Evening star., 1949-06-22
Not Purely Negative

Not Purely Negative
In connection with the results Of the
Paris Conference of Foreign Ministers. 1t
is difficult to tell at this stage whether
the mountain has labored and brought
forth a mouse or whether 1t can be
credited with something much bigger.
Only the unfolding of events themselves Is
likely to give us the true measure of what
has been achieved or unachieved. Mean
while, about all we can be sure of Is that
the meeting seems to have been less Of
stalemate than its dismal London pre-
decessor in the fall of 1947.
Generally speaking, as far as the overall
German issue Is concerned, the Foreign
Ministers have frankly admitted their
inability to make any progress toward
agreement between Russia and the West
on the question of Germany's political and
economic unity. But they have promised
to continue their efforts to that end
through the occupation authorities and
another Big Four Conference, whose date
is to be decided upon after the United
Nations General Assembly convenes in
September.
thus remains pretty much what it was
before the Paris meeting began, but at
least the meeting seems to have generated
somewhat more temperate frame Of
mind on the part of the Russians. Ap-
parently they have decided-for the time
being, anyhow-to suspend their invective
and bludgeoning tactics in favor of a
potter approach to the issue OF uniflcation.
Apparently, too they have reconciled
themselves to the Anglo French -Ameri-
can plan to 60 ahead with the forma-
ton of a federal republic of Western
Germany in line with the democratic
principles of the Bonn constitution.
AS for the narrower but more explosive
issue of the Berlin blockade-which has
not yet been entirely ended-the Soviet
Union has implicitly agreed not to reim-
pose the restrictions that were lifted in
accord with the New York agreement of
last May 4. 1t has agreed, further, to
cooperate with the West in measures
designed to improve the present unsatis-
factory situation and insure the normal
functioning of all types Of interzonal
transport and communications. To the
extent that the Russians live up to their
promise, the. most dangerous single point
of friction in the cold war thus Is likely to
be eliminated-a prospect that calls for
some cheers. g."
But perhaps the most promising ofsthe
Paris meeting 81 agreements is the one
having to do with Austria. Taken at face
value, 1t means that the Foreign Ministers
deputies are to draft without further delay
treaty under which the Austrians will
be restored to independence without losing
any part of the territory that was theirs
as of January 1, 1888. YugoSlavia Is not
to get slice of their land, and although
a number of economic concessions are to
be made to Russia-including payment Of
$150,O00 ,000-the country is to be COM
pletely free. If put into effect without
bitches, the agreement will bring about
the withdrawal OF all occupation troops
and leave the KremHn without an excuse
to continue maintaining troops In Hungary
and Romania to protect" lines of COM
munication. Such a change, when and II
it comes, will lessen friction, in yet another
part of Europe.
OF course, the Paris agreements must
all be read with caution. They amount to
little more than statements of principle
and declarations of good intentions. And
past experience-together with Soviet
Foreign Minister ViShinsky's last-minute
effort to modify the Austrian understand
ing after it had been agreed upon-has
shown that the Russians are adept at
wriggling their way out OF seemingly
ironclad commitments. That fact Is
enough in itself to argue against optimism
and to remind the free world that 1t must
push forward as vigorously as possible with
such projects as the European Recovery
Program and the Atlantic Pact.
Nevertheless, in the words of French
Foreign Minister Schuman, the results OF
the Paris conference are mot purely
negative" They have in them at least
the seeds of future progress toward agree
ment. They keep doors open. They tend
to ease the tensions of the cold war. And
they are heartening enough, in that sense.
to support the hope that 1t may yet be
possible to bridge the dark gulf that stili
exists between East and West.
Cownrds Behind Masks