Evening star., 1946-08-04
.Spaak Assai|s
Big As Ignoring
Smaller Nations
Proposals Asked Only
After Hondicups Are
Imposed, He Says
BY the Assoeioied Press

PARIS, Aug. Paul Henri
Spaak of Belgium assailed the
Big Four today for ignoring the
smaller nations in preparing
Europe's peace and for asking
the smaller powers for recon-
mendations only after severely
handicapping them.
The outburSt from the president
of the United Nations General As
sembly high lighted the days pro-
ceedings in the peace conference.
In another phase of the battle
between the big and small powers.
the Big Four won out by vote of
II to 8 when the all-powerful Rules
Committee approved a decision to
rotate the conference chairmanship.
Meanwhile, Greece demanded
slices of Bulgarian and Albanian
territory and served notice on the
peace conference that she expects
reparations for the material dam
age inflicted upon the country" by
Italy and other invaders.
Halls Byrnes' Promise.
Mr.. Spaak, in a bitter attack on
the big powers, said:
THE great powers meet together
among themselves They prepare
treaties without consulting us; they
attempt to impose upon us rules
Of voting which, in practice, pre-
vent us from securing acceptance
for our points of view; they place
us before the painful dilemma of
accepting-some times against our
own judgment-what they have
drawn up or else destroying an
agreement that has been achieved
only with difficulty, and then, fin
ally, having thus handicapped us.
they ask us to make them few
recommendations"
The Belgian. however, hailed as
the most important" declaration of
the conference Secretary of State
Byrnes' promise ito sustain those
recommendation made by two
thirds Majority"
IF the other big powers, in addi-
ton to their promises of free and
complete discussion, are willing to
accept similar engagement, it
seems to me the atmosphere would
suddenly clear and that our work
here would get under way in happy
circumstances" Mr.. Spaak said.
Seeking Best Formula"
1.-THE big powers must not be sus-
picious of us. We are not here seek
ing to impose measures or opinions
but to find the best formula for .
just and stable peace"
The peace of the world, he de-
clared, depended on "a good under
standing between the great powers
and it is the duty of all to contribute
toward this understanding"
The Russians have insisted on the
two-thirds rule. Three days ago
Mr.. Byrnes said he would support
it. DR.. Herbert v. Evatt. Australian
Minister of External Affairs and
champion of the small nations, be-
came the spearhead of opposition,
favoring a simple majority.
The Greek demands were pre-
sented by Constantine Tsaldaris,
Prime Minister and chief of the
Greek delegation. They came less
than "a hours after Ethiopia asked
the 21-nation peace-drafting body
to award her Italy's East African
colonies of Eritrea and Somaliland.
Mr.. Tsaldris also called on the
conference to ratify the decision
of the four power Foreign Minis
ters Council restoring the former.
ly Italian-owned Dodecanese Is
lands to Greece.
Doubts Trieste Reopening.
The new territorial claims against
Hitler's former Southeast European
empire highlighted today's activi-
ties which included these Develop
ments:
l. A British spokesman, declaring
that a united front was expected
by the Big -Four on all matters Of
agreement in the five treaty drafts,
expressed the opinion there would
be no reopening of the Trieste set
tlement despite outspoken criticism
by the Yugoslav peace delegation.
2. Britain announced she would
join the United States in unqualified
support of the agreed portions of
all texts of treaties, but made it clear
she would maintain freedom to press
for her own views on those sections
on which no agreement was reached.
3. In an effort to determine fu-
ture British policy regarding dis
puted sections of the five treaty
drafts. Prime Minister Attlee pre-
pared to fly today to London for
talks with his ailing Foreign Secre-.
tary, Ernest Bevin.
4. The Canadian delegation dis
closed it would closely question"
the award of $1,000 100000 in rep
arations to Russia and would ask
for complete review of the situa-
ton. Australia previously had in
dicated she would make similar
move.
Presenting Greek territorial de-
mands against Bulgaria and Al