The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-11-12


 inspection rights as a prereq the United Staes and Great Britain by surprise today.
 Again. as at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly when the Russians proposed gen. erai reduction of armamentS, the Soviet Union has grabbed the ball and run with it.
 Molotov has taken the initiative for the second time on an issue which British Foreign Minister Ernest Bevin has admitted "fires the imagination and proEokes the enthusiasm" of the general public.
 Tw0 Ways sf Locking At lt
 But the Americans end British were wondering whether Molotov's ner of the Foreign Press Associa- tion last night was for propaganda purposes or could be taken at face value. They were frankly skeptical but equally srank to admit that tt would be the most sensational de- velopment of the current interna- tional meetings in New York if he means business.
 What the Americans and British want to know is: Does Russia, as Molotov plainly indicated last night, intend to abandon its opposition to American demands that the right of inspection in individual coun- tries must be guaranteed to assure compliance before disarmament is agreed to?
 That is one of the major issues confronting the major powers to- day because it is the keystone not only of American willingness to agree to a general disarmament plan but also the very heart of the Baruch atomic energy control plan. Heretofore the Russians have op- posed the inspection safeguard the United States has insisted upon.
 Can Expect Harmony
 Molotov's sensational announce ment, catching the Anglo-Saxon powers by surprise. was made at the Waldorf Astoria hotel dinner A84s aAGeAS AAA eA-@1~ "Oe-Ss
 AS you know the Soviet delega- ton has put forward a proposal for general reduction of armaments. It is also well known that in the Gen. eral Assembly the delegation of the United States of America has given it's support to this proposal and at the same time presented it's own s,.-k1.m- .a,aefSaraksaxae raua rNfr0 this problem.
 The American delegation has already met the proposal of the So- Viet Union. I want to declare that for its part the Soviet delegation is also willing to meet the delegation of the United States. We can al- ready recognize that the proposals of the Soviet and American delega- tions can be harmonized."
 Molotov was referring to his or- iginal proposal to the LIN assembly "a general reduction of armaments and the banning of the manufac- ture and use of atomic energy for military purposes.
 Refers to Counter Proposal
 He also was referring to U. s. Delegate Warren R. Austin's coun- ter-proposai that the U. s. was ready to engage in a general dis armament program provided all other nations would submit to- in. spection to assure all those who were disarming that there were no evasions of the program.
 Moiotov's statement-if it means agreement to this American condi- tion-was more than e surprise: 1t was 6 shock because the Americans and British have never thought the Russians would agree to inspection.
 How far Molotov is prepared to go in meeting United States condi- tons probably will not be known until debate on the Soviet disarm- ament proposal opens in the near future ct LIN headquarters at Lake Success, N. Y. Byrnes devoted his IS minute speech to reassuring the United Nations delegates, for whom the dinner was given, that the recent American election means no change in foreign policy. He said ''our for- eign policy is not a Democratic or Republican policy: it is an Amer icar policy our policy is not the policy of a party - 1t is the policy of the American people.