Detroit evening times., 1945-04-04
BEHIND
The News
By Paul
Malon

w Senators said a lot more
than they would allow newsmen
TO publish about the developing
Russian attitude on peace.
With difficulty, some curbed
a full expression of their views.
I do not mean just the isola-
tion senator's, if any are left, but
the strongest advocates of world
cooperation, indeed the senate
in general, if not in unanimity.-
The commonest conclusion is
that Russia is now publicly
backing down on the proposals
for a new world order. The point
which upset most of the sena-
tors was the announcement
from the White House that Rus
sia and the United States were
to have three votes and Britain
six in the large assembly OF
nations which will number as TO
perhaps 80.
Senator Vandenberg's heavily
restrained statement was based
on a thought he did not press
fully, namely that the smaller
nations would lose confidence il
the large nations started vote
grabbing.
THEIR confidence in some in
l. stances has been running a
little short Of enthusiastic since
the setup was announced, allow
ing the council of the large ma
tions atop the assembly to decide
all important issues, with the
assembly only making recon-
mendations.
Perhaps another point likely
TO prove more important even-
tually is how these smaller ma
tions are likely to divide in any
conflict Of interests arising be-
tween conference-shy Russia,
Britain and the United States.
An accurate count could not be
made, not even by those state
department insiders who could
guess the preferences of every
government established and to
be established everywhere in the
world.
The Russians seem by their
actions to suspect we will con-
troll the Il Latin American re-
publics, but on the final show
down, who can say how they
would go? Anyone can see and
say that Russia is getting a
varying degree OF control over
Finland, Latvia, Esthonia, Lithu-
ania. Yugoslavia. Bulgaria. the
Balkans and the rest of Europe.
INDEED, some senators, joking
i in the cloakroom, have OBJ
served that it looks like Mr..
Roosevelt might have meant. a
few years back, that we have a
permanent frontier on the Rhine
as the Russians seem bent on
moving their sphere of influence
practically up to where Hitler
had his.
there are Communist ele-
ments in many Latin nations.
and British, Dutch and French
influence in others. A critical
test on a point OF straight cleav-
age might leave the vote very
close.
Certainly the mere raising Of
the issue of vote-boosting in the
assembly is bound to focus at
tention on the influence Of the
large nations over the small
from now on. To me. however.
this is secondary matter 10 the
action Of Russia in declining TO
send a minister of the rank OF
the other powers to the San
Francisco conference.
The Soviet Ambassador Gro
myko. who will go in place OF
Foreign Minister Molotov, said
his choice did not mean Russia
had decided not to take the con-
ference seriously. but frankly no
one | have found here believes
his denial. How could they?
TO A DIPLOMAT, the choice
L of man of smaller rank 10
deal with one higher is polite
or at least indirect insult. The
President had to go to Yalta TO
see Stain, but Stain sends an
ambassador to conclude the
final peace arrangements at
conference which Mr.. Roosevelt
and Mrs. Roosevelt announced
they would attend.
But you may have noticed the
announcement of the three
votes for us as we'll as three for
Russia came a few hours after
Russia announced il was send
ing Gromyko, although the deci-
sion had been made on that
weeks before. II seemed almost
like Mr.. Roosevelt's subtle an
swer OF some Kind.
We are taking three votes for
no other reason than that Rus
Sio iS takino thrpp &c ySa do pof
even pretend that any subdivi-
sion Of our country requires the
additional votes. as Russia did
when she divided her country
into Is autonomous republics
suspiciously and then demanded
Is votes.
Now senators may feel they
cannot say these things aloud
because official attention could