Evening star., 1947-04-29


very heart of the peace for which
we are struggling. It dealt with
the vital center of Europe-Ger-
many and Austrian area OF
large and skilled population. OF
great resources and industrial
plants, an area which has twice
In recent times brought the world
to the brink of disaster.
In the Moscow negotiations all
the disagreements which were SC
evident during the conferences re-
garding the Italian and Balkan
treaties came into sharp focus and
remained in effect unsolved.
Problems which bear directly on
the future of our civilization can
not be disposed OF by general talk
or vague formulae-by what Lin
coin called "pernicious abstrac-
tions."
They require concrete solutions
for definite and extremely scompli-
Gated neutrality-suspicious. which
have to do with boundaries, with
power to prevent military aggres-
sion, with people who have bitter
memories, with the production and
control Of things which are essen
tial to the lives of millions OF
people.
Three Major Issues.
You have been kept well inform
ed by the press and radio of the
daily activities of the Council, and
much OF what 1 have to say may
seem repetitious. But the ex-
tremely complicated nature of the
three major issues we considered
makes it appear desirable for me
to report in some detail the prob
lens as saw them in my meetings
at the Conference table.
There was reasonable possibil.
ity, we had hoped a probability, Of
completing in Moscow a peace treaty
for Austria and a four-power pac,
to bind together our four govern.
ments to guarantee the demilitariza
ton of Germany. As for the Ger.
man peace treaty and related but
more current German problems, w
had hoped to reach agreement on 9
directive for the guidance of oul
deputies In their work preparatory
to the next conference.
In statement such as this, 1t /.
not practicable to discuss the ru.
merous issues which continued In
disagreemnt at the Conference. II
will suffice, I think, to call attention
to the fundamental problems whose
solution would probably lead to the
quick adjustment of many other
differences.
COAL.
1t is important to an understand
ing of the Conference that the COM
plex character of the problems
should be understood, together with
their immediate effect on the people
of Europe in the coming months
To cite a single example, more coal
is most urgently needed throughout
Europe for factories, for utilities
Tor railroads and for the people in
their homes.
More coal for Allied countries
be mined and delivered until
the damaged mines, mine machin-
cry. railroad communications and
like facilities are rehabilitated. This
rehabilitation, however, depends on
more steel, and more steel depends
IN turn on more coal for steel max
ing. Therefore, and this is the point
TO be kept in mind, while the neces-
sary rehabilitation is in progress
less coal would be available in the
immediate future for the neighbor-
ing Allied states.
But less coal means less employ-
ment for labor, and a consequent
delay in the production of goods for
export to bring money for the pur-
chase OF food and necessities. There
lore. the delay necessary to permit
rehabilitation of the mines so vitally
affects France that the settlement
OF this matter has become for her a
critical issue.
All neighboring states and Great
Britain and the Soviet Union are
directly affected in various vavs
since coal is required for German
production of goods for export suffi-
c1ent to enable her to buy the neces-
sary imports of foods, ct cetera. for
much OF which the United States
Is now providing the funds.
moreover, in the background of
This coal issue, which is directly
related to steel production, is the
important consideration Of the build
up OF heavy industry in Germany.
which could later again become a
threat to the peace of the world
cite this single example to illus
rate the complications which are
involved in these pegotiations.
GERMANY.
The Allied Control Council in
Berlin presented a detailed report
81 the many problems concerned
with the political, military, eco
1omic and financial situation under
The present military government of
Germany. In connection with these
matters, the Ministers considered
The form and scope of the pro-
visional political organization for
Germany, and the procedure to be
followed in the preparation of the
German peace treaty.
The German nepotia tiops ipyoIyad
not only the security of Europe
and the world, but the prosperity
Of all of Europe. While our mission
was to consider the terms of a
treaty to operate over a long term
u years. we were faced with imme-
slate issues which vitally concerned
The impoverished and suffering
people Of Europe who are crying
for help, for coal, for food and for
most of the necessities of life. and
the ma jority of whom are bitterly
disposed towards the Germany that
brought about this disastrous situa-
tion.
The issues also vitally concern the
people of Britain and the United
States who cannot continue to pour
out hundreds of millions of dollars
Tor Germany because current meas
ures were not being taken to termi-
nate expeditiously the necessity for
such appropriations.
The critical and fundamental
German problems tn which ehol1