Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-04-29
On Keeping Doors Open


Besides being dramatic, the story Of
Soviet-American negotiations on Berlin Is
an excellent illustration OF how the art
of diplomacy can work for peace. More
specifically, 1t Ii q story with . moral, the
moral being this: That statesmen are
wise to look for significance In little things.
that sometimes 1t La good for them TO talk
quietly together in places less public than
a goldfish bowl. and that they serve their
countries best when they hold doors open
to each other.
Thus, last January 80, when Prime
Minister Stain, in a question and answer
exchange with An American news agency,
declared that he saw no obstacles to lifting
the Berlin blockade and cooperating with
the United States, 1t was only natural to
recall that he had made similar statements
in the past and that they had turned out
to be mere propaganda. In the circum-
stances, on the basis of experience, there
was widespread disposition to dismiss his
latest remarks Is Just 80 much empty talk,
entirely lacking In good faith.
At the State Department, however, 1t was
noted that Mr.. Stain on January 80 made
no reference to the currency question,
which heretofore had been the Kremlin's
announced reason for the blockade. On
Its face, this little thing, this small
omission, may have seemed altogether
meaningless, but the department found it
interesting enough to null over, the feeling
being that it might be hint Of sorts sug
costing the possibility OF new develop
In anxtA ~
worth looking into.
So, on February Is, Philip c. Jessup, our
deputy representative on the United
Nations Security Council, asked Jacob A.
Malik, the Soviet representative, whether
there was any significance involved.
Exactly month later, Mr.. Malik ap-
preached Mr.. Jessup and told him that
Mr.. Stains omission was mot acci-
dental" There then followed 4 number
Of delicate diplomatic conversations in the
privacy of the Russian delegations Park
avenue headquarters in New York. The
result today 10 that prospects seem bright
for an early end to the blockade, and there
is even the possibility that the Big Four
Council Of Foreign Ministers-which will
meet II the blockade Is lifted-may be able
to work out q modus vvendi to ease the
tensions OF the cold war and perhaps open
the way to an eventual overall peace
settlement.
1t is still too early, obviously. for un-
qualified optimism, but the outlook GER
tainly has improved suficiently to warrant
considerably less pessimism than existed
prior to the Malik -Jessup negotiations.
After all, the mere fact that those nego-
tiations have taken place with seeming
success 10 an encouraging sign that the
resources Of diplomacy have not yet been
exhausted in the effort to bring about
some confidence breeding understanding
between East and West. In sum, both
sides have been careful not to slam the
doors shut against each other, and as long
as they continue in that frame of mind,
there will be reason to hope for the BEST
In any event, the promising Berlin nego-
tiations serve to emphasize that the time
has not yet arrived when the art of diplo-
macy, the Art of keeping doors open among
nations, must be abandoned as fruitless.
On the contrary, If they refuse to be stiff
necked or stubbornly unyielding toward
each other, East and West should be able
to work out common understanding that
will endure. TO believe otherwise is to
to the departing idea that the
world must drift, sooner or later, into
historys most catastrophe war.