FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1950,1, VOLUME I


considerations are or what weight was given to them. Can these con-
siderations and their influence be specified?
       (1) It appears that the current revision involves, in effect, a
    substitution of production capacity for war reserves, In other
    words, the basic change between this revision and the September 1
    plan seems to be that the revised plan would provide a one-year
    war reserve by the end of FY 1956, while the September 1 plan
    would provide a one-year war reserve by the end of FY 1954.
    The question seems to be, therefore, what is the proper relation
    between war reserves in being and production capacity in light
    of Soviet capabilities, particularly Soviet atomic capabilities, for
    interfering with our production.
       (2) It also appears that the current revision rests on certain
     assumptions regarding the number of men that can be maintained
     in military service and the length of service which is politically
     acceptable. The effect of these assumptions appears to have been
     a ceiling on manpower which would make it impossible to i'n-
     crease the forces above the 1952 level contemplated ini the
     appendices.
   e. Finally, and this is not a new problem, it is appalling to discover
the enormous cost of providing these rather small forces. It raises the
question whether anything can be done to put ourselves, so to speak,
in a better competitive position in the military field, Is there anything
which can be done, if necessary by radical measures, to reduce the
extremely high-cost of supporting combat units?
                                                    "PAuL H. NITZE

                          Editorial Note
  On November ý28, 1950, Secretary of State Acheson appeared in
executive session before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to
discuss the World situation in light of Chinese, Communist interven-
tion in Korea (November 25-27). For the record of his testimony, see
Reviews of the World Situation, 1949-1950: iHearings Held in Execu-
tive Session Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United
States Senate (81st Cong., 1st and 2nd sessions), pages 367-395.


                          Editorial Note
   In the light of massive Chinese Comnmunist intervention in Korea,
November 25-27, 1950, President Truman requested on December 1 an
additional appropriation of $16.8 billion for the Department of De-
fense and a supplemental appropriation of- $1,050,000,000 for the
United States Atomic Energy Commission. For the text of the Presi-
dent's Special Message to Congress, see Public Papers of the Presidents
.of the United States: Harry S. Truman, 1950, pages 728-731.


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