Detroit evening times., 1945-08-09
PAUL
|NIALLON
Behind
The News

WASHINGTON, Aug, s-The
w KEY 10 the Polish settle
mert al PotSdam was not found
by the in-knoWlng crowd here
10 be in the chapter on that
subject but was hidden or
tucked i'm unobtruSively IN the
Preparations provisions. 10 W.T.
(Chapter ", Section y.
"The l.. :. =. X. undertakes
10 settle the Teparation claims
Of Poland from It's own share
Of reparatiOns."
in short, the German pay
ments for damage TO Allied
Poland. the INVASION OF which
brought Britain (but not Rus
sla) into the war, are 10 be
handled by Russia.
The text Of the chapter or
the Polish political settlement
expressed pleasure at the for
nation of the new Polish gov
ernment. but no pleasure was
mentioned at the abandonment
Of pretense in handling Poland
repaymentS due from having
been battle ground.
When II came 10 the cash,
Russia directly and no doubt 10
her own exclusive pleasure, vol
unteered 10 handle that end,
although she worded her au-
thority rather graciouSly, as II
she would take care of Poland
out of what she would get any
way.
TIIIS is not the only, or the
l. most important point of the
Potsdam plan which has caused
it to be received in Congress
and officialdom with what the
British would call reserve" "
The explanation offered here
Tin administration quarters) is
that Truman was tied down by
Yalta promises and had 10 per-
nit what amounts TO public rec
ognition of Russian aggrandize-
ment, and our official backing
of them for the first time. tNo
wonder Moscow publicized the
announcement) Not that any
one is enthusiastically against
II or for IT, no strong political or
other opposition is likely.
The German settlements (rep-
arations and POLITICAL are
rather generally agreed 10 be
buSineSslike, fair, enforceable.
AS far as the military wrote
them, they are clear and pre-
else.
When the economists COM
pared the economic parts. they
were vague about some things
specifically where the IS per
cent of industry goes from our
zone, which Germany does not
need and beyond the 25 per cent
which Russia docs not get)
But these clearly purposed
sections of the Potsdam plan.
will certainly make Germany a
pastoral nauon-or three ma
tional pastures, de-lnduStrlal-
lied, but run by different herds
men, one American. one British
and one Russia, without slave
labor.
THE other European political
Il settlements. however, at
tempted or forecast by specific
mention, will have a hard time
gaining champions here.
They obtained largely passive
acceptance by men who think
not much otherwise could be
done in existing circumstances.
Thus the whole development
has been received as if this
corner of the world sat In dim
twilight, peering out at the rest
of it, hopefully, but uncertainty.
able TO discern little ahead and
not able 10 think of anything
which could be done to clear the
atmosphere.
Perhaps" said one senator,
at Is better to he in the twilight
than In the dark"
What he and the others really
felt. however, is that the United
States faces a terrific task
ahead in this kind Of a world.
Their private information sug-
eeSted Mr.. Truman, for exam
pie, had saved Greece from the
indefinite fall prescribed for
Spain.
AS you know British Premier
Attlee wished TO reverse the
Churchill policy for Greece,
when government to resist
Russia and the small domestic
communist group has been set
up. and for Spain. where
Churchill had been playing the
Franco regime at long distance
slyly 10 impede Russian control.
A breakup in Greece TO open
the way for Stain is expected 10
develop naturally in the future
from Attlee policy but the con-
ferees based their specific dec
laration against Spain in the re-
Stricted form OF refusal to
allow its present government 10
become a member Of the United
Nations on the ground of sup
port Of the Axis powers.
If other matters were settled
the Spanish was unsettled.
GREECE is an allV. OF course.