The Wilmington morning star., 1946-05-25
Last Call
By ANNE o'HARE MCCORMICK

By ANNE O'HARE MCCORMICK
The picture Secretary Byrnes presents of
the Paris conference is no brighter than the
press reports. It proves that the published ac-
counts q the supposedly secret sessions in
the Luxembourg were pretty complete and
well informed. Mr.. Byrnes described the pro-
gress made toward peace in Paris as 'in.
flnltely greater than he expected when he
called the meeting. In that case he must have
gone to Paris expecting nothing, for the one
success of the Paris meeting, Judged by this
official report, is that 1t did not break down.
What comes out of it, according to Mr.. Bynres.
was a clearer appraisal Of fundamental points
OF conflict among the four Governments. q
narrowing of the differences or the Italian
~arrnlstlce terms. The last was virtually agreed
on before the meeting, so it can hardly be
counted among the constructive results Of the
parleys.
Mr.. Byrnes frankly admitted that no pro-
gress Whatever was made on the Balkan
treaties. The chief obstacle here is no longer
the demand Of the Western powers for free
elections and representative governments. The
dispute row centers on the economic clauses
dictated b. Russia's swift moves to control the
economy and insure a closed trade empire in
the territory she occupies. The Soviet Gov
eminent, said Mr.. Byrnes, has stood out
against the inclusion in the treaties Of anv
provision which would promise freedom Of
commerce on the Danube, the gateway tn
eastern Europe
The Secretary of State made no bones about
assessing the blame for lack of progress, The
report pointed the finger at the Soviet delega-
ton as the chief obstacle TO agreement. II
revealed that the four-poWer alliance to Leen
Germany disarmed was first proposed to Mr.
Molotov IN London last September "as %
means OF preventing any real threat to Soviet
security. Inc proposal was favorably receiv-
ed by Premier Stain in December and on
dorsed by Mr.. Bevin. When it was forma11v
presented to the Paris conference, however
MT. Molotov said it could not become effective
until alter a German treaty was signed, and
When Mr.. Byrnes then asked for the inme.
oFate appointment OF special deputies to pre-
pare the terms OF such Il treaty and also tn
report on pressing problems relating to tho
administration of Germany, the Russians re-
FUSED 10 act on the request without further
study. N-"e
Inc same reply was made to the plea for
eally cohsloeratlon OF a treaty with Austria
w. one VINO mas been IN eastern Europe can
question that the weight and cost Of va ct
occupation armies are crushing tn de.+b
nterally to death-the countries in which 4b.1
are CHARTERED Austria is the center of row.
lHuhlcaton lines for these forces and Mr.
oylneS main argument for an Austrian settle
mem, aside from the apparently forgotten fart
that in tWo declarations the Allies agreed 49,
austria should be regarded as a liberated
country not subject to reparations, is that
peace Win austria would remove the 'neces-
SHY or excuse for a single soldier on foreign
soil in Europe with the execution NJ Cerno.sn
ana a line of communication through Poland "
This leads to the persistent question - D..
sla S motives In maintaining enormous foroa.
IN stripped and helpless satellite colntries
""en heI heeo OF manpower for internal re-
construction must be very great. Thi, nro-
longdIon o. a state of war in noos4 ~ r.
rope does more than hold normal life in s1,s.
800 Ins ano paralyze recovery. Supposinp that
W. W. y IKE a systematic postponement of
Laan esuellents Is not a policy designed to
heep everything in flux while Russia innoses
her own independent solutions tbe on1, ethes
answer IS that the Soviet leaders either do
noI want peace or expect war.
II lnSt explanation reason refuses to ar
49, having ellmlnatd for a century any dan
sei o1 attack except the danger the ~victors
create for themselves, it is inconceivable that
any power should create, even by accident
'"e atmosphere and conditions that make for
war. Russian stalling and the f~ruitless con-
Ierences of the Big Powers are creating that
atmosphere. Worse, the nations of Europe are
bitterly aware that they are Indefinitely with
holding peace from the world, as Mr.. Byrnes
asserted, just because they cannot agree
among themselves.
The report eliminated in a threat. On the
premise that no nation can be permitted to
put a veto on peace, Mr.. Byrnes warned that
il a peace conference is not called this sum-
mer, the United States will feel obliged to re-
quest the General Assembly of the United Ma
lions to intervene. This threat, apparently sup
ported by Senators Vandenberg and Connally,
proves how desperate the situation is in the
eyes of the American delegation. 1t would re-
move the peace conference from Moscow, Lon
don, Paris and Washington to Flushing Mea-
dows. Even if the United Nations could bear
the burden thus thrust upon it, even II its de-
agreement, does anyone imagine that a con-
gress Of nations could move faster or more IN
Step than four or five? Yet somebody mas 10
make peace or we shall all likewise stu"aoie