Evening star., 1946-10-20

tIOnS or oOm eDOOy Muy
Ipeace-loving peoples" I join that
prayer. In the same connection ]
also quote the final, significant SEN
tence in recent, metropolitan edi-
torial: IF Russia is willing to honor
in victory what she signed when ir
need of help. the division which
Mr.. Molotov deplores will disappear
overnight" We must be sure We
too. are as faithful to every commit
ment we have made.
Cushing-Let's pursue that SUBJ
ject, Senator. Are not these five
present treaties only on the rim OF
our problem? Are not Germany and
Austria the paramount concern?
Vandenberg-Absolutely yes. The
German and Austrian treaties will be
the key to postwar Europe. We have
been pressing for start upon these
treaties for many months. regret
to say there is still no agreement
with the Soviets regarding Austria
But there is agreement that the
German discussions shall start in
November. That, again, is at least
some progress.
Viewpoint On Germany.
Cushing-Could you state. in a few
words, Senator, what our own Ger
man program is?
Vandenberg-The German eco
nomic situation has seriously dete-
riorated because Germany is ad-
ministered in four air-tight zones
of military occupation, instead of
as an economic unit" as required
by the Potsdam Agreement. The
French and the Russians thus far
have made the latter impossible
But, declining to be stymied, we
have now made an economic unit
of the British and American zones.
The French and the Russians are
welcome to join when they please.
Meanwhile, we move ahead. These
new, central, economic controls are
indispensable not only to save Ger
many from early economic tragedy,
but also to relieve our own respon-
sibilities, and, above all, to stabilize
Europe.
Cushing-You speak of economic
power, Senator How about central
lied political power?
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., first, that
we all relentlessly insist that Ger
many shall be permanently de-
militarized and denazified-and we
are doing exactly that in the Amer
lean zone. But, within this rigid
limitation, the German people must
be given some general pattern for
their own self-governing future as
a goal toward which their demo-
cratic good conduct may aspire. We
have ably started this process in the
three great German states in the
American zone-and it is a promis-
ing success. We propose to expand
this pattern of federalism-always
making the central government the
servant and not the master OF the
states. No man has had more to do
with this program than Prof. James
K. Pollock of the University of
Michigan, who has just returned
from long service as political adviser
to our Ger. Clay in Germany. I
am proud to testify to the great job
ne has dofae in behalf of American
ideals. -
Would free Austria of Troops.
Cushing-And what about Austria,
Senator?
Vandenberg-Austria has long de-
served a final treaty which will per-
NIT the withdrawal of our army OF
occupation, and the much larger
Red army of occupation; and thus
will end the convenient argument
that other Red armies are necessary
in other countries to protect lines
of communication" I regret there
Ills no present progress in this dlrec-
ton, despite every American pres
sure.
Cushing - Well, Senator, this
brings us to the inevitable question
What about Russia?
Vandenberg-The Soviet Union OF
Socialist Republics is great nation
and a great people Wsth whom we
have an historic friendship which
must be maintained. There is little
doubt that true peace does finally
depend upon a "live and let live
accommodation between their east
ern communism and our western
democracy. I agree with Marsha
Stain that this is possible. But
say again and again that this is not
possible on one-way street. I woulc
have America do everything, con-
sistent with her honor. her security
and her ideals, to deserve this CO.
operation and to allay any reason
able Russian grounds for fear, sus-
picion and distrust.
I think we are doing this today
despite the astonishing and otter
subyersive contentious of some o1
our own American critics to the con.
trary.
Wants Russia to Reciprocate.
But the Soviet Union must fully
reciprocate in kind. They are fal
from doing so today. need but re-
fer, among other things, to the cam.
paigns of reckless villification which
flow constantly from Moscow. neee
but refer to the fact that in all thest
long and strenuous arguments II
Paris, I have never heard an Amerl'
can challenge to Russian motives
but have heard American motives
truculently impugned by officia
spokesman for Russia and her as
sociated Slav powers, time and tims
again. At one point in the debates
I was forced to say: America de-
clines to plead as defendant among