Destination Europe?

With the United Nations' offensive rolling on across the 38th parallel, Canadian defense planners found themselves with an embarrassing question on their hands: What should be done with Canada's 10,000-man Korean Brigade? Chances were that the half-trained unit could not get overseas in time to help with the Korean fighting. But most Canadians agreed that the brigade should be kept under arms as part of a permanent U.N. police force.

Last week Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent suggested a new plan. "We all recognize," he said, "that Canada must be appropriately represented in the integrated force which is to be established by the North American Alliance . . . That might well mean [the brigade's] employment in Europe."

There were certain obvious advantages to such a shift in plans. If the unit was simply kept on stand-by status at home, it would have to be broken up, because Canada has no winter quarters large enough for a force of brigade size. A move to Europe would satisfy demands, both from home and abroad, to contribute manpower as well as arms.

The final decision would have to come from the U.N., which was anxious to have as many nations as possible represented in the Korean occupation. But in any case a decision would have to come soon. The brigade is scheduled to ship out for final training in Okinawa by mid-November.

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