US Army-Flying-Saucer-Study_1949

Text

A machine read this text from the scan. When the text and the image disagree, the image is right.

4 April 1949

investigating the very peculiar activity of Capt. T.V. (Mercer 1), U.S. Naval Attache in Franco Spain. Mercer is a warm admirer of the dictators and has been openly critical of U.S. policy toward France. According to information in the hands of the two Senators, Mercer has been acting as if he were the U.S. Ambassador in Spain. The Senators want to know how Mercer gets this way and why an officer of this type is being kept in Madrid.

3 April 1949-15

BASES

JOHN MECKLING (CBS-World News, from Ottawa):...To Americans, this peaceful union (Newfoundland and Labrador annexed as Canada's tenth province) means greater security of our North Atlantic flank. Two major American military bases are located in Newfoundland...And it means unchallenged access to the iron ore fields of Labrador...

1 April 1949-16

U.S.-SOVIET RELATIONS

DREW PEARSON (ABC): The State Department, exclusive: Just before I left Washington, I learned that Sec. of State Acheson is much more worried about the latest Russian note against the North Atlantic pact than he admits. The reason is: the American Embassy in Moscow has sent a top secret cable warning that the Russian note may be intended to pave the way for outright aggression by the Red Army. The two most likely spots marked for aggression are Iran and Finland, but the Embassy also passes along the rumor of Soviet troops moving toward Norway. The Embassy also warns that the next 60 days will be the most critical in the history of our relations with Russia, for, during the period, the Embassy believes Russia is more likely to strike, than later, because the North Atlantic pact nations will not have had a chance to ratify their treaty. I'm not predicting whether the Embassy is right or wrong, but I do predict that Russia will soon renounce its own defense treaty with the French--a very serious step which, according to standard diplomatic procedure, could be the forerunner of war!

3 April 1949-17

OCCUPATION OF JAPAN

BILL COSTELLO (CBS-World News, from Tokyo): According to well-informed observers in this occupied capital, a change of far-reaching significance is taking place in occupation controls. In a nutshell it's this: that major economic planning for Japan is now being done in Washington and is being integrated with the world-wide ECA program. When the occupation started, it was assumed that a peace treaty would follow within a reasonable time, and it was tacitly understood that Gen. MacArthur would run the occupation, with only general policy supervision from Washington. Now, it is apparent that the occupation may last for years. At the same time, American overseas commitments have expanded so greatly that every dollar has to produce maximum returns. That being true, it has become hazardous to let Japan fritter away American aid as it has done for the last three years...Economic strategists, as a result of the European program, now have a yardstick with which to measure Japan's progress. Unless Japan can prove that American funds are being used wisely, then aid for Japan may be cut off.

1 April 1949-18

OVERSEAS AIR BASES

JOHN FOSTER DULLES (NBS-Meet the Press):...If the U.S. were to plant (bases?) for atomic bomb planes right on the Soviet frontier, I think that would be an offensive action which would almost surely start off a war. I don't think we plan to do that. LAWRENCE SPIVAK: Suppose we were to plant them in England? DULLES: I think that it's all a question of degree. I don't see any reason why there should not be air bases in England. If you turn the thing around, if the Soviet Union had atomic bomb bases on the Mexican border, we would take offense about it; we don't take offense about it if they're somewhat farther off. SPIVAK: But, with the range we have in air power today, there really isn't too much difference if some of our bases are in England, or in Africa, or in France. Certainly, if we're going to have a defensive alliance, we're going to have bases somewhere. DULLES: That's quite true, but in these matters there's a psychological element that comes into play. If you brandish your fist under a fellow's nose, he takes more offense about it than if you brandish your fist a little ways off.

1 April 1949-19

GREECE

ROBERT S. ALLEN (NBS): Secret Report: From time to time this program has reported a number of shocking facts about the Greek Aid Program. This is costing the American taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars. Disclosures about the incompetence, graft and obstructionism of the re-actionary and undemocratic Greek Government, and the incompetence and

5

NW 91369

Doeld 34748466 Page 24