Evening star., 1945-05-02
Argentine Issue

Inc American delegation to the
San Francisco Conference has sought
from the beginning to keep the Ar
gentine and Polish questions from
becoming intertwined. 1t has been
the view of Mr.. Stettinius and his
associates that each case should be
considered on it's merits, and they
have opposed all attempts to reduce
this matter to the level of a deal"
In which the seating of a delega-
ton from one country would be con-
ditioned upon the acceptance of
delegation from the other. Most as
suredly, this is the correct attitude.
The first result of this approach
to the problem has been an invita-
ton to Argentina to attend the con-
ference. This is not easily reconciled
with our own Governments past
attitude toward the present Argen-
tine regime, which was roundly de-
nounced last year by Secretary Hull
and President Roosevelt as being in
sympathy with the Nazi-Fascists and
hostile to the United Nations. If
there has been any substantial
change since then in the compost
ton of the Argentine government,
that fact has not come to public
attention. This, of course, played
directly into the hands Of Mr.. Molo-
tov, supplying him with ammunition
which he used to good effect in
pressing Russia's demand for the
seating of delegation from the
Warsaw Polish government, which is
believed to be largely dominated by
Moscow.
Some elements in this country
have tended to side with Mr.. Molo-
tov, and they have been unsparing
in their criticism of Mr.. Stettinius.
There is something to be said, how
ever, for our own Secretary of State.
For one thing, he has the full sup
port of the American delegation,
Senator Vandenberg having been
particularly outspoken in defense of
Mr.. Stettinius. 1t is also fact that
the invitation to Argentina is at
least in general accord with the
agreement recently reached at
Mexico City and embodied in the
Act of Chapultepec. Finally, the
move to seat Argentina was over
whelmingly Endorsed by the con-
ference, thirty-one of the United
Nations being in favor and only four
opposed. On the face of this, the
stand taken by Mr.. Stettinius can
hardly have been wholly lacking in
merit.
If the decision to seat Argentina
should serve to ALLEVIATE Russia, that
would indeed be a tragically heavy
price to pay for the addition of a
dubious member to the family of
the United Nations. But, judging
from Mr.. Molotov's remarks, Russia
Is not so much averse to Argentina
as insistent on place for Poland.
And If Poland is not invited, the
Russians will have only themselves
to blame.
More than three months ago, at
Yalta, Marshal Stain agreed with
Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Churchill to
reorganize the Warsaw regime on
broader and more democratic
basis. When that was done, the new
government was to be formally
recognized. But it has not been
done, despite the best efforts of
Britain and the United States, and
Mr.. Molotov, therefore, in asking the
conferees at San Francisco to recog-
nize the Warsaw regime, is in the
position of requesting them to over
look and condone a failure to live
up to the Yalta agreement. That
they have refused to do. But once
the terms agreed to at Yalta have
been met, the invitation to Poland
will go forth speedily enough.