Evening star., 1948-05-16
Soviet Commentator
Hits Confusion Over
Smith-MoIotoy Talk
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
LONDON, May 25-A Russian
radio commentator said tonight "the
Soviet peoples would like other gov
ernments to demonstrate their read
iness for genuine cooperation" for
world peace.
The Soviet people" said Com
mentator Leontiey in a Moscow
radio broadcast heard here, warmly
support the wide foreign policy of
their government, which consists in
consolidating peace and friendship
with all peoples"
Mr.. Leontiev referred to the talk
between United States Ambassador
Walter B. Smith and Soviet Foreign
Minister v. M. Molotov May and
the diplomatic exchange between
the two,
An official Russian statement last
Monday said the Soviet Union was
"in agreement" with United States
proposal for discussion and set
tlement" of the differences between
the two. Diplomatic authorities
said subsequently in Washington
that Gen. Smith actually had made
no new proposal for Soviet-American
talks.
Pressure Indicated.
Apparently following the premise
that the United States had backed
down from a previously issued in
hiY,o yfitn tolRc Mr.
Leontiev said the confused be-
1avior" of American diplomacy fol-
lowing the Smith -Molotov talk "is
caused by reactionary circles who
'.' are continuing to exert pres
sure on United States foreign
policy
He quoted what he said were
American press criticisms of the
United States changed attitude"
on possible Russian American nego-
tiationS.
1T would appear" he said, that
the French and British governments
are displeased with the possibility
of bipartite negotiations between the
Soviet Union and the U. S. A.
Peaceful Aims Cited.
"On the other hand, democratic
public opinion Of the entire Worlo
warmly approved the clear and un-
Analogous stand of the Soviet gov
ernment."
Thus" he said, "the Polish Social
tst Press Agency states in It's re-
view that all thte political aims OF
the Soviet Union were always direct
ed to one end-the development and
consolidation of peaceful relations
between nations and the protectlon
of humanity from a new war.
The Soviet Union maintained
true to these unchanged principles
In it's reply to the proposal OF the
American government
In Russia. Soviet newspapers
agreed generally today that the
United States had refused to dis
cuss Soviet American differences.
Several papers commented edl-
toriallv on the Smith -Molotov talk. !
One of the most outspoken COM
ments on the subject was letter
in the Literary Gazette from ORA
nstist Nikolai Pogodin. He and
other writer's said, the, United States
never Intended that its offer to-
discuss differences be accepted,
Mr.. Pogodin contrasted the United
States and Russia by saying that
with the Soviet Union there never
was any difference between words
and deeds"
An editorial in Red Star, the
Soviet Army newspaper. and SINH
lar one i'm the Moscow Bolshevlkd
criticized American commentators
for picturing Russia's publication OF
the diplomatic exchange as a Rus
sian diplomatic move which put
the American Government IN a
difficult position =
Actually, these papers claimed, II
was a sincere move for peace.
The Soviet announcement, these
papers said, caused JOY throughout
the world, including the United
States. However. official western
reaction demonstrated the wide gap
between public opinion and official
policies in France, Britain and the
United States.