Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-08-16
BEHIND
The NEWS
BY Paul
Malon

~
w big four conference, which
is to plan the postwar world
organization here Aug. q, has
drawn astonishingly little notice
yet the subject is the most
holly discussed among our
people.
Books carrying formulas on
how TO secure international bliss
by a mechanical arrangement OF
nations have been best sellers
for two years. Practically every
one, except the statesmen in
volved, has plan.
If you just carve Germany up
into three small nations, peace
will be assured, some say.
Others want international alli-
ances, hemisphere Nominations
and other means of peace by
force.
Debates amongst us rage TO
the point of bitterness. 1t is
even supposed 10 be an issue
in the presidential campaign.
although l have yet seen no one
lay finger on the precise point
of difference.
THIS domestic agitation is not
l. equalled in the news from
Russia, Britain or China. The
Russians and British evidently
are moving in more specific
ways. At the Breton Woods
Monetary Conference. the Rus
slams. for instance. were bound
rigidly by instructions.
They were embarrassed be-
cause, in the negotiation of any
compromise, they were COM
PEELED virtually TO adjourn the
conference for few days until
they heard from Stain. He APP
proved their work generally, but
he did not release his authority.
THIS coming conference is to
l. be held at the under-secre-
tary level. The top men are not
to attend. But their working
assistants are 10 decide what
form the world organization is
to take. whether force shall be
placed TO stop aggression, the
voting strength of the partici-
pants, and such things.
1t was 10 have been held in
July, then Aug Ia. now Aug. u.
the last week of delay being
caused by the Russians not being
ready.
incidentally, the delays also
may postpone the expected CAM
paign trip of Mr.. Roosevelt TO
Europe for a meeting at which
the leaders would adopt what
the assistants agree upon here.
The under-SecFetWfeS meeting
apparently must drag out longer
than Breton Woods.
But. meanwhile steps arc
being taken daily which suggest
we may be deluding ourselves
by looking solely at the sky,
toward mechanical word organi-
cations. while ignoring the news
every day from Europe and the
meaning behind it.
OUR leadership. for instance.
" has not brought peace or
assurance of it 10 Italy A good
reporter, Anne Mccormick. has
been writing daily from Rome
that orderly economics or poll
tics is not yet al hand Women
in the market place find little
food, stop talking when an
American comes in.
Here, obviously. IL is not
question of shipping food to
Italy, but of providing an orderly
way in which Italy can supply
herself, and distribute what she
can raise TO satisfy her peoples
needs.
Then, further. the Communists
there have formed a working
arrangement with the Socialists
in the six-party government
under Allied control
The Christian Democrats are
holding back. declining to join
that arrangement. possibly in
the belief that communicable
sim is not essentially either
Christian or democratic. as we
understand those words.
At any rate, the postwar
world order in Italy is far from
settled, and nothing done here
Aug. p is apt 10 be as impor-
tant to the peace of Italy as the
existing situation there.
So also in Poland. where con-
flicting governments. drawn
roughly along the same lines as
in Italy, IWent-to Moscow 10
/ talk over their differences, and
not TO the international commits
sion of Allies.
WHILE Stain says all he
w wants is an independent
democratic Poland, every one
knows that a Poland. independ-
ent and democratic like the
/ United States. would not be toll
Grated by Moscow, that no Pol
iSh government can exist with
out Stains approx and
support.
Out of the Balkans has come
apparently authentic word that
the British intend TO give Rus
STA the dominant influence in
Rumania and Bulgaria, provided
they can keep Greece and
l Al