Evening star., 1946-08-23
Conference 0ks
First Paragraph
|0f Italian Pact
Paris Bloc Is Formed
To Obtain Softer
Peace Treaty
BY the Associated Press

PARIS, Aug. 23.-The Peace
Conference today accomplished
its first actual work on a draft
peace document. Nearly four
weeks after the conference
opened it adopted the first para
graph of the preamble of the
Italian treaty.
This paragraph names the mem
bers of the conference who will be
signatories.
It's option was facilitated by with
drawal of Yugoslav amendment
which presumably intended to ask
that Albania be included. The para
graph, as accepted, names all con-
ference members, except Norway, as
signatories to the italian treaty.
This milestone was passed in the
Italian Political and Territorial
Committee, whose session was
marked by the first appearance of
Senator Connally in the American
delegation.
Progress Bogs Down.
Progress begged down on the sec
ond paragraph in a debate over
the menaing of the words "de-
clared,' undertook" and "un-
leashed."
The paragraph, as drafted by the
Foreign Ministers Council, read that
Italy had declared a war of ag-
gresSion." The Netherlands pro-
posed amending this to "unleashed. !"
The Dutch proposal also suggested
changing the phrase entered into
war with" the Allies to provoked
a state of war with" the Allies.
The Netherlands then changed
"unleashed" to undertook" Rus
sian Deputy Foreign Minister An
drei Vishinsky approved this change,
asserting ITALY was not the No. l
instigator, it was No. after Ger
many and perhaps No. 3 after Ger
many and Japan"
A well-informed Peace Conference
delegate reported that bloc of ma
tions-including France, China,
Australia and Canada-had organ
lied to fight for a softer peace for
Italy
The new bloc is expected to state
its stand formally at a meeting of
the Italian Political and Territorial
Commission. No other Peace Con-
ference agencies are scheduled to
meet today.
The delegate said the nations IA
voring an easing of the proposed
Italian peace treaty, drafted by the
Big Four, would maintain that
italy should receive greater credit
for aid given the Allies after the
overthrow OF Mussoliri.
He disclosed that more than half
a dozen representatives met In a
secret session yesterday to draft
their pro-Italian campaign, and
added there was possibility the
bloc would ask for an easing of
Italian reparations.
FavOrs Easier Reparations.
The Australian delegate, DR.. Her.
bert c. Evatt, told newsmen that he
favored an easing of Italy's repara-
tions, and said he had prepared
amendments to the proposed treaty
designed to limit reparations to the
amount Italy could pay without
crippling her economy.
Canada, which already has waived
claims for reparations against Italy,
was reported lining up with the Aus
tralian "ability-to-pay' stand.
The treaty draft approved by the
Big -Four foreign ministers proposes
reparations of $100,000,000 for Rus
sia, and leaves up to the Peace Con-
ference the matter of making rec
omendations on claims put forward
by France, Yugoslavia, Greece, Al
bania, Ethiopia. Egypt and any
other powers.
Premier Alcide de Gasperi told
news conference last night that
Italy was unable to pay the $780,
000,0 900 reparations. He said his
country's economic situation made
it impossible to pay the Soviet gov
ernment that amount of money and
expressed a desire that Russia's de-
mands could be discussed along with
those of countries for whom no Ital-
ian reparations figures have been
set.