Evening star., 1946-04-30
Four-Power Pact

1t is not unreasonable to assume
that there is more than meets the
eye in Mr.. Byrnes' proposal for four
power treaties to insure the con-
tinuing disarmament of Germany
and Japan.
The Secretary of State, in an
nouncing that he had dropped the
proposed German treaty on the table
at the Big Four conference in Paris,
was content to deal only with the
obvious. At Yalta, he said, General
issimo Stain had talked in impress
sive terms of his fear of another
attack upon Russia from Germany.
And the French, he added, had
expressed a fear that the United
States might again withdraw from
the stream of world affairs, leav-
ing France inadequately protected
against another aggression.
1t is fears such as these, according
to Mr.. Byrnes, that are governing the
conduct of men in positions of lead
ership. Lacking some real guaran-
tee OF security, they are trying to
provide for the safety of their coun-
tries in various ways-all to the
detriment of that international CO.
operation of which the world now
stands in such urgent need. 1t was
to deal with this situation, Mr..
Byrnes said, that he drafted his
proposed treaties and circulated
them among the Big Powers, expect
ing that the contemplated alliance
would give that assurance of security
which all seemingly desired.
But the results have not been up
to his expectations. There is con-
flict in the news reports as to the
attitude of France and Britain. but
at best they do not seem to be
enthusiastically in favor of the plan.
And all of the correspondents agree
that the reaction of Mr.. Molotov,
representing Russia, was openly and
coldly hostile.
There is something to be said for
this Soviet point of view. In the
first place, the nations of the world
are faced now with bigger and more
serious problems than the possible
resurgence of German or japanese
military power. That is not impos-
sible, but it seems highly improbable
And in any event, if there is an
immediate threat to any ones secur-
ity, it comes, not from the losers in
World War II, but from the inability
of the victors to find a satisfactory
formula for agreement among them
selves. There is also question as to
the role of the United Nations in Mr..
Byrnes' proposal. 1t is supposed to
keep the peace of the world, and, if
the Big -Four can agree, it is fully
capable of doing so. Does the
Byrnes' treaty plan signify doubt as
to the effectiveness of the United
Nations, or is it indicative of
belief that Big Four alliance holds
more promise of unity than does
the U. N. Charter?
There remains a possibility that
Mr.. Byrnes was Influenced by con-
siderations of an entirely different
character. The inference cannot be
drawn from anything that he said,
but in some of the news reports
there is suggestion that the treaty
proposal is really designed to check
mate the extension of Soviet power
into Germany and the possible
emergence of moderately strong
Germany as a Russian ally. This
seems to be entirely in the realm of
speculation, although Mr.. Molotov's
reported reaction to the Byrnes'
proposal lends some plausibility to
it. In any event, the proposal for
the alliance should have the effect
of forcing the matter into the open,
and the future sessions of the
Foreign Ministers will be watched
closely for evidence as to the direc-
ton in which the currents of Allied
national interests are moving.