-WESTERN HEMISPHERE DEFENSE                    62Y

the present reference to this subject represents a bare minimum which.
should not be reduced any further.
  The paper states the importance of standardization of the armed
forces in Latin Aimerica on United States lines as a long range ob-
jective, but recognizes that standardization cannot be an overriding
consideration taking precedence over all other military or political
factors. This is a highly important statement in view of the political
difficulties facing the standardization policy at this time.2

Recommendations:
  It is recommended that the paper be approved in its present form.
  It is also recommended that during the discussion the Secretary take
an opportunity to express the following points:
   1. The present document 'is an acceptable statement on military
objectives and an outline of the proper steps which should be taken at
the appropriate time to reach a 'clearer understanding of the role of
each American republic in hemisphere defense, To be realistic, we
must recognize, however, that the successful ,implementation of this
policy paper will encounter many practical difficulties. As the paper
itself indlica.tes (paragraph 8), it will be necessary constantly to weigh
the various'political,_ economic and military factors which bear upon
the desirability, from the viewpoint of the United States, of proceed-
ing with any given step in regard to each country.3
   2. The above fact emphasizes the need for continued consultation
between the two Departments in regard to the implementation of this
program, and the need for full agreement at each stage. It would be
highly desirable for this point to be emphasized to the officers of both
Departments not only in Washington but also in the field.

                                             EDWARD G. MILLER, JR.

   Further information on views within the Department with regard to arms
standardization in the Western Hemisphere is in files 710.5, 720.5, and 720.5
MAP for 1950.
   Mr. Dreier's memorandum of March 20, 1-90 to Mr. Barber said:in part::
"As
people in the NME have pointed.out, it will be some time before the procedure
outlined in this paper results in any actual estimates of the amounts and
types
of armaments required by the armed forces of other American republics. It
will,
therefire, not for some time be of assistance to the Department in reaching
opinions as to whether individual requests for arms should be approved. This
fact should not, in my ,opinion, prevent us from concurring in what is a
greatly
improved paper, setting forth a policy to which we can willingly subscribc."
(710.5/3-2050)