Evening star., 1945-04-27
Big 4 Seek
Decision on
Craftsmanship
Conference Is Held
Prior to Meeting Of
Steering Committee
BY JOHN M. HIGHTOWER,
Associated Press stan Writer.

SAN FRANCISCO, April IT,
Secretary Of State Stettinius
went into an early morning
huddle with the British, Russian
and Chinese Foreign Ministers
today in a new effort to settle
the Craftsmanship of the United
Nations Conference.
British and American leaders
were hopeful of reaching an agree
ment with Foreign Commissar v.
M. Molotov along the lines of the
compromise proposed yesterday by
Foreign Secretary Eden. But some
conceded it might not be possible
to clear up this vexing deadlock in
time to get the conference down to
business today.
The Big Four meeting was called
preliminary to meeting of the Con.
ference Steering Committee. Stet-
tinius met with Mr.. Eden, Mr.. Mol
otov and Foreign Minister T. v.
Soong of China in the Veterans War
Memorial, conference headquarters,
where the Steering Committee was
scheduled to meet half an hour
later.
Eden Offered Compromise.
It was in this building that Mr..
Molotov yesterday blocked an Eden
motion to make Mr.. Stettinius chair
man of the conference. Mr.. Eden
then proposed that the job of presid-
ing over the big open sessions bs
rotated among the Big Four-which
Mr.. Molotov approved-and that Mr..
Stettinius be made chairman of the
key Steering and Executive Commit
tess-which Mr.. Molotov disap-
proved.
Mr.. Molotov wanted all three Is.
signments to rotate. However, both
British and American leaders were
reported firmly opposed to this idea
as unworkable. Today.s session was
awaited with extraordinary interest
by conference delegates for 1 Dos
sible clue on the amount Of tive.
and-take to be expected of Mr..
Molotov.
Hot tempers and hurt feelings a.
well as lingering hopes of q compro-
mise went into today's second round
OF the battle over selection of q
chairman. But even II this could
be settled without more disputes,
delegates generally took Q pessi.
mistic view.
The fight which broke out in the
Steering Committee yesterday DEM
onStrated anew the Big Three dis.
unity which had developed in the
dispute about Poland.
Thrown OF Timetable,
There was widespread fear that
the same situation would arise over
even more critical issues which the
conference still has to tackle.
The whole conference of 46 ma.
tions has been thrown of its time.
table by the Craftsmanship outbreak.
Today's l0:30 am. Pacific war
time e-1:30 pm. EWT session
was originally scheduled for an
other round Of speechmaking. In
stead, the Steering Committee was
called into second extraordinary
and secret-session to try to break
the deadlock over the chairmanship
and organize the conference for
work.
Another session to which all dele.
gates are invited to hear speeches,
was scheduled at $3.50 pm, PVT
The Big -Four made their formal
talks yesterday, pledging co-opera.
ton In the creation of Q world se.
curity organization along the lines
Of the Dumbarton Oaks proposals.
Soviet Onicial May Leave.
There was some speculation that
the conference might lose some Of
its leading personalities before it
is more than half over. One ON.
cial associated with Mr.. Molotov
said he might return to Moscow
within week. The oficial would
not permit Identification of himself,
This caused talk that Mr.. Molotov
himself might leave the conference,
putting the Russian delegation In
charge of Ambassador Andrei Gro.
myko. However, the foreign COM
missar had made no disclosure of
his plans and to many it seemed
probable that he would stay here
as long as necessary to try to make
the conference succeed, In view of
his assurances yesterday that Rus.
sia intended to do everything pos.
sible for its success.
Some Latin American delegation
chiefs also were talking about going
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