Evening star., 1947-01-14
Stern Peace for Reich
Demanded BY Dufchas.
Deputies Begin Work
sy The Assoeiated pr.ss

erlandS demanded q stern peace
for Germany and moral recon-
struction" OF the German people, |
as the deputies OF the four power
Foreign Ministers convened to-
day to begin work on German
and Austrian treaties.
In a memorandum to the Deputies
Council, the Netherlands, one OF the
first western nations overrun by the
Nazi juggernaut, asked that the Ger
man people themselves be made to
pay the full costs OF occupation and
reconstruction. The. Dutch urged
strictest measures to insure Ger
many's denlilitarization and dis
armament.
The document called for decen-
tralized Germany and an interna-
tio1al regime to control industries
in the Ruhr and the Rhineland,
sources OF Germany's war potential.
Austria Asks to Be Heard.
AS the deputies convened for the
spadework preparatory to the March
meeting of the Foreign Ministers
Council in Moscow, Austria. calling
herself ''the first victim of Hitler's
aggression" formally asked to be
l.eard quickly and fully during dis
cussions Of the Austrian past. The
deputies are committed to make rec-
concentrations regarding re-estab-
lishment of Austria as an independ-
ent state.
Official Czechoslovak sources said
Czechoslovakia would ask that Ger
many pay her off in part by haul
ing her products on German rail-
ways without charge for number
of years and would ask uncontrolled
navigation for Czechosloyakia ships
on German stretches of the Danube.
The latter, If granted would give
Czechoslovakia, land-locked ma
ton, the advantages of maritime
country.
Eighteen nations have been in
vited to submit views on the two
treaties. For five weeks the depu-
ties will hear territorial and rep
arations claims against the two
nations and attempt to smooth out
four power differences over the
terms of the peace.
Drafts Reported Ready.
Britain and the United States
were reported to have the drafts Of
tentative treaties on Austria ready
for study by the Russian and
French deputies. Some informed
quarters expressed belief the United
States would waive reparations
claims against Austria in hope Of
aiding that nations tottering econ
omy, but the biggest question CEN
tered around Russia's demands.
Territorial claims against Ger
many by at least six Of her one
time victims posed an immediate
major problem for the deputies.
Faced with such diplomatic stum-
bling blocks as economic unification,
Russian repatriation demands and
French insiStence on the economic
absorption of the Saar, the depu-
ties we're expected merely to survey
peace proposals for Germany and
report to the Big -Four Foreign
Ministers in Moscow March 10.
'There are difficult angles, but
coming to terms on Austria should
be possible In a fairly short time"
high American source said.
Gen. Mark Clark, United States
Army commander in Austria, will
speak for the United States in the |
meetings on Austria, while Robert
Murphy, American political repre-
sentative in Germany, will act for
America at the sessions on Ger
many.
viii Talk Till February Is.
The deputies are expected to dis |
cuss, treaty plans in London until
February 25 Military leaders of the |
four governments plan meetings |
meanwhile in Berlin to prepare
other reports for submission to the
Moscow meeting. at which the first
broad outlines Of peace plans for
Germany may take shape.
A major subject of speculation as
the London talks opened was
whether the Russians would agree |
to join their German occupation
zone in an economic union with the
Americcn-British combined zone.
Despite repeated unofficial reports
from Berlin that Russia was con-
sidering such q union, q high
American military government Of
sria1 coiI II, narI{p uaetn yrlou .tLoro