Evening star., 1949-06-25
Austrian Peace Pact
Called Best Step YET
To Justice,' Reason
Terms Have Full Consent
OF Four Powers; Results
Held Likely to Be Good
By Dorothy Thomtson

By Dorothy Thomtson
PARIS CBy wireless) -Wheth-
er or not the results Of the Con-
ference of Foreign Ministers ap-
pear trivial depends on the results
anticipated. For those who hoped
TO achieve q fundamental settle
ment of the German question. the
mountains have labored and
brought forth q mouse. But the
pessimists who condemned the
conference to death In advance
have not been justified, nor have
the anxious who feared another
major act Of appeasement.
An immense step forward has
been made in the terms OF Aus
trian peace treaty which are the
best yet presented to any nation
from the standpoint of justice and
reason. The treaty terms are. for
instance, better than those OF the
Italian treaty. They were made
with the full consent Of all four
powers, and If they work out they
are bound to have favorable re-
suits for the German question as
we'll.
It is not much, but 1t is some
thing. that the raising Of the
Berlin blockade has been con-
firmed with written guarantee and
that trade between the two zones
has been, In principle, established.
That even this much has been
achieved Is the more remarkable,
considering the inauspicious
circumstances under which the
conference opened.
"Aces" Placed i'm Pack.
1t Is worth while to review some
dates. It was mutually decided
in New York, May 4. to convene
the conference for May %. The
Russians, as usual, proceeded to
lay foundations for an atmosphere
favorable to them. On May IL,
the Berlin blockade was lifted and,
though both sides claimed victory,
the gesture came from the Rus
slams. But on May 16. the Rus
slams suffered a serious setback
in their zone of Berlin.
In connection with a vote for
the Peoples Congress, the Rus
slams held a plebiscite on the
question: do you wish German
unity?" Obviously. everybody in
Germany wishes unity and, there
fore. the Russians and their Com
munists were so confident OF a
unanimous favorable vote that the
elections were perfectly fair. But
Berliners saw that this innocent
question, with its self-implied
answer. was really vote Of ac-
ceptance or rejection of the Rus
sian policy in general and an un-
favorable result absolutely fab
bergasted the Russians.
Then, on May 10, the railroad
workers In Berlin's western zone
called q strike against the Rus
sian-controlled railroad manage
ment. Workers. including nom
unionists and others. theoretically
In the Communist union. Joined
them. And Russo Communist
strikebreaking tactics failed. This
was the most unusual experience
in the entire history Of the Soviet
Union. And three days later, Mr..
Vishinsky had to meet the West
ern Ministers in Paris without the
aces so carefully placed in the
pack.
Russians Supersensitive.
The Russians are supersensitive
and, like most sensitive people,
the worse their position the more
aggressive they become. Thus,
though-in my belief-they gen.
timely wanted an agreement to
ease a situation unfavorable to all,
any agreement seemed dubious.
One can be thankful that the
conference was conducted secretly
and not on an open stage where
there would have been temptation
for each to steal the show. Though
the Austrians won't like the terms
conceding Russia oil rights. the
fact that definite termination has
been put to them should make the
terms acceptable. And Austria is
a far better place to test the sin
cerity and reliability of the great
powers than is Germany.
In Austria. division never has
been so bitter; economy is not
divided: all parties. including
social democrats. can propagan-
die in the Russian zone; and
Austria has no Communist party
of any consequence whose adven-
lures the Soviets may feel 1t their
duty to support.
The Austrian Government can
deal with any situation likely to
arise as the result of evacuation
unless 1t takes the form Of direct
external military Intervention, or
Q positive act Of war. And. If
Austrian peace succeeds. one may
anticipate a calmer attitude on
all sides, toward Germany.
Released by the Bell Syndicate. Incl