Eisenhower Speaks His Mind

The General pointed out the NATO countries of Western Europe—even without France—are equal to the population of the U. S. "We in the United States are providing the great nuclear deterrent strength of NATO, the major navy for all the West, and the major air force," he said.

"It would appear that, so far as ground forces are concerned, we should not have to supply any more than just enough to make sure that all of Europe understands that we are not reneging on our treaty obligations."

SOVIET UNION

"Soviet leaders have not abandoned their goal of Communist domination of the world. But they seem to have come to a conclusion that all-out war and military force—in a nuclear age—is not the way to go about it."

Mr. Eisenhower recalled that former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev told him at Camp David in 1959 that a major war between the U. S. and the U.S.S.R. would mean "mutual suicide." The Soviet strategy now apparently is to use every other method, short of military means, to bring about Communist control of the world.

RED CHINA

"In the long run, Asia may become our most serious foreign problem," General Eisenhower continued. "If Red China continues to develop destructive power, and remains dedicated to world revolution by naked force, then it is a problem that will have to be handled one of these days—and it is not going to be pleasant.

"The hope is that as a nation gains in wealth, as it gets more consumer goods, then it tends to become more cautious, in order to protect its investment. Some say this has happened in Soviet Russia. This is possibly true. If Red China dedicates everything, not to developing the welfare of its own people but to a doctrine of world revolution by force, then it will be a serious problem.

OUTLOOK FOR 1968

Former President Eisenhower refuses to engage in any discussion of presidential candidates for 1968. He says of the two men most talked about for the Republican nomination—Richard M. Nixon and George W. Romney—"these are very fine men. I could support either with great enthusiasm."

But Mr. Eisenhower adds that he would like to see—just as he said in 1956, and 1960, and 1964—more young men coming into prominence in the Republican Party. He would like to have a party so rich in respected leaders that it could look to any one of a dozen persons for the Presidency.

The General feels that the press, politicians, and radio-TV commentators are making too much out of adjectives—such as "liberal" or "moderate" or "conservative"—and paying too little attention to actual problems.

"We ought to grade people in politics on the basis of where they stand on issues, or problems," he says. If you did, he thinks you wouldn't find much difference between the views of various Republicans on these problems.

The former President commented: "When I look back on what I had to do during eight years in office, I don't know whether I'm a liberal, or a conservative, or what. There are certain basic truths on which our Government is founded, and you have to use common sense in dealing with different problems as they arise."