Evening star., 1947-02-01
Austin Presses Plea
ToRaie Atomic Control
As Top U. n. Issue
BY ths Assoeiatsd Press

LAKE SUCCESS, N. Y, Feb. L.
Warren r. Austin, chief American
delegate to the United Nations, set
out today on the final round of calls
aimed at convincing his Security
Council colleagues that atomic con-
troll must be made the paramount
issue in any world wide arms re-
duction program.
The former Senator from Ver-
mont, who represents the United
States on both the Council and the
Atomic Energy Commission which
reports to it, now is plugging for
an agreement that general arms
reduction and atomic controls may
be discussed concurrently but that
the latter must be special sub
tect for separate determination.
After spending more than an hour
yesterday with Andrei A. Gromyko,
Soviet delegate and deputy foreign
minister, Mr.. Austin was described
by his associates as pleased with the
progress of that conference and with
his talks with other council men,
bers.
Little Change In Policy.
Mr.. Austin had conferred earlier
In the week with President Truman,
Secretary of State Marshall and
congressional leaders in Washington
and then carried the American cam
paign into the New York offices Of
his council mates. He had visited
seven up to this morning, including
the retiring and incoming chairmen
of the Council, and had the other
three on his calendar for today.
The only actual change in Amer
lean policy since the Americans a
month ago asked for delay in arms
reduction talks in the Council until
this coming Tuesday is that the
United States has agreed that the
approach to the long-range subject
may encompass simultaneous dis
cussions of both atomic controls
and general disarmings.
The Russians had insisted on such
q merger and in the face of a
majority shaping up in the Council
in support of Soviet views, American
policy has been altered to the extent
of agreement to concurrent discus
sions. The American delegation
previously had insisted on priority
for atomic discussions over general
disarmament.
11-Nation Commission.
The American delegation has in
dicated, plainly however, that 1t
would not retreat from its position
that atomic discussions must not
be submerged in the general sub
ject of arms reduction.
After digesting the views of the
other 10 nations on the Council Mr..
Austin was expected to agree to
setting up an 11-nation arms re-
duction commission with the pro-
viso that it would not interfere with
the work of the Atomic Commission
and with the added condition that
the Council should thereupon "con-
slider" the report of the Atomic Com
mission. That report was adopted
a month ago with Russia and Poland
abstaining.
The interim period which was al
lowed the American delegation to
reorientate it's position with the new
regime in the State Department
under George C. Marshall expires
Tuesday, when the Council is ex-
pected to open fulldress debate on
an arms reduction program recon-
mended by the General Assembly
last December
The Council met briefly yesterday
to hear the valedictory of its jan
uary chairman, Norman j. o. Maxim
of Australia, who is succeeded today
by F'ernand Van Langenhove of Bel
GUM.
Flareup Over Albania.
Mr.. Makin's last meeting in the
chair was the occasion of a f1areup
over the non-appearance of an Al
banian. representative to answer
British charges that Albania de-
liberately sowed mines in the Corfu
Channel which caused damage to