceforth "make its voice heard in
al! events that affect security and
take its share of responsibility for
managing crises."
The American-Soviet détente, he
stressed, was only "a fragile equilib–
rium," extremely dangerous and un–
stable. Jnstead, he argued, Europe
must be able to play a direct role in
the Middle East as elsewhere and
maintain its own direct relations
with Japan, China and Latín Amer–
ica in establishing world order.
Mr. Jobert rejected charges that
France was contradictory in wanting
American troops to remain in Eu–
rope while arguing for a "more in–
dependen!" European defense.
NATO remains as indispensable
to the security of the United States
as it is to Europe, he said. Loyalty to
tbe North Atlantic Treaty Organiza–
tion alliance, however, "is not in–
compatible with Europe's need to
take responsibility for its own de–
fense."
French Opposition Fading?
Despite the increased number of
appeals for common action in the
midst of crisis, European unity is
not yet around the comer. Leaders
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