Hughes Defends De Gaulle's Veto In Panel Debate

H. Stuart Hughes, professor of History, defended Charles de Gaulle's vote of Britain's bid for membership in the European Common Market is a panel discussion before 25 visiting Canadian, students yesterday.

"The British have been asked by de Gaulle whether they want to be allies of the U.S. or partners in a new Europe," Hughes said. "Britain has yet to face the facts of life in the Europe of today."

Hughes went on to criticize American opposition to an Independent European nuclear deterrent force. He said that if Europe could defend itself against Soviet attack, the U.S. would be free to withdraw its troops from European bases and concentrate on solving problems at home.

Hoffmann Opposes European Force

Another member of the panel, Stanley H. Hoffmann, associate professor of Government, denied that a European deterrent force would help stabilize the world situation. "A European deterrent implies some measure of German participation," Hoffman said, "and I can't imagine a situation less stable than one which involved German control of nuclear weapons."

Morton H. Halperin, instructor in Government, criticized both Hughes and Hoffmans. "There is no simple solution to the problem of the Western alliance," he said.

He called Hughes' Men of a Europeans force freeing American for work at home "a rosy picture that seems a hit isolationist-tinged." No small European force could deter a Soviet attack, Halperin said.