Evening star., 1946-07-16
Text of Byrnes Report on Paris Farley

|
! on which we were unable to reach
final agreement. AS the Soviet
delegation took the position that
they would not agree to the calling
of the peace conference until the
four governments had harmonized
their views on fundamental ques-
tions, we assume that the Soviets
do not regard these issues as funda-
mental and will accept the de-
cisions of the peace conference.
l admit that prior to our meet
ing in April l had little hope we
would ever reach agreement. After
our April meeting had less hope
Now the prospect for peace treaties
with five countries is bright. Ninety
days after ratification of those
treaties, occupation armies must be
withdrawn except where they pro-
tect line of communications
Then the people of the occupied
states can live and breathe as free
people. Truly we are on the road
UdCh W pcdCc.
I have no desire to conceal from
the American people the great
struggle and tremendous difficulties
the four governments had in har-
monizing their views to the ex-
tent they did on these treaties. In
the long run we shall have much
better chance 10 work out our prob
lens if we and our allies recognize
the basic differences in our ideas,
standards and methods instead of
trying to make ourselves believe
that they do not exist Or that they
are less important than they really
are.
No Progress on Germany.
While the Council made real prog
ress toward peace with Italy and
the ex-satellite states, 1t made no
progress at all on the German and
Austrian questions. Perhaps the
time taken in discussion was not
wholly lost, because our experience
suggests that understandings. par
ticularly with our Soviet friends,
cannot be reached until we have
gone through rounds of verbal COM
bat. in which old complaints are re-
peated, past positions reafflrmed,
differences accentuated and crises
provoked.
I am ready to believe it is difficult
for them to understand us, just as
it Is difficult for us to understand
them. But I sometimes think our
Soviet friends fear we would think
them weak and soft if they agreed
without a struggle on anything we
wanted, even though they wanted
1t, too. Constant struggle, however,
is not always helpful in a world
longing for peace.
The Soviets started the German
discussion with proposed state
ment on the draft treaty we had
proposed to guarantee the continued
/ demllltarization and disarmament
OF Germany for at least quarter
OF a century. The Soviet statement
reveals how hard pressed the Soviets
were to flnd real objection to treaty
which gives them the assurance that
Germany should never again be-
come a threat to their security or 10
the security of Europe.
Raise Doubts, Suspicious.
/ I do not believe that the Soviets
fully realize the doubts and suspi-
cions which they have raised in the
minds of those in other countries
who want to be their friends by the
aloofness, GOODNESS and hostility with
which they have received America s
offer to guarantee Jointly the con-
tinued disarmament Of Germany.
Had America been a party to such
a guarantee after World War I
World War II would never have
occurred, and the Soviet Union
would never have been attacked and
devastated.
Is German militarism going to be
used as pawn in a struggle be-
tween the East and the West and
Is German militarism again to be
given the chance to divide and
conquer?
To that question there must be
an unequivocal answer. for euuivoca
| tlon will increase unbearably the
tensions and strains which men of
good will everywhere are striving to
relieve.
The Soviets stated that our pro-
posed treaty was inadequate; that
It did not assure the denazification
and characterization of Germany
that 1t did not assure them repara
tions. But these are political mat
ters which are already dealt with in
the Potsdam agreement.
Continues Disarmament.
our military agreement of June S.
l945, provided for the prompt dis
armament Of armed forces and
demllltarlzation of war plants. Bv
our 25-year treaty we propose that
when Germany is once disarmed. we
shall see that she STAYS disarmed
we cannot understand Soviet op-
position, especially as Generalissimo
Stain on last December "a agreed
with me in principle on this subject
The Soviet representative stated
he had reports that in the British
Zone the disarming of military
forces was not being carried out
The British representative stated he
mad reports that in the Soviet Zone
German war plants were being
operated
We asked that the Control Com
mission investigate the accuracy of
both reports. The British and the
French agreed. But the Soviet gov
eminent would not agree to the
investigation unless we limited IL to
the disarmament of armed forces.
I certainly made clear in our
earlier meeting in Paris that the
proposed guaranty of German de-
mllltarlzation was only a part of
the German settlement. I proposed
then and I proposed again at our
recent meeting that deputies be
appointed to start work on the
whole settlement which the Allies
expect the Germans to accept. The
s VASES IN 5
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