Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-19
U. 5. Accuses Moscow
OF imperialism in
Danube Control Pact
BY me Assoeiofsd Press

n uc ONCdSlOut Was GilS SUdbc Oc-
partment's oficial comment on the
new Soviet-dictated Danube River
agreement.
That document was signed al
Belgrade yesterday by Russia AND
the Soviet satellites. 1t reserves
full control of the waterway to the
Danubian states. The Western
powers-repeatedly rebuffed in Their
efforts to open the river to vessels
of all nations-refused to sign.
Lashing out at Soviet manipula
ton of the six votes of its puppet
states" the State Department de-
clared: The unhappy subservience
of the Danubian peoples to Soviet
imperialism was never more clearly
manifest than at this conference
q. First Use by U. s.
One of Moscows loudest com
plants against the European Re-
covery Program was that it repre-
sented another example Of Ameri-
can imperialism"
Last nights statement was the
first time this Government has
hurled that same charge back al
the Soviets.
There were more harsh words. a.
the United States served notice thai
it. "of course" will refuse to recog-
ntze the new river controls and sc
Will those parts of Austria and Ger
many under American control.
aThe actions of the Soviet delega-
ton to the conference. the State
department asserted, have made
Evident the determination OF the
Spyiet Union to perpetuate its eco
nemic and political enslavement OF
tie Danubian peoples.
= Selfish Interest Charged.
"Its refusal to accept provisions
assuring genuine freedom of COM
merce and non discrimination show
that it intends to maintain vested
interests which it has established
for its own benefit through extortion
from government imposed by force
against the will Of the peoples of its
satellites"
The 11-nation Belgrade Confer
ence was called to put into effect
4 Big Four declaration written into
the satellite peace treaties pledging
freedom of navigation on the vital
waterway. The Soviet bloc held a
7-to-4 edge, however. over the
United States, Britain, France and
Austria.
Text of Statement.
Text of the State Department S
statement follows:
The Department Of State today
announced that Ambassador Can
non, delegate of the United States
to the Belgrade Conference on the
Danube regime, voted against the
Soviet draft convention. In his
closing statement, the United States
representative protested against So
Wet manipulation of the six votes
OF its puppet states to impose con-
vention which legalizes its monop-
oily of Danube shipping.
The record shows plainly that the
Soviet delegation went to this con-
ference unwilling q to negotiate a
mutually agreeable convention to
implement the directive of the
Council of Foreign Ministers. The
persistent efforts of our delegate
and of the other Western delegates
to engage in genuine negotiations
have been rehuffed. sometimes with
the most abusive language. Every
amendment submitted by the West
ern powers has been summary
brushed aside.
Soviet Dictation Scored.
The meetings of the conference
have been characterized by consist
ent Soviet dictation. The unhappy
subservience of the Danubian peo-
pies to Soviet imperialism was never
more clearly manifest than at this
conference. The statements and
voting of the representatives of the
Danubian states reflected their lack
of freedom of choice on matters
Of vital concern to their peoples.
The actions of the Soviet dele
cation have made evident the de-
termination of the Soviet Union to
perpetuate it's economic and politi-
cal enslavement of the Danubian
peoples. It's refusal to accept pro-
visions assuring genuine freedom of
commerce and discrimination
show that it intends to maintain
vested interests which it has estab-
lished for its own benefit through
extortion from governments imposed
by force against the will of the
peoples of its satellites. The Soviet
Union has by it's conduct at this
conference closed one of the prin-
cipal doors for East-West trace.
The lip service which the Soviet
delegation has paid to freedom of
navigation" is shadow. 1t has no
substance.
Public Law Cited.
Another regrettable result of the
Belgrade conference is that the
Soviet attitude defeats and destroys
the whole concept of international
waterways which has been the pub
lie law of Europe for over 1870 years.
Moreover it aims to deprive Britain,
France, Belgium, Greece, Italy and
Germany of rights which they enjoy
under treaties negotiated many
years ago. We regard those treaties
as being in force, according to in
ternational law, until they are ter
minated by agreement of all parties
thereto. Furthermore, the Soviet
bloc at Belgrade has disregarded
the vital interests of Germany and
Austria in the Danube. They are
riparians whose interests in Danube
navigation are patent. Finally, the
Soviet Union. despite its own men,
bership in the United Nations has
refused to allow any association
between the Danube administration
and the U. N.
1T is obvious that the United
States cannot accept the draft con-
vention which the Soviet Union is
imposing upon its satellites. In the
view of the United States, this in
strument does not guarantee free
dom and equality of trade. 1t does
not fulfill the mandate of the Coun-
Gil of Foreign Ministers.
The United States will not, OF
course, recognize. either, for itself