Evening star., 1949-02-02
Meeting Of American
And Russian Officials
Appears Inevitable
u. S. Has Muffed Chances
To Negotiate End Of
Cold War; Says Writer
By David La,Crence

and American governments at OF
near the top level appears inevi-
table.
The United States Government
has muffed several opportunities to
negotiate an end of the cold war
mostly because of suspicion of bad
faith or propaganda tricks. The
fact that a presidential campaign
was in the offing or in progress
prevented any definitive conferences
from being held in 1948, though
President Truman did reveal his
desire in that direction-namely, to
get together in a conference with
Stalin-when the suggestion was
made that Chief Justice Vinson be
sent to Moscow on special mission
AS pointed out in these dispatches
at the time, the idea was logical but
the moment inopportune.
Now. however, that Mr.. Truman
has been elected and has a major
itv in both houses Of Congress, the
Russians Know there is nobody else
to deal with for another four years
and that they had better indicate
their desire for an overall settle
ment before lines become further
drawn and cleavages intensified to
the point where negotiation to re-
trace already accomplished steps
would be impracticable.
Customary Line.
Those officials here and abroad OF
their spokesmen who put out sug-
gestions that Russia is merely bluff
ing and that the Soviets do not
really intend to do anything but
talk, are already falling back on the
customary line-concrete action
must be taken by Russia first to in
dicate a change of heart before
there Is a conference.
This Is not only unrealiStic but
reveals the very blindness that has
preceded the outbreak of wars in
history. 1t ignores entirely that in
side each nation there is a pride OF
nationalism. Under the law OF
nations, there is no rule requiring
a sovereign power to retreat or
offer concession before entering
into negotiation.
Stain has brought into the open
the real question at issue for several
months. 1t really never was the
Berlin blockade or the currency
problem. All this was simply phase
OF Russian reprisal against the de-
termination of the Western Allies
with their three-zone economy. to
go ahead without waiting for Russia
to come to an overall agreement
on major problems with them.
Now Stain says everything can
be settled amicably and the blockade
lifted if the Western Powers will
agree to a big conference looking
toward an overall settlement of
the whole German problem. This,
of course, is not enough. There
must be a settlement of issues in
the Far East. too. and an assurance
of cooperation in working out the
many residual problems growing
out OF the war and which may take
many years to solve.
1t would be oversimplifying the
situation to assume that a mere
talk by the two heads of state
would settle everything. Stain
knows this as well as do those
Americans who discount the value
of meeting. A conference between
Stain and Mr. Truman would
merely be window dressing for
real negotiation by their respective
subordinates, but it's window dress
ing Of the highest importance.
If Russia really wants to make
progress toward a settlement. the
thing to do is to set a date six
months hence for a Stain
meeting, with Russia authorizing
her deputies and ambassadors or
special ENJOYS to meet with similar
representatives from the United
States, Great Britain and France to
do the exploratory and preparatory
work so that clear-cut statements
of the respective positions can be
drawn up in the meantime
Could Confer in Alaska.
BY July the weather in the North
Pacific will be pleasant A confer
ence somewhere in Alaska could be
the mutually acceptable" place to
which Stain referred in his pub
lished statement this week. Stain
could come to the edge of Siberia
and Truman to the edge of Alaska.
Huge airplanes could transport the
participants and their staffs back
and forth to their respective bases,
and some conferences could be held
on Russian soil and some on Ameri-
can territory.
There would then be no humilia-
ton or appearance of overstepping
the amenities such as Is supposed
to have blocked meeting hereto
fore. Mr.. Truman has said he would
meet Stain in Washington. Pre-
sumably he would be agreeable to
meeting the Russian Premier any,
where in United States territory,
and Alaska happens to be near
enough to Russian territory to elm
mate false issues of pride.
II the North Pacific isn't agree
able, Mr.. Truman could invite Pre-
mier Stain to meet with him in
the Persian Gulf on a United States
battleship or aircraft carrier. This
would still be United States terri
tory. The American people would
not regard such a journey by Mr..
Truman to far-off waters as too big
an inconvenience if there were
really a chance to make an over
all peace settlement. But such a
meeting should follow rather than
precede exploratory conferences so
that the world win not witness
again mere statement Of princi-
plies with hopes expressed in high
sounding phrases and with de
tails" that are major questions still
to be resolved.
Russia has taken the initiative.
America should not hesitate to an
swer in kind and endeavor to bring
about a meeting of minds.
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