Never before had prospects of a six-nation European Army (EDC) seemed less hopeful. Convinced that the Soviet menace is waning fast, Europeans no longer felt the need to surrender some of their own sovereignty, or to permit 400,000 Germans to join them in a common uniform. The drive toward European integration was foundering.
Then last week the Dutch lower house of Parliament debated "this imperfect treaty, with all its faults." With but one slight amendment, EDC passed, 75 votes to 11. The Netherlands thereby became the second member nation to approve EDC (the other: West Germany, where it has the consent of both houses).