Evening star., 1946-08-06
BY The kasceio:ad Press


PARIS, Aug. 6.-Russian and
Western ideas collided headon at
the Peace Conference today,
begging down the Rules Com
mittee in a web of pfocedural
disputes.
Secretary of State Byrnes accused
Russia of attempting to dictate to
the conference through the Council
of four leading Foreign Ministers
and Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov
replied that the Big -Four was an
American idea. He accepted Mr.
Byrnes' challenges to have the
Americans remarks published in
Russian newspapers amid charges
and countercharges of inconsistency
The committee voted IL to s to
proceed to vote on various pro-
poSals concerning the majority that
will be required in the full peace
conference Immediately Mr. Molo-
tov declared that the amendments
establishing conference voting pro-
cedure were matters requiring a
two-thirds ma jority for adoption in
committee.
Paul-Henri Spaak of Belgium,
Rules Committee chairman, pleaded
for an agreement to permit the
conference to start on it's main task
Byrnes Cites Councils Rules.
Mr.. Byrnes, debating again with
Mr.. Molotov, declared he was really
surprised" by the Russians attitude
He drew attention to a section of
the proeedural rules drafted by the
Council of Foreign Ministers of the
United States, Great Britain, Rus
sia and France which said that
procedure" questions would be de-
cided by simple majority.
A Czechoslovak proposal to ap-
point subcommittee to study pro-
posals for voting procedure was
beaten, IL to 8. Voting for the pro-
posal were White Russia, France,
Norway. Poland, CzechoSlovakia,
the Ukraine, Russia and Yugoslavia.
Against it were the United States,
United Kingdom, Australia, Bel
gium, Brazil, Canada, Greece, India,
the Netherlands, New Zealand and
South Africa
Mr.. Molotov then asked that a.
tWo-thirds majority be required In
the committee for adoption of any
proposal on voting procedure.
Secretary Byrnes Immediately
pointed out that the procedure sug-
gested by the Foreign Ministers
Council called for simple major
ity vote on proceduraI matters and
said, II am really surprised that the
representative of the Soviet Union
has suggested this"
Procedure Held Established.
Hector Mcneil, British Foreign
Undersecretary, commented after
Mr.. Byrnes sat down:
Il submit that this conference al
ready has decided on the procedure
and Mr.. Molotov was a partner to
that procedure. I suggest this
amounts to vote of confidence in
the chair"
The Ukrainian and Yugoslav dele
cations Immediately expressed their
support of Mr. Molotov's proposal.
The Yugoslav delegate asserted that
the thirds majority rule was
accepted international practice"
Mr.. Molotov took the floor again
and said:
Mr.. Byrnes has to some extent
lost the right to reply upon the draft
proposal submitted by the foreign
ministers in view of the fact he was
the first to oppose it"
He denied the Mcneil statement
that he was partner to the proce-
dure adopted for the conference and
asserted that neither he nor any
member of the Russian delegation
was ever a party to such deci-
sion"
Byrnes Challenges M0lotov.
Mr.. Byrnes, replying to the Rus
SLAMS charges of inconsistency, read
copiously from 'the record" and
challenged MIR. Molotov to see that
the American delegates remarks
were published in the Soviet Union.
Mr.. Molotov repeated his charges
Of inconsistency. He said Mr.. Byrnes
was speaking lin a serious and
angry tone"
He accepted Mr.. Byrnes' challenge
to have the Secretary of States
remarks published in the Russian
press.
Interrupting debate in the Rules
Committee on the hotly argued two
thirds rule, Mr.. Byrnes declared:
In the United States we have
a free press. Therefore the Soviet
representative can be sure his attack
against me has been published in
the United States. / challenge him
to see that my following statement
is also published in the press oil
the Soviet Union"
Molotov Six Seats Away.
Mr. Molotoy's interpreter, N. v
Pavlov. followed the secretary's ad-
dress closely, leaning toward the
speaker and straining to hear, then
bending over Mr. Molotov at inter-
walls to whisper snatches of the
address.
Mr.. Molotov, seated only six seats
away from Mr.. Byrnes. scarcely
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