Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-23
Contradictory Trends
Confusing Picture Of
.East-West Relations
Nv the Associated Press

LONDON, Jan. 22.-Western de-
Tense talk, various news from the
Soviet bloc and hints of posi-
BILE Communist peace offensive
showed conflicting currents tonight
in the trend of East-West relations.
Responsible diplomatic sources in
London said the flve-nation West
ern European Alliance has agreed
on a common defense line stretch
ing from the Dutch Seacoast to
Switzerland. Scandinavians talked
over a common defense policy in
Copenhagen.
Soviet Russia's indication of her
intention to attend the interna-
tional wheat agreement conference
opening in Washington Wednesday
might be another straw in the wind
of an effort to convince the world
of her peaceful aims. Russia passed
up the 1947 conference.
/ President Truman said last No
vember Il think that if we could
discuss with the Russians our mu-
tual interest in agriculture, it would
not be difficult to discuss our diff
ferences in other fields"
Recent Speeches Noted.
Other factors which interested
observers were Russia's decision to
admit a New York Times CORE
spondent to Moscow, where the
paper had not been represented for
almost a year, and recent speeches
by leading Communists of France
and italy on the theme war was
not inevitable.
There has been a series of trade
agreements recently between Soviet
satellites and Western nations.
Diplomats in London. however, said
these probably resulted from eco
nomlc necessity rather than from
change in Soviet policy.
From one after another of the
satellites came reports that the
Communist rulers of Eastern
Europe are tightening their anti
capitalist front.
Scandinavia Weights Policy.
In Copenhagen, government lead
ers from Denmark, Norway and
Sweden met to discuss a common
Scandinavian defense policy.
All three expect bids to enter the
North Atlantic defense pact with
the partners of the Western Euro
pean alliance-Britain France, the
Netherlands, Belgium and Luxem-
bourg.
/ Sweden, neutral in the worlds
two biggest wars, has been backing
off from such an agreement. Her
Scandinavian neighbors have looked
on it with greater favor.
! In Moscow, p N. Poskelov, editor
of the Communist paper Pravda,
boosted last night that membership
of the foreign Communist and
united workers" parties now num-
bers $4,000, 0O0-36 times as many as
20 years ago.
Poskelov said also that Western
"jubilation" over the break between
Yugoslavia's Marshal Tito and the
rest of the Soviet bloc was prema-
ture.
The anti-imperialist camp has
rallied and become stronger; the
watchfulness of the Communist
parties toward nationalism has in
creased" he said.
War Held Not Inevitable.
In Rome Monday, French Com
munist leader Marcel Cachin drum
med on the argument war isn't in
evitable He said there is always
the possibility of an agreement.
/ He struck note which has been
increasingly followed recently in the
Communist INDEPENDENTLY since
! their forces turned their attention
from the West on the Orient.
Only a few days earlier at b.
logna, Italy, Italian Communist
leader Palmiro Togliatti quoted
Prime Minister Stain as saying a
new conflict could not be waged
because the ruins Of war are still
too heavy"
The Conservative italian news
paper II Messaggero speculated on
the possibility that Mr.. Stain is
/ seeking pause in the international
tension. The newspaper II Giornale
d1talia wondered whether his policy
now is aimed at gaining time Ito
| digest the Chinese rice"
In Poland, it was announced that
two top-ranking officials, the First
Vice Premier and the Minister Of
Public Administration, have been
freed" from their posts.
In Romania, peoples councils"
have been set up to control labor
and industry.
From Czechoslovakia came reports
that more than 800 persons are
under arrest as a result of an at
tempted military coup.
In London next week, the foreign