Evening star., 1945-05-15
Meeting Of Big Three
Doubted at PurIey
Truman Would Do Well to Spike
Such Proposals, Says Observer
BY David Laurence

OUCH ITopOSdiS, DAYS observer
BY David Laurence
SAN FRANCISCO, May 1s.-The per-
sistent predictions that a meeting of
the Big Three is soon to be held in
Europe find little credence here. The
idea is occasionally referred to also In
Paris dispatches, where suggestions are
made that Gen. de Gaulle should be
included in any such meetings
AS matter Of fact, President Truman
would make the biggest kind of a
hit with the American people If he
squelched all the, plans and proposals
and suggestions looking toward per-
sonal diplomacy and If he returned
intercourse with foreign nations to their
normal channels.
Provision was made at the Yalta Con-
ference for frequent meetings of the
Secretaries of State. This is very good
formula and does not involve any en-
barrassments for the heads of govern
ments.
President Truman did not come to the
San Francisco Conference because, he
said, the United States had good dele
cation which had his complete con-
f1dence. He added that he would stay at
his desk where he felt he belonged.
Marshal Stain never leaves Russia,
but requires the heads Of other states
to come to him. He always pleads pres
sure of business The American people
can hardly relish the idea Of sending
their President on rowing missions to
other distant parts of the globe to con-
duct their foreign affairs.
Yalta Handicaps Known.
The handicaps imposed by the Yalta
Conference are well known. Some of
the persons who attended that meeting
say privately that it was a mistake for
the late President Roosevelt to stake
everything on personal conversations
with the other heads of states without
even keeping a stenographic record of
what was said. Also the haste with
which the Yalta Agreement was written
is today proof of the ill-advised nature
of the whole conference.
Thus, the Russians are claiming that
even the Polish question was not to be
submitted to inter-Allied consultations
unless "in the opinion of the govern
ments concerned" it was deemed desir-
able to do SO. If this phraseology had
been carefully examined or if there had
been time for the text to be transmitted
to Washington to be reviewed by the
State Department, it is quite probable
that the ambiguity would have been
removed. Today Russia stands on that
ambiguity and insists that the question
of what to do about the new Polish
government is, strictly speaking, not yet
ready, in her opinion, for inter-Allied
handling.
The using of rowing ambassador, as
President Wilson employed Col. House
and as Mr.. Roosevelt used Harry Hop
kins, is not improper or unwise because
special envoy sometimes has to 60 to
more than one post and an ambassador
accredited to a single country cannot
be effective in variety of places.
Could Send Byrnes.
1t may be that President Truman will
decide to send James F. Byrnes to
Europe to talk with the heads of gov
ernments there on current matters. Mr..
Byrnes was present at the Yalta Confer
ence and has the necessary background.
But for Mr.. Truman to leave the United
States and try to be his own ambas-
sador or Secretary of State Is to retain
an element in American foreign affairs
which cannot but bring more misunder-
standings than before.
Mr.. Truman has indicated that he is
the kind of Chief Executive who likes
to pick good man and give him full
authority and responsibility In no
field is this more important than in for
eign affairs. Because Secretary of State
Stettinius is tied up with the manage
ment of the United Nations Conference
and will be for several weeks, it Is nat
ural for a special ambassador to be
appointed to go to Europe in behalf of
the President and the Secretary of
State.
If it be insisted that heads of State
must hold conferences to settle these
thorny problems of the hour, then the
next meeting should be held in Wash
ington or London. If it is held abroad
then the United States should send
complete delegation with many officials
and advisers very much as the British
did at Yalta. But it is to be hoped that
the President will find it desirable to
act only through an intermediary and
that he will not rely on secret personal
conferences to deal with current prob
lens of foreign relations
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