The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-09-18
ByFnes Mum On Wallace 
 Expects American
 Public Opinion
 To Support Him

To Support Him Paris, Sept. 18.-(UP)-Secretary of State James F. Byrues remained si- lent on the Wallace falrore today, counting on American public opin- ion to support him in the intensity ing Soviet American diplomatic wrangle.
 Byrnes held staunctly to his keep mum" policy in the intra- Administration foreign policy fight, although the argument has serious ly compromised his Peace Confer ence position.
 He has talked to nobody, not even President Truman, about Secretary of Commerce Henry A. Wallace's let ter released yesterday urging a soft CT policy toward Russia.
 Confers With Alexander
 Michael McDerrrott of the State Department, Byrnes' spokesman, said tllat at Il A. M., 6 A. M, EDT) Byrnes had not communicated in any way, directly or indirectly, with Mir. Truman since the Wallace con- troversy broke last Thursday.
 A. V. Alexander, First Lord of the Brdtish Admiralty and leader of the British delegation, conferred with Byrnes tf1as morning at Byrnes' s1o- tel.
 Disclosure of the Wallace letter to MT. Truman injected new confusion into the Peace Conference just as the American delegation believed the firSt impact of Wallace's speech last week was dying down. American del egahes looked at today's committee sessions for indications of the effects the new development would have on the Soviet and other conference del- egations.
 Delegates focused great interest on the Truman Wallace meeting in Washington late today, hoping for a clartf1cation of the situation.
 Two Issues Unsettled
 A severe rift between the United States and Russian peace delegations has arisen over two chief issues American irlSiStence that the Bull gar1an side of the Greek Bulgarian frontier should be demilitarized. and the administration of Trieste.
 Many Of the American delegation felt Secretary of State James F. Byrues' stand was badly compro- miSed by official publication of Wal laces July letter to President Tr1l- man urging more conciliatory att taullde toward Russia in the Balkans and elsewhere.
 The Bulgarian Greek frontier battle was still bottled up in the biz four deputies committee, but was due for a public airfing before the due for a. public airing before the sion.
 Russia and her supporters are vg- orously supporting Bulgarian claims for part of Western Thrace from Greece, which in turn wants from tier revision in her own favor. Dur ing the war Greece was on the AL lied side, Bulgaria an Axis satellite.
 Byrnes was understood to have tn- formed Greek Prime Minister Con- stantine TSldards several days ago that the United States would not support the Greek claim for Bulgar- ian territory. He did say, however, that the United States would SUD- port a Greek amendment for denil- itarization of the Bulgarian from tier.
 Trieste was understood to be the chief subject discussed by Byrrles and Alexander. There was mo ir1di- cation whether they talked about the Wallace affair.
 Byrnes was understood to have received from the United States very complete reports on public re- act1on toward the foreign policy controversy and was said to be con- Vinced that the overwhelming ma,- jortty of the public is on his side.
 Consults With Advisers
 Bynes was said to be consulting with Sens. Arthur H. Vandenbero. CR.-Mich0, and Tom Connally (D.-Tex), on the situation. Neither od the Senators had any immediate comment on the Wallace letter.
 Opinion in other delegations WAS that the United States position at the Peace Conference had been damaged by the controversy. How ever, the British delegation did not share thds view and held that no serious crisis was likely.
 :. However, in French Foreign Off, rice quarters the view was expressed that it certainly won't help the con- ference"
 The Russians can push their case without fear from the United States" one French official said Until Byrnes can enter the con ference chamber and make a strong statement the Russians will press their demands with more confi- dence."