Evening star., 1945-12-18
Stain Back on Job
In Moscow Big Three
Hold Third Session
BY the Associated Press.

MOSCOW, Dec. 18.-Premier
Stain, rested by a 68-day vaca-
ton, was back at his desk today
as the Foreign Ministers of
Soviet Russia, Great Britain
and the United States prepared
for their third formal session
on world problems with feeling
of reserved optimism.
Premier Stain returned from his
holiday yesterday, just four days be-
fore his 66th birthday, and plunged
Immediately into his duties as presi-
dent of the Council of Peoples Com
missars.
His long absence from the Kremlin
had given rise to rumors abroad
that he was i'll, but these reports
had been denied both by Soviet
officials and by American Ambas-
sador w. Averell Hartman, who
visited him at his Black Sea retreat
near Sochi.
Mr.. Hartman reported on his re-
turn that he had found Stain in
excellent health and enjoying his
holiday. Similar assurances as to
the generalissimo's health were
given only two days ago to Secretary
of State Byrnes and British Foreign
Secretary Ernest Bevin by high
Soviet officials.
Premier Stains return was an
nounced by brief statement pub
lished in all Moscow newspapers,
saying:
Yesterday, December II, the
president Of the Council of Peoples
Commissars, U. S. S. r., Comrade
Stain, returned from his vacation
to Moscow and entered upon the
fulfillment of his duties"
Byrnes, Bevin Optimistic.
The announcement came as the
Big Three Foreign Ministers, meet
ing here since Sunday, finished their
preliminary talks and prepared to
get down to discussion OF some Of
the basic issues of world peace and
prosperity which were believed to
be on their agenda.
The ministers were scheduled to
meet for their third regular session
this afternoon.
Both Mr.. Byrnes and Mr.. Bevin
were said by diplomatic observers
to have emerged from yesterdays
meeting with feeling of reserved
optimism, looking not so much for
concrete agreements in the future
sessions as for free exchange of
ideas on such problems as control
Of atomic energy and a better un-
derstanding between the great
powers.
Yesterdays meeting, presided
over by Soviet Foreign Commissar
Vyacheslav Molotov as permanent
chairman, lasted two hours and Is
minutes. There was no announce
ment Of the progress made, but an
observer said the minister met in
an atmosphere of serious, business
like discussion" The three con-
ferees left the meeting in what ap-
peared to be good humor.
Observers said they were ready
to begin discussion OF actual items
on their agenda after having dis
posed Of problems of procedure and
other preliminary matters.
Meanwhile, the New Times, i'm
portant Soviet semimonthly publi-
cation Of political opinion, declared
in an, editorial that l"the response
bility for peace in the coming
atomic century IS bigger than ever
before" and. the Loving ma
tons, should prove now that they
can ,cpllaborate on lasting basis.
Asserting that the will of the
Soviet Union for close international
collaboration is unshaken," the edi-
,orial said "other countries" should
cast aside attempts to find a way
out Of the situation by methods
which have nothing in common with
the spirit of unanimity and accord
in which great powers should act to
provide peace and security"
The British Embassy said there
was some possibility that members
OF Mr.. Bevins official party, ground
ed in Berlin since their three planes
were forced to turn back Saturday
because Of bad weather. might ar
rive today.
A British plane which has been
trying to leave Moscow for London
since Sunday, with the first docu-
ments of the Foreign Ministers
meeting, was unable to take OF this
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