Evening star., 1946-05-21

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approve it until the other territorial
dispositions could be agreed upon.
Differ on Frontier.
The experts appointed to investi-
gate the Italian n-Yugoslav frontier
did not differ as to the facts. But
the Soviet representative differs
from the other members of the
Council as to the conclusions to be
drawn from the facts. 1t is his posi-
. ton that Venezia Giulia must be
: treated as an inseparable whole. anc
that so treated the claim of Yugo-
Slavla to the area is superior to thai
OF Italy. The other representatives
believe that wise craftsmanship as
we'll as the explicit decision taker
: by the Council at London requires
: a boundary line which will in the
main be an ethnic line leaving a
: minimum of people under alien rule
1t was wrong to give Italy the
: whole of Venezia Giulia after World
War I. 1t would be equally wrong
to give Yugoslavia the whole OF
; Venezia Giulia now. 1t would trans
fer from Italy to Yugoslavia approx
lmately 100000 Italians.
The British and French experts
proposed ethnic lines more favorable
to YugoSlavia than our own. In an
effort to reach agreement we stated
we were willing to accept the Brit
ish or French line or any other
of hnfP limo fhof Lo i
upon the basis of the London de-
ciSion.
The American delegation suggested
a pleblscite for the area between the
line proposed by the United States
and the line proposed by the Soviet
Unlon-but the Soviet delegation
would not consider plebiscite ex-
cept for the whole Venezia Giulia
area. All of us are agreed that
i 4ugoslavia and the countries of Gen.
tral Europe which have for years
used the port of Trieste shall have
free access to Trieste, at which there
shall be a free port under interna-
tlonal control. But we will continue
to appeal to the Soviet government
and the Yugoslav government not to
press for boundary line which will
needlessly violate ethnic principles
and will breed trouble in the future
Balkan Agreement Blocked.
/ Agreement on the Balkan treaties
is blocked principally by the inabil-
lty OF the Council to agree upon
the economic clauses. Agreement
on these provisions may have been
delayed as part of a bargaining
process, although so far the Soviet
government has stood out against
the inclusion in the treaties of anv
provision which would promise free
dom of commerce on the Danube
the gateway to Central Europe.
If the Soviet government is op-
posed, as the United States Gov
ernment is opposed, to the forma-
tlon OF exclusive political and eco
nomic blocs. they will not persist
III their refusal to permit the coun-
tries of Central and Eastern Eu-
rope to open their gates to the COM
merce of all nations.
1t is regrettable that our out
standing differences on the treaties
could not have been adjusted at our
recent meeting in Paris. A short re-
cess to allow calm re-eXamination
OF our respective positions should
expedite agreement when we recon-
Vene. But when a world short of
goods and short of food is CRYING
Tor the return of conditions of peace
we cannot Indefinitely delay the
making of peace and the withdrawal
of troops from occupied areas. The
four Allied governments cannot in
definitely delay the making of peace
WIN countries which they have
long ceased to fight, simply because
they cannot agree among them
selves on peace terms. The Council
OF Foreign Ministers was formed to
facilitate and not obstruct the max
ing of peace.
1t was for that reason that the
american delegation proposed that
the Council at it's next meeting on
June 10 should conclude as far as
possible its work on the proposed
drafts, but that the date for the
peace conference should be def
nltely fixed for July l or July Is
ard invitations should be issued at
once.
To Renew Demand.
1t was our view that the Council
had taken sufficient time to trv tn
narrow their differences and at this
stage, with the principal issues de-
nned, We should not deny to our
other war partners their right to
participate. The making of peace is
not the exclusive prerogative of any
four governments.
The Soviet delegation insisted
that invitations for the conference
could not be sent until we had re-
convened and agreed on all funda
mental questions. Unanimous agree
ment was necessary and we were
forced, therefore, to recess without
agreement for the actual calling of
the peace conference.
While the American delegation
Will, when the Council reconvenes
make every effort to reach agree
ment on fundamental questions it
Will renew its demand for the call
ing of a peace conference on july
or July Is.
II we cannot have a Peace Con-
ference until the four nations agree
on every subject deemed funda-
mental by any one of them, that
will give to one member of the
Council the power to stop all efforts
toward peace. 1t would be bette,
for the Council to submit to the
Peace Conference single draft OF
each treaty and to set forth in this
, draft both the matters on which
agreement had been reached anc
, those on which agreement had not
been reached. This would permi'
, free discussion in the Peace Con-
!, ference by all the nations that die
, the fighting. and world opinion will
then point the way to a final settle.
, ment
Expects Conference This Summer.
S If a Peace Conference is not called
r this summer, the United States will
feel obliged to request the Genera