Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-03-19

does not mean
that he will be
any less patient AhA H. A'n'
or more belligerent than Mr..
Byrnes, Mr.. Baruch and others. II
does not mean that he will be more
demanding than they, more easily
exasperated or more quickly ex-
ha1sted. It does mean that, like
any intelligent man, he Is bound
to consider situations in the light
of the experience Of those who have
preceded him.
Since the war ended, the present
Secretary Of State has seen con-
ference after conference prolonged
beyond all reasonable length-and
end in very little. Just before he
left Washington last week, there
occurred the most convincing OF all
demonstrations Of the utter futility
of comforting after all the argyll
ments have been made, met and
answered; after the positions have
been explained and expounded;
after every reasonable compromise
has been offered and every possible
concession, short Of full surrender
of principle and abandonment of
the national dignity and honor, has
been made.
Gromyko Attack Recalled.
This was the attack Of Mr. Gro
myko, Soviet representative in the
Security Council, on the American
atomic energy plan. After nearly
year of patient and untiring effort,
during which the Russians had
proved tmpervious to every Ameri-
can argument and had repulsed
every attempt to move them toward
agreement on anything, 1t was not
expected that Mr.. Gromyko would
accept our plan.
But the violence Of his attack not
only on the veto proposal, as put
forward by the Baruch Committee,
but upon the whole idea, as based
on vicious premises; his intima-
ton that the Acheson-Lilienthal re-
port itself was Objectionable, and
his sarcastic allegations that the
United States was seeking to inter-
vene in the internal affairs Of
other nations could hardly fail to
depress every thoughtful man
anxious to secure the sympathetic
cooperation of Russia in the
struggle toward permanent peace
for a troubled world.
IT, &c raooopi1ad tbo+ Mr. cror,uLo
is not a free agent, is allowed no
individual initiative as representa-
tive of his country to negotiate or to
speak. Therefore, when he made an
address such as this, no one ques-
toned that he had implicit instruc-
lions from the heads of his govern
ment. Mr.. Gromyko is not a policy
maker; he is a mouthpiece. This
speech was indisputable evidence
that after long months of negoti-
alton and effort we not only have not
advanced an inch but actually have
not held our own. We are now
just a little behind the spot from
(which we started.
The Acheson-Lilienthal report
might Just as well not have been
written; the Baruch committee
might just as well not have existed;
Senator Austin might just as well
have stayed in the Senate-for all
the progress We have made toward
getting the Russians to cooperate
in any effective way for interna-
tional control of atomic energy In
the interests of peace. A vast
amount of time, labor and patience
has been wasted. We have gotten
nowhere, though we have tried with
an earnestness, sincerity and I'M
selfshness that should have allayed
suspicion and dispelled distrust in
those of understanding and good
will.
Experience Cited.
With this experience so recently
recorded, it would seem stupid to
hold prolonged conference in Mos
COW without definite assurance of
real progress toward agreement on
fundamentals. Also, it would seem
that unless agreement in principle
Is reached after a month of daily
contacts and negotiations, it would
not be reached in two months or
more, and that a prolonged confer
ence will result merely in repeti-
ton of the atomic energy negotia-
tions in New York. Nobody wants
that. If and when futility OF further
argument has become clear, there
is no sense in Gen. Marshall wasting
further time and energy.
OF course, 1t is hoped that point
will not be reached in this confer
ence; but once he has convinced
himself that there is no reasonable
chance for agreement and that no
self-respecting concession or COM
promise is possible, what the country
would approve, it is contended, is for
our Secretary of State, in effect, to
say: We'll. gentlemen, after a full
month without progress, and with no
prospect of progress, we are with
drawing and going back to Washing
ton. We will carry on from there;
do the best we can. Goodby." And
then come home. This, it is thought