Evening star., 1950-06-20
Six West Europe
Nations Meet 10
oo|Coa|, Steel
Schumon Declares Aim
Is to Abolish War
From Continent
BY the Associofed Press

PARIS, June 20.-Six Western
European nations opened an his
toric conference today aimed at
pooling their coal and steel pro-
duction. French Foreign Minister
Robert Schuman, father of the
plan, told the delegates the ulti-
mate aim was to abolish war from
the continent of Europe.
Britain remained on the side
lines, although she will be kept
informed of what goes on in the
elaborate Salon de l'Horloge
o'clock Room of the French For
eign Ministry. There was some
talk that the British were coming
around to the view that the ad-
vantages of joining the plan
might outweigh the disadvantages.
Mr.. Schuman said he hoped
Britain eventually would join.
Mr.. Schuman told delegates of
France, Western Germany, Bel
gium. Italy. the Netherlands and
Luxembourg that there would be
great political benefits in a plan
which stems from a Ger
man understanding.
Joint Peace Work Is Aim.
1T Is our desire to associate in
a common and permanent work of
peace two nations which for CEN
turies have fought one another in
bloody conflicts" the French For
eign Minister said.
BY welding Germany and France
together in this common effort,
Mr.. Schuman said. the nations
would provide the certainty thus
to Danish from our European COM
munity q latent cause of trouble,
suspicion and anguish" On this
basis. then, the nations could erect
"a solid European edifice accessible
to all nations Of good will"
The French Minister reminded
the delegates that their govern
ments would have agreed on an
unprecedented objective-to de-
eide on the best manner or apply
ing the principle of . suprana-
tional authority over the coal-steel
plan. This authority would mean
the surrender Of some sovereignty
by the nations.
we feel we are not permitted
to fail. nor to quit without finish
ing the job" he added. But no
one has ever tried such a system
US we have outlined. Never have
4he states conferred, nor even
tfseaight Of delegating as a group,
fraction of their sovereignty to
an independent Supranational
organization"
Baked at Prior Commitment.
Britain's ruling Labor Party has
rejected the idea of Suprana-
tional authority. The Labor gov
ernment baked at signing in
advance a commitment regarding
such an authority and thus stayed
out of the conference. But the
British, aware of American interest
in European economic unity. evil
IDENTIFY do not want to be shut out
of the conference completely.
Special arrangements with the
French have been made to keep
the British informed of what goes
on here. The British, meanwhile,
have expressed hope the plan
would evolve in form which
would permit Britain to adhere.
Mr.. Schuman voiced hope this
would come about, telling the
delegates: I'VE cannot conceive
Of Europe without her. We know
and this treasures us-that the
British government hopes for the
success of our work."
The French minister said mod
ern times and modern conditions
require delegation of power by
the European nations to higher
authority whose decisions would
be binding.
Without losing sight of the
special interests of our countries,
we must be aware that national
interest in our day consists ex-
actly in finding beyond national
limits the means of building a
more rational economic structure,
q more intense and more economic
(See POOLING. Page A-6.)