Evening star., 1946-05-16
u. 5. Plan 10 Survey
All Of Reich for Arms
Accepted by Russians
BY the Associated Press

1AAeA0, way 1U.-4 11c 1OuI -
power Foreign Ministers Council
spent three hours in almost
fruitlesS discussion of Germany
today and prepared to adjourn
later in the evening until June
Is, when they again will attack
the unsettled problems of peace.
Soviet Foreign Minister v. M.
Molotov agreed to an American pro-
posal to send four-power commits
sion to all four zones of Germany to
investigate the state of German
disarmament. an American in
formant said.
But this proposal was made by
) Secretary of State Byrnes several
days ago to counter a Soviet objec-
tion to Mr.. Byrnes' offer of a 25-
year four-poWer mutual assistance
pact TO guarantee the continued dis
armament of Germany. At that time
MIR. Molotov had objected that Ger
many's present state of disarma-
ment should be studied before such
pact was considered, and Mr..
Byrnes had proposed the commits
sion.
Today British Foreign Secretary
Bevin finally registered London's
approval of the pact proposal, and
said Prime Minister Attlee would
make a statement in the House of
Commons in London on the question
later Ia the day. France already has
accepted the proposal.
Wants Data on Ruhr.
But Mr.. Molotov's attitude toward
the pact remained unchanged. An
American source said he declared
there was no hurry about such
pact, since it would not take effect
until after the occupying armies
had withdrawn from Germany.
The Russian minister was said to
have repeated his statement of yes
terday that Russia wanted to know
what was going on in the Ruhr. He
said he had heard of a scheme to
nationalize the Ruhr coal mines.
Mr.. Molotov also asked Mr.. Byrnes
what connection there was between
the proposed 25-year past and the
Secretary of States proposal for
peace conference on Germany No.
vember u. He asked if the plan for
a peace conference was. designed to
change the Potsdam agreement on
Germany. Mr. Byrnes replied there
was no question of changing the
Potsdam agreement, but that he
merely wanted the Allies to agree on
general long-range goals in Ger
many.
Mr.. Byrnes. described by his as
soclates as deeply discouraged by
the failure of the conferees to reach
any basic agreement during three
weeks of negotiations, was said to be
convinced there was no other course
except continued effort to compro-
mise the differences which have
split the western powers and Russia.
The ministers last night approved
Mr.. Byrnes' suggestion that the
council adjourn until June Is and
the conferees were ready to recess
as soon as discussion of the German
question is finished.
In recessing, the foreign ministers
will leave unsettled the same prob
lens which impelled their current
session-the question of Austria,
which the Russians fatty refused
even to discuss; Trieste, which Brit
ain and the United States insist
must go to Italy while the Russians
insist it must go to Yugoslavia;
freedom of navigation on the Dam
ube, which the Russians refuse to
write into the Balkan peace treaties;
and international freedom of COM
merce with Romania, Bulgaria and
Hungary.
In the interim period from now
until June Is the foreign ministers
will leave their deputies in session
In Paris to work on these problems,
and others, in an effort to narrow
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