Detroit evening times., 1945-05-05
BEHIND
THE NEWS
BY Paul
MaIIon

GAN FRANCISCO, May A.
~ Definite and positive asser-
tions as TO what this conference
and the world will do are being
flung rather freely around.
A commonly popular one In
the news is that the conference
AS one exceptionally able
writer has put it-has pro-
ceeded to the point where a
new era is assured. and that
Russia must henceforth be
dealt with in a more receptive"
spirit
Behind this line of current
thought running through the
news and comment is the idea
that the Russians have been
brought around to acceptance
of democratic methods.
They gave in on the Argen-
tine question and Molotov after
ward called on State Secretary
Stettinius and made certain
other gestures creating a new
amiable and friendly spirit
1t is thus true enough that
the attitude with which Mr..
Molotov. if not Russia herself,
came into this conference, is
being altered.
pUT down deep inside. every
- one here knows peace and
the settlement of world prob
lens will be long process. The
millennium is nowhere here yet
visible to my eyes.
The precise degree of prog
ress that has been made is that
Russia has shown a willingness
to cooperate and that this has
put the delegates naturally in a
better frame of mind. She has
accepted a decision against her,
made in a democratic way.
Now if this new spirit can be
carried forward TO the applica-
tion of all problems, then the
new era will truly have arrived.
But to keep proper perspec-
tive Of the actual condition, il
must be reported that the
problems still remain-all Of
them-many grave, deep prob
lens of every economic, finan-
cial and political nature.
What has been done here so
far has been merely to get an
agreement on the organization
of the conference.
Therefore it should be plain
future hopes here can not be
based on "the receptivity' of
this governments attitud d e
toward democratic processes.
The questions l hear asked
by men here who have given
earnest thought to the matter
all run down 10 that single,
focal proposition.
1T TOOK this world peace
Il meeting exactly a week to
get down to the business of
naming its committees and COM
missions to do the actual work
for which il was assembled.
During that week the loud
speakers of the opera house
recorded speeches from all the
interested parties and the or
ganizational disputes of the
major powers.
The speeches set forth largely
the pleas of the small powers
for mutual respect of nations, "
recognition of human values, "
principles of juStice"-not far
from the line which Mr.. Tru-
man laid down at the outset in
his appeal for Simple justice"
/ would say that as far as
words are concerned most of
the nations are not far apart,
but some of them were not
represented in all these ex-
pressions.
1t may be reported, also that
the smaller nations will win
concessions in the Dumharton
formula. the extent and nature
of which will be ironed out by
bargaining-and this represents
progress also.
Behind all these developments
however. the nations were
sounding each other out From
their experiences they have a
more complete knowledge of
just how much each one wants.
To that extent, great progress
has been made. But il would
be safer to report progress here
mot victory.
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