Evening star., 1948-09-19
Marshall 10 Take Off
Today for Paris and
Red Showdown U.N
BY the Associated Press

secretary OF state MARSHALL IlleS
to Paris today for a United Nations
Assembly meeting that may produce
a fateful showdown with Russia
Eover the blockade of Berlin.
Whether this showdown actually
occurs probably was determined to q
considerable degree in Moscow yes
terday at a meeting between Soviet
Foreign Minister Molotov and the
ENJOYS of America, Britain and
France.
Mr.. Molotov was expected to indi-
cate finally Russia's attitude toward
lifting the blockade. There was
intense interest here as to whether
the Russian leader would say "yes,
mo" or try to stall OFF the day OF
decision awhile longer.
Mr.. Molotov as well as Gen. Mar
shall, Britain's Foreign Minister
Bevin and the French foreign min
lister are all due to be in Paris at
the same time. There has been
considerable speculation here that
the Moscow talks on the Berlin
crisis might be taken up directly
by these top-level ministers in in
formal talks outside the United
Nations session.
Must Lift Blockade First.
However, it can be reported or
excellent authority that up to yes
terday no plan had been made for
any Big -Four foreign ministers
discussion of the Berlin crisis. Re-
sponsible American officials were
notably unenthusiastic about the
idea, contending that if Mr.. Molo-
tov wants to arrange any high Level
conference on Germany he must
first lift the blockade.
What seemed more likely, accord
ing to some responsible informants
here, was that Mr.. Molotov would
either stall for time or else take a
negative attitude toward lifting the
blockade. In that case the Western
foreign ministers would have to
decide among themselves in Paris
what moves they should take IN
placing Russia's Berlin policy on
trial before the world by bringing
tharges formally in the United Ma
tions Assembly.
There was no doubt that authori-
ties here were quite pessimlstlc
about a successful end to the Mos
cow negotiation. Gen. Marshall
himself made this clear at news
conference Wednesday.
Gen. Marshall will leave at pm
today fly to Newfoundland for
refueling and then go directly to
Paris. He is using President Tru-
mans personal aircraft, the 1nde-
pendence. and his travelling COM
panions will include Mrs. Marshall
State Department Counselor
Charles E. Bohlen and Mrs. Bohlen
May Stay Month.
The duration of Gen. Marshalls
stay in Paris is uncertain. II all
goes well and he can arrange to
do so he may return here in three
or four weeks.
Oficials sdvising Gen. Marshall
show every evidence Of not. want
ing to force showdown with Rus
sia unless events compel it. This
weeks negotiations in Moscow rep
resented an effort on the part OF
the Western powers to find way
out of the impasse created when
the Russian military commander in
Berlin blocked final agreement on
currency problems and consequent
lifting of the blockade last week.
AS a result, on Tuesday, the West
ern envoys asked Mr.. Molotov to
straighten out Marshal v. D. Soko-
lovsky, the Soviet Berlin COM
mander, on what he was committed
to do under an agreement. which
the Western powers made in Mos
COW more than two. weeks ago with
Prime Minister Stain. This agree
ment was supposed to end the
blockade.