The Wilmington morning star., 1946-07-09
Bidault, Peacemaker
By ANNE o'HARE MCCORMICK

Paris, again stalled as this is written on the
question OF the peace conference, is the emerg-
ence OF M. Bldault as the fixer and go-between en-.
the peacemaker among the peacemakers. Two
years ago he fluent, supple, incurably boyish
little man who is now President and Foreign
Minister Of France was unknown excent in the
french Underground. From his hiding place
In a Paris attic he moved into the Quai d. Orsay.
more surprised than any one, and frankly
elated. to find himself there.
When he came in, there were shell holes in
the history-haunted, gray pile on the banks
OF the Seine and fire Quilted the rear buildings
on the Rue de Lille. These were among the
few scars of the first and last battle of Paris,
fought as the Germans retreated. Inside, the
Ministry looked furnished, dusty, a little crest
fallen, as If the old and empty rooms. since
regllded and restored to their familiar splen-
dor were aware that it would be a long time
oe1ore oe1erentlal statesmen waited in the ante
chambers again to inquire about the foreign
policy of France.
At the time of the liberation. the French
were fumbling for a foreign policy. They were
sldetracked at San Francisco, rebuffed by the
Russians at the first Foreign Minister'S con-
ference in London, blamed in the Allied Coun-
ell In Germany for non-cooperation in carry
ing out the "Potsdam" directives. But at last
unlike China at this moment-they are mem
bers OF the club. In the two Paris conferences
the Russians recognized their right to p%artici-
pate in decisions. And now M. Bidault has re-
hearsed with success the role France aspires
to play in the peace.
AS history teacher, political journalist and
resistance leader, he knows a lot about the
background and foreground Of the peace prob.
lens. To that extent he is better trained for
his job than the Ministers he sits with in the
highest council of the world. He is the ~intellec-
tual among politicians, the continental among
'outslders,' so French in his darling mind and
gestures that though he talks less than the
others, and with a touch of lightness that makes
even the fast-thinking and adroit Mr.. Byrnes
seem a DIT heavy, he brings the mentality of
France into the debate. And while France.
rather narrowly and short-sightedly as a can
dldate Tor European leadership, he brings in
Europe, too, mostly because his colleagues an.
pear SO un-European by comparison.
In this meeting the French Foreign Minister
brought forth the compromise which solved
the councils knottiest problem. The French
proposal on Trieste is said to nave been inspir-
ed by the Russians. Certainly it was discussed
with them by Bidault before presentation-an
indication that they were as anxious for a
way out OF the impasse IS the British and
Americans. AS a solution it will not solve: its
acceptance as a permanent arrangement, in.
credible after the experience of Danzig. creates
a permanent sore spot, and therefore it will
come back to plague France, and probably
all OF Europe, in the future.
In the present, however, it gave the French
a convicted opportunity to act as mediator be.
tween Russia and the Western Powers. 1t is
easy to understand why they want this role.
First, they consider it the one best suited to
their lesser strength among the Four-and.
they sometimes imply, to taeir greater intelli-
gence. Second, they are anxious to play as
close as possible to Russia for the sake of
internal peace and because they are working
nara to WIN Soviet support for their plan for
western erman They were probably think
ing OF this in offering the plan for Trieste. This
was obviously improvised; it shows as little
study OF the relationship Of the autonomous
area 10 the surrounding country as the French
denarcatlon line takes account of the ethic.
commercial and arterial life lines it slashes
through While it is not to be supposed that
the plan Tor Germany is as frivolously drawn
up, the Trieste solution is rather like a rough.
small-scale sketch Of the French project for the
Ruhr.
Third, the French are desperately concerned
to prevent a break that would split France in
two, split Europe and jeopardize the hope of
peace. In this they undoubtedly express the
deepest anxiety of most of the European neo-
pies. Europe sees clearly enough that Rus.
STA comes out best in the first settlement i,
western Europe. Without conceding anv of her
claims to draw boundaries. fix PREPARATIONS and
install friendly Governments in eastern Eu.
rope, in Italy she has pushed the United States
and Britain to recede from their positions on
every important point. Europeans will draw
their own conclusions from this exhibit.
1t will weaken Western influence; nevertheless.
a bad solution made in agreement will seem
a lesser evil to all concerned-even to Italy
than the appalling alternative of an unbre ak
able deadlock within the Great Powers coun-
ellis.
But this is 70 reason why the United States,
which commands unequaled power and has an
uaequaled stake in peace, should not work
without ceasing and with all its strength to &C
ch1eve good solutions-solutions we can stand
on and peace can rest on. For agreement
alone. while an achievement in itself in present
circumstances, will not make it stick, since if
cannot count indefinitely on the support needed
to enforce it-New York Times.
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