Evening star., 1946-09-08
Wranggling Farley Finds
No Formula for Real Peace
Effort to Cultivate World Opinion by Campaign
to Obtain Open Debate of Real Issues
So Far Fails
So Far Fails
By Nelcbold Moves. Jr.

doing so with the full support and In
TACT, cooperation of the Soviet Union
This pessimistic view of the conference
it will be understood, bears no relation
to the short-range question of whether
the conference is finally getting on with
Its business" whether the treaties are
gradually being put into shape, or
whether the great powers are succeeding
in making deals on outstanding uues-
tons. There has, of course, been con-
siderable optimism along this line of
late, although more cautious observers
feel 1t is too early to know as the
delegates are only just beginning to get
their teeth into some of the real bones
of contention.
But what has been attempted here is
rough approximation of the kind of
assessment history will make of the
way in which this business was accom-
plished, these treaties shaped and these
deals made.
Wanted Voice for Small States.
! 1t does not seem unfair to sum it lin
at this stage by saying that the con-
ference of Paris doubtless is working out
exactly as it had to work out in sequel
to the developments and decisions which
| preceded it, but that in so doing the
conference not only has looked worse
than 1t was expected to look but has
also made the developments and events
which preceded it look worse than thev
had been thought to be-
Ii this is So We may fairly ask our
selves what Secretary of State Bvrnes
who fought tooth and nail all winter
and spring to bring this gathering to-
gether. hoped to accomplish when he
came to Paris
one answer is obvious. Like all Amer
leans, Mr.. Byrnes had bad conscience
about the exclusive role being played
oy the great powers in attempting to
settle the worlds future. He therefore
felt that they had the obligation. even
while retaining ultimate control, at
least to give the small states a chance
to be heard, to say their say, to make
their criticisms for all to hear.
Clearly this is being accomplished.
Equally clearly it is not enough. and
Mr.. Byrnes must have wanted more
than this. Merely to allow the small
powers to talk against immutable deci-
sions already taken would have served
no purpose but to add diplomatic insult
to injury.
Therefore, in the second place. Mr.
Byrnes hoped to gain strong support at
the conference for the United States
position on questions left unsettled at
the meeting of the four Foreign Minis
ters this spring, questions including
that of freedom of trade and naviga-
ton along the Danube River and that
of the form of international admins
tration to be established for the pro-
posed free territory of Trieste. A heavy
expression OF world opinion, he felt.
would influence the Russians when the
Foreign Ministers sit down again to put
into final form the hitherto unagreed
articles OF the five satellite treaties.
Outcome of Farley Uncertain.
1t Is in connection with this hope that
the conference cannot yet be said to be
either success or failure. No one yet
knows how this gathering will vote on
the vital unagreed issues But the only
kind of strong support" which will help
Mr.. Byrnes much is vote for his view
by two-thirds of the delegations, and on
the face OF it two-thirds majority of
the 81 nations represented here will be
extremely difficult to muster regarding
any question on which Russia disagrees
with the other three great powers. For
the Russian bloc constitutes an assured
six votes and the votes of such countries
as Norway, France, Belgium and Ethi-
opia are unpredictable All Russia needs
is two of these unpredictabIes.
And even supposing that Mr. Byrnes
gets his two-thirds vote, there is ne
assurance that Russia will attach to
that expression Of world opinion the
Importance which the American Secre-
tary of State has said he will attach to it.
In the final analysis, it seems probable
that the biggest thing Mr.. Byrnes hoped
to accomplish at Paris was a deep and
healthy cultivation of world opinion
through free debate on the issues ait
stake in the peace settlement.