Evening star., 1947-10-23
Byrnes Urges ; Allies
To Act on Peace Pacts;
Says Reds Plan Delay
BY the Associoted Press

COLUMBIA, .. o., Oct. Z3.-FOr-
mer Secretary of State James F..
Byrnes predicts that Russia will
stall indefinitely on a peace treaty
for Germany and says the United
States, Britain and France may as
well call their own peace confer
ence without waiting any longer.
If they are going to do 1t a
year hence-why not do 1t now?"
he asked an audience of South
Carolina fraternal groups meeting
here last night under sponsorship
of the Masons.
Mr.. Byrnes took occasion to clari-
| fy what he meant when he said
IN his recent book Speaking Frank
ly'' that If Russia persists in hold
Ing Eastern Germany after the
other Allies have made peace there
should be measures of "last resort"
as prescribed by a majority of the
United Nations Security Council.
Opposes War Talk.
There Is no suggestion" he said
IN his speech, "as to whether such
collective action should be persua-
sion, economic pressure or military
action. That would be for the ma
tions to determine under the cir
cumstances existing at that time"
He added:
1 heartily disapprove Of talk of
war against Russia, and I have lost
no opportunity to discourage talk
OF the inevitability of conflict" Mr..
Byrnes said the epithet "warmoneer"
applied to him by Russian delegates
to the United Nations, ''is one title
I do not like"
Mr.. Byrnes said he is convinced
Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov will
not agree to real progress on a Ger
man peace treaty unless the other
Allies grant Russia SIC, 900 900 900 of
reparations out of current German
production and a share in control of
the Ruhr industries.
The United States, the former
cabinet member declared, cannot 70
along with either demand.
Red Veto Expected.
He said Mr.. Molotov may permit
preliminary work on a treaty at the
London Foreign Ministers Confer
ence next month. but "he knows he
can delay the preliminary draft for
at least six months" and even then
could insist on a veto of even minor
points"
Mr.. Byrnes concluded that there
Will be no four-power agreement on
the peace unless Mr.. Molotov has
his way and declared:
THE United States, Britain and
France will then have to decide
whether the chaotic conditions of
Europe will indefinitely continue or
whether they will proceed to do
what suggest they now do-call a
peace conference regardless of the
Soviet attitude"
During his speech Mr.. Byrnes de-
MED a United Press report which
he said gave the impression that his
book advocated countering Russian
oostructionism with atomic bombs
and custer of the Red Army from
Germany by force If necessary.
Statement Is Cited.
He said there was nothing in the
book about atomic bombs or driy-
ing the Soviets out Of Germany by
force"
In Washington, the United Press
bureau said it based the story on
Mr.. Byrnes' statement in the book
that I'VE should not start something
we are not prepared to finish"
! The y. P. said its story began:
Former Secretary Of State James
F. Byrnes proposed today that the
United States answer Russia's OBJ
structionism' on atomic energy and
German peace treaty agreements
with better and more atomic
bombs and a decision to drive the
Red army out of Germany by force
If necessary"
The U. P. statement said:
That lead paragraph was chosen
because it included the tow major
world issues on which Byrnes said
the Soviets had blocked agreements
and the solutions he advocated for
| them"