Evening star., 1946-12-03
Byrnes, Beviin
Announce Reich
Zones Merger
U. S. to Ask Big Four
To Discuss Austria
At Present Session
BY the Assoeioied Press

NEW YORK, Dec. 3.-Secretary
of State Byrnes, Jointly announc-
ing with Foreign Secretary Bevin
a British American economic
merger in Germany, declared
today that he would ask the Big
Four Foreign Ministers to discuss
peace plans for Austria as well
as Germany before ending their
New York sessions.
Mr. Byrnes and Mr.. Bevin said
in statement that the zone eco
nomic merger would become ef-
fective January l that it should
make 100000 Germans self-suff-
cient in three years and that they
hoped it would lead to discussions
with Russia and France for the
economic unifcation of all Ger
many The added cost of the merger
to the United States is expected to
be 500, 100000 in 1947.
Mr.. Byrnes discussed the radical
new agreement, which diplomats
consider the most important devel-
opment in Allied policy on Ger
many since the occupation started,
at a news conference. 1t was his
first meeting with reporters since
the Foreign Ministers Council
opened here month ago.
Axis Treaties Nearly Finished.
He made these major disclosures:
l. The Foreign Ministers Coun-
Gil, in his opinion, may wind up this
week the peace treaties for Italy,
BONANZA, Bulgaria, Hungary and
inland, and proceed at once to a
iscussion of the German question.
2. On Germany, Mr.. Byrnes intends
to insist, as he had previously said
he would, on a discussion of Ger
manys Western frontiers - chiefly
whether France should get the Saar
and have the Ruhr internationalized
Diplomatic authorities said
that since French President
Premier Georges Bidault is not
attending the New York four :
power meeting, France would
oppose any such important talks
on Germany here and the Big
Four probably will agree to delay
the boundary talks
Troops Withdrawal Is Issue.
g. The United States will ask that
the Austrian question be taken I'D
here. The main issue, diplomatic
informants said, is whether an ar
rangement can be made for the early
withdrawal of Russian and other
Allied troops from Austria.
4. Mr.. Byrnes is adhering strictly
to his policy-contrary to what the
Russians want - that the Allied
powers should not take any German
reparations from current German
production. The Russians are known
to want an agreement by which
they might collect reparations for
many years to come.
5. The probable result of the four
power talks on Germany here vii.
be the appointment of commission
OF deputies to do the spade work for
a Foreign Ministers meeting in
Europe early next year. Mr.. Byrnes
will favor hearings on the German
question for Belgium, the Neither
lands, Czechoslovakia, Poland and
Luxembourg, all of which have asked
to be heard, but it is uncertain
whether any of them will be allowed
actually to participate in the Ger
man discussions.
Mr.. Byrnes said there were about
seven questions into which the dep
uties should go in blocking out the
future of Germany and, while he
did not enumerate them, he mada
clear that they would include the
boundary issues and probably the
kind of government which Germany
ought to have.
First Step in Unification.
The joint Byrnes-Bevin press re-
lease on economic fusion of the
German zone said:
"The two Secretaries of State de-
clared that they considered this
agreement a first step in the eco
aomic unification of Germany as
whole which they hope will lead to
discussions with the other occupy.
ing powers for the extension of these
or similar arrangements to the
other zones of occupation.
The agreement contemplates an
(See BIG FOUR, Page A-4)