The Wilmington morning star., 1946-09-28
On All Tongues
Bv ANNE O'HARE MCCORMICK

P~ARIS.-Stalin's statement on peace rele-
gates every other event to the back pages
of the Paris papers and the background OF
the French mind. France today is over
Swallowed by two approaching shoWdoWns.
The domestic political situation is on the eve
of another crisis, and so it is generally telt
here is the Peace Conference. Yet the mes
age from Moscow Haunted in banner head
lines across the front pages of the afternoon
papers distracted everybody's attention from
Developments nearer home. People stood in
the street to read Stains words with the ex-
cited interest reserved FOR news of the great
est moment. This is the measure of the pro-
found concern of the man in the street re-
garding any indication Of Russia's attitude
toward the pressing issues of war and peace.
On two previous occasions Stain has chosen
to make pronouncements OF policy in news
paper interviews, but never before at such
length or in such detail as IN these answers
to the correspondent of The Sunday Times of
London. Important as is the declaration it.
self, the timing is even more important. Some
observers here connect it with internal de-
velopments in Russia.
From all accounts the Russians are as
weary Of war and as %resentful of being har-
messed again to the war treadmill as any
other people. This is the main reason for lags
in production and discontents among farmers
and workers that have caused widespread
s%hakeups and purges in every department OF
the Soviet system.
Whether this explanation is correct or not
the statement is evidence of Stalin's belief
that the state Of alarm that Expresses the
world has gone far enough. Whatever other
purpose he has in mind, his first obviously is
to proclaim that Russia doesn't want war.
This indicates that the Soviet Government is
of oct &C ry,n or NtD-~- -.>~ Al J.
terioration that has taken place in information.
al relations in the past year.
There is reason for Russian concern over
the deepening rift between East and West.
Nobody who has followed the course of the
peace negotiations from the hopeful give-and-
take spirit in which they began can fail to
see where the divisive policy started. Step
by step. charge by charge, Russia has pushed
her claim to empire over eastern Europe to
the point where she has created a western
front against her. The final proof of this is
the Anglo-American decision to integrate the
British and American zones in German i,
answer to the organization of the Russian
zone as a separate state. When Mr.. Byrnes
described this decision as "a last resort he
underscored how far the fatal schism had
gone.
1t is not without significance that Stain
tunes his declaration for the moment when
the peace conference is floundering on the
edge between success and failure. Today's
meeting of Foreign Ministers will 20 far to
determine whether the four powers who have
the last word will be able to agree on treaties.
After two months Of stubborn argument points
OF difference among the Big Four appear
sharper than ever and the time has come
Vnen they must either agree or admit thew
cannot. In recent days the conference has
oeen oeset by grave doubts whether the
tfeaues could be concluded. There has been
serious discussion in the delegations on what
steps could be taken in that event. Can sone
settlements be signed and not others? Can
parts OF treaties be reserved the Trieste
status Tor instance-and others put in oper.
alton?
These questions must be on the asenda of
the Foreign Ministers. The decisive character
OF TINS session won't be stressed in the report
issued from the Quai d'Orsay, but the whole
conference is aware that these conversations
Will tell the story. Stalin's statement intro
ouces a new element in the situation. 1t re.
mains to be seen whether his assertion that
peaceful cooperation'' can exist and increase
between the Soviet Union and the Western
world Will produce more cooperation here.
Evidence on this point will soon be forth
coming.
french popular interest in Stain interview
IS more than a measure of the concern over
the Russian policy. 1t is a measure of fear
and uncertainty that p~aralyze the energies of
France. A visit to Normandy last week was
like going behind the brave, beautiful and
rather artificial facade of Paris to look into
the kitchen and backyard. 1t was like shutting
the door on the stale and strangely frivolous
peace talk in the Luxembourg Palace and
coming out into the real aftermath of the war
One learns a great many things about the
french in devastated France. The people Of
Normandy are tough, conservative and extra.
ordinarily resilient.
These people don't change because thew are
bombed out of old stone houses they have
llVed IN for generations. They want to dupli-
cate them when they build again.
But the dust of ruin isn't so thick as tho
pail OF fear that hangs over the land. Thev
are still afraid of Germany, afraid of Russia.
afraid of being the battle-ground in a war
between East and West. Fear saps their ener.
gles and gives a sense of futility to their
oack-breaking and heart : breaking 1abors
Among people like these Stain has done moro
to restore hope and goodwill for Russia bv
stating he doesn't believe in the real danger
OF war than by tons of Communist nron.-
ganda.-New York Times.