Evening star., 1945-10-15

lONeQ 10 SdS. we
cannot afford to Frank R. Kent.
"get mad" The goal is so great
and it is so vital to achieve it that
almost any sacrifice short of COM
plete national self-respect Is justi-
fed.
Nevertheless, there is no sense in
not facing realities. More is to be
gained than lost by candor. There
is no point in minimizing either
the cause Of the conference break
down or its effects. From our stand
point-and that of the British, the
French and the Chinese-the cause
was the recalcitrancy of the Rus
slams.
Secretary Byrnes has made clear
that that is the way he feels about
1t. That is the way, too, the Sena-
tors of the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee, to whom he reported, feel
and that is the general feeling as
reflected in the dispatches from
London and the editorials at home.
Reason Simply Stated.
OF course, the Russians do not
feel that they were recalcitrant at
all. Their quite natural view is that
they were right and the recalci-
trancy all on the other side. With
out arguing the merits of the con-
f1icting positions, the facts seem to
be that the Russians took our stand
at first then reversed themselves,
took another stand and stuck to it..
We, with the British, French and
Chinese, disagreed but offered vari-
GUS compromises. Russian rejection
of these ended the conference-with
such complete lack of achievement
it was found impossible even to
issue communique which was
without precedent.
This is simple statement of the
reason the conference failed. 1t
does not enter into the argument
of whether the Russians are right
or wrong in their general idea that
all decisions should be made by the
Big Three; that the role of the
other nations should be that of
observers without a vote; that this
was in accord with the Potsdam
agreement.
Our side did not agree and in
the course of the discussion there
seems to have been some personal
bitterness engendered. This, how
ever, will not last, certainly will not
. interfere with future meetings and
can be dismissed as relatively unim-
portant. The things at stake are
much too big to be decided by mat
ters Of personal likes or dislikes.
Now as to- the effects of the con-
ference failure in this country
they were ,mostly-but not alto
gether-unfortunate. 1t is true the
Russians have sacrificed consider
able good will. They easily may re-
gain it, but at the moment there is
a general disposition to regard them
as almost too difficult to deal with.
A second effect has been to drive the
British and ourselves into a closer
union.
Palmer than before it is to be
seen that our conception of democ-
racy is identical with theirs and our
international objectives, as we'll as
our methods, the same. This bears
out the conviction of so many eX-
perienced men that in any interna-
tional conference 1t Is inevitable
that the British and Americans
should act together.
One Beneficial Effect
One beneficial effect was the de-
monstration that in foreign affairs
there seems to be very little party
politics in this country. Though this
is Democratic Administration the
course of the Secretary of State in
London and his speech following the
adjournment have not been criti-
cized by Republican politicians or
journalists. Rather, they have been
approved.
Partly, this was due to the fore
sight of Mr.. Byrnes in taking to the
conference Mr.. John Foster Dulles
as a colleague and adviser. Mr..
Dulles, a Republican and close
friend of Gov. Dewey's, was similar
ly employed at both Dumbarton
Oaks and San Francisco. He says
the conference was not complete
loss by any means, though he is
not very convincing about that.
However, his cordial corporation
with Mr.. Byrnes is reason for feel
ing that our foreign policy may
eventually get upon a really non-
partisan basis.
A final effect is the diminishing
chance that we shall lend the Rus
slams the six billion dollars which
they seek. Some weeks ago the New
Deal and CIO Senator Claude Pep
per, of Florida, came back from
Moscow after a talk with Marshal
Stain, afiame with enthusiasm for
making this loan. Perhaps, he is
still flaming. but public sentiment
for the loan, never very strong, un-
doubtedly has lessened
On the other hand, the favorable
feeling in Congress for the British
loan has increased. There will not be
much dispute concerning the effects