Evening star., 1949-11-08
The Puris Conference

Official explanations have been less than
clear regarding the purpose of Secretary
Acheson's fight to Paris for a two-day
meeting with the French and British For
eign Ministers. AS result, there has been
much speculation suggesting that the
three are going to deal with wide variety
of subjects, including policy toward Yugo-
slavia, the question of recognizing the
Chinese Reds, defensive arrangements un-
der the North Atlantic Treaty, the eco
nomic integration of the Marshall Plan
countries, and steps to strengthen Western
Germany vis-a-vis the Kremlin's East
German puppet regime
Possibly every one of these matters will
come up for consideration, but 1t seems
likely that the agenda will be considerably
less crowded. After all, the conference
which has been called at the suggestion OF
British Foreign Minister Bevin-is to last
only two days, which is hardly time enough
to allow for the hammering out of three
power decisions In wholesale lots Ac-
tually, although they may be able to
exchange views on a number of other
problems, the conferees will be achieving
good deal If they do no more than work
out wel-concerted policy toward West
ern Germany and the Bonn government.
Certainly, with the establishment of the
Communist East German re-
gime, 1t has become highly important
from the standpoint of economics, politics
and propaganda-for France, Britain and
the United States to follow program de-
signed to counter the mischief that can be
done by this new Soviet puppet. It is
puppet that can be counted upon to do
everything possible to discredit Bonn and
the Western Powers by resorting to words,
gestures and actions playing upon the
nationalism still widespread throughout
Germany and upon the natural desire of
the people for peace treaty, the with
drawal OF occupation forces and the uni
f1cation of the country. Though aimed
only at spreading the Kremlin's domi-
nance, such an appeal could be effective if
nothing were done to anticipate and offset
1t. Accordingly, as regards this one subject
alone, the three Foreign Ministers would
seem to be facing problem large enough
to take up the full two days of their Paris
meeting.
That problem involves, among other
things, the problem of giving the people
who live in Western Germany solid reasons
Tor continuing to support the Bonn govern
ment and remaining impervious to what
ever siren song Russia's East German
agents may choose to sing. This suggests
that France, Britain and the United States
must fashion measures to promote greater
West German participation In such inter-
national undertakings as the World Bank
and the Organization for European Eco
nomic Cooperation. It also suggests that
the three powers must come to some agree
ment on industrial disnantling.
In the American view, the time has come
to stop such dismantling, but the French
and Br1tiSh-for economic reasons and
because they fear the rebirth of a mill
taristic Germany-feel otherwise. As for
the Western Germans themselves al
though far better of than their Eastern
compatriots, they naturally are bitterly
resentful of having their Industrial power
cut down any further-a resentment that
must be reckoned with as a potentially
explosive force the Communists can use
to good advantage.
Since France, Britain and the United
States do not see eye to eye on this and
certain other aspects of the German situ-
alton, the Paris conference is a timely one,
No matter how broad its agenda may be,
and whether or not it results in effective
joint measures, it will have its work cut out
for 1t In preventing serious Western policy
divergencies in Germany. Obviously such
divergencies would be bad medicine for
all but the Russians.