Evening star., 1950-02-01
H-Bomb Order Brings
New European Pleas
For Atomic Control
by ths Associatsd Press

Truman's~order to build a hydro
gen super-bomb brought a wave
of new pleas in Europe today for
international control of atomic
energy.
But Britain's government said
there would be no hope of success
now in direct talks with Soviet
Prime Minister Stain.
Europe's newspapers headlined
Mr.. Truman's decision and spurred
running debate on how to stop
the threat of world destruction.
Some editorials said the decision
in Washington was inevitable in
view of the inability of East and
West to agree on control of atomic
production. The Liberal Stock
holm Dagens Nyheter blamed the
Truman decision on the Soviet
Union's stubborn refusal to CO.
operate"
The Communist press in Britain
and France jumped at the an
Rouncement as further indication
tnat America is preparing for a
"monStrouS war" and demanded
immediate abolition of the atom
bomb and prohibition of the max
ing of the hydrogen bomb.
No Official Reaction.
FTboro xuoc M ,,oaI;ofo oASo;o1
reaction to the announcement in
any of Europe's capitals.
But a British Foreign Office
statement, which came just before
the announcement, gave an indi-
cation of the official British atti-
tude toward the atom-control
stalenlate.
The statement was a reply to
formal request by British
Quakers that Prime Minister
Attlee try for a personal con-
ference with Mr.. Stain, Mr.. Tru-
man and other Western govern
ment heads in an attempt to
reach an international agreement.
THE threat of an atomic
armamentS race makes it impera-
tive that the beginnings of an in
ternational agreement be sought" 4"
said the memorandum from
the British Society of Friends
(Quakers).
The Foreign Office reply,
written on behalf of Mr., Attlee.
said:
1T would be presumptuous to
suppose that personal contact at
even the highest level would do
anything but raise unduly the
hopes for peace which have been
SO often and so cruelty disap-
pointed in the past"
The reply said that. judging by
their recent conduct, the Russians
'are dominated by the Marxist
theory of an inevitable clash be-
tween the two systems into which
the world Is divided"
Nightmare of Destruction.
Commenting on the Washing
ton announcement, the Stockholm
newspaper said mankind will re-
main haunted by the nightmare
of boundless, ultimate destruc-
ton"
1T is difficult to see how it can
be, different" DagenS HyheterI
concluded, until Soviet leaders,
recognize the need for interna-
tional control of atomic energy"
Also demanding new efforts at
control, Londons Liberal News
Chronicle remarked that success
must come before everything, for
failure can destroy everything"
The Yorkshire Post commented
that even an agreement on con-
trolls would be of little use unless
there is understanding between
the powers. The vital question, it
added, is whether such under
standing can still be reached be-
tween Russia and the West"
The Conservative London Daily
Mail urged that one more at
tempt be made to get Russia to
'See reason" on the control issue
before any attempt is made to
manufacture the H-bomb.
Peace Treaty Demanded.
Harry Pollitt. British Com
munist Party leader, sounded the
peace offensive" line set down by
Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Y
Vishinsky-a line which was over
Whelmingly voted down in the
United Nations last December.
Pollitt called the Presidents
decision "a logical outcome of
Americas war policy"
He then demanded withdrawal
of American bombers from Britain
and the signing of a peace pact
by the United States, Britain,
France. China and Russia.
LHumanite, Communist Party
organ in France, called the deci-
sion a new provocation" and said
the Soviet Union and the peoples
of the world will reply ''by fight
ing stubbornly for peace"
In New Delhi, India, the Aga
Khan. spiritual leader of the
1smaili Moslems, said the United
States should arm itself with
hydrogen bombs since the world
has no international control of
atomic power.
He urged in an interview that
aH peace-loving nations form a
peace league" under American
leadership to resist possible ag-
greSsion.