Evening star., 1943-03-31
Roosevelt Plans Talks
With Soviet Leaders
In Very Near Future
Aim Will Be to Cement
Informal Agreement
On Postwar Goals
BY GARNETT D. HORNER.


postwar ideas, the President told a
press conference late yesterday in
disclosing that he expected to be
continuing discussions soon with the
Soviet and other Allied governments
along the lines of conferences just
concluded here with British Foreign
Secretary Anthony Eden.
Withholding all specific informa-
ton about these plans, Mr. Roosevelt
turned aside with noncommittal
answers to questions designed to
bring out whether he expected Soviet
Premier Stain or Foreign Com
missar Molotov to come to this
country. On the possibility of a
personal meeting with Premier
Stain, he said hope still springs
eternal.
Eden Visit Called Fruitful.
The discussions with Mr.. Eden
covering about everything in the
way of military and political ques-
tons arising out of the war and
relating both to the present and the
future, were described by the Presi-
dent as disclosing a very close
similarity of outlook and producing
a fruitful meeting of minds between
the United States and British gov
srnments.
He said such informal conversa-
tons constitute one method of work
Ing toward unity of the United
Nations which is going along ex-
tremely we'll Another method. he
added, is more formal gatherings.
like a conference on food planned
for next month.
The State Department later an
nounced that the 80 other United
Nations and eight associated gov
ernments which have broken rela =
tlons with the AXIS. but not declared
war, have been invited to send tech
nical and other experts to the food
conference, to begin April 27 at
some suitable place" in this country.
Purpose of this conference is to
explore ways and means of stablliz-
Ing the production and distribution
Of essential agricultural products
after the war, entirely distinct from
the immediate postwar relief prob
lem.
Relief Conference to Follow.
Mr.. Roosevelt said the food con-
ference would be followed by one on
relief, and possibly separate meet
ings later on financial questions and
on problems concerning minerals
and oils
Through the two methods of per-
eonal talks among various Govern
ment leaders and Of conferences of
technical representatives the PreSi-
dent added, efforts to make sure
that the United Nations are better
prepared to work out postwar set
Elements when the Axis is defeated
than the Allies were after the last
war. are progressing satisfactorily.
He emphasized that such CONVEX
sations as those held for the last two
weeks with Mr.. Eden are eXplora-
tory, not with the object of reaching
final decisions but of reaching a
large measure of general agree
ment on general objectives.
The result of such bilateral talks
should be a great aid in further con-
ierences between all of the United
Nations, he said, He pointed out that
the exploratory discussions have not
been confined to the United States
and Great Britain, describing the
Eden talks as a small part of long
series of conferences with other
United Nations.
This Government already has held
intimate discussions with China and
one or two Latin American govern
ments. the President said He also
recalled that Mr.. Eden had been to
Russia and talked with Premier Sta
lin and Mr.. Molotov about many of
the problems up for discussion here.
Mr.. Roosevelt explained to his
press conference that he and Mr..
Eden, who left yesterday for Cam
ada. had decided not to issue any
formal statement, but they agreed
that the President should tell the
press informally about their dis
cusSlons.
The conversations covered the
practical problems that will arise on
defeat of the enemies. he said. de-
scriblng these as primarily problems
that will face the United States,
Great Britain. China, Russia and
the other United Nations in safe
guarding the world from future ag
gresSion.
In emphasizing the general unity
of aims among the United Nations,
the President permitted direct quo
tation of part Of his remarks.
Sees Allies "95 Pet. Together"
IF YOU want to be didactic," he
said, "and put it in terms of figures
] would say that so far, in all of the
conferences that We have held with
other members of the United Ma
tions-this is not just the British,
they come into 1t but 1t applies to
the others alSo-We are about 95 per
cent together.
We'll. that is an amazing state
ment. 1t happens to be true
He added that he wished some
people would put that in their pipes
and smoke it.
Every additional talk eliminates
more of the remaining per cent,
the President said
Asked if such discussions might
be expected to produce any sigma
lures by less than all the United
Nations, he said he did not like the
idea of reducing things to signed
documents now.
One can do a lot. the President
added, by gentlemen's agreements.
He remarked that We have at least
81 people in this show who are
gentlemen. tThe United Nations
number 81
The gentlemen's agreements being
achieved concern the whole world
and do not apply just to the end of
the war in Europe, he emphasized.
But. he said, if one enemy blows up
first, an immediate start will be
made on postwar plans as regards
that enemy. while military and naval
power is concentrated on the other
enemy.
Public Apathy Puzzles Senators.
Meanwhile. puzzlement at what
they called comparative public
apathy toward postwar problems was
expressed by some members of a