Evening star., 1951-12-12
Truman Lays Plans
For Churchill Talks;
Seeks British Ideas
BY the Assoeiofed Press

SSSuN~ - eeuSub WV
BY the Associated Press
President Truman has ordered
detailed preparations made for his
talks with Prime Minister Church.
Ill here next month despite Mr..
Churchills reluctance to propose
q list of problems for discussion.
United States officials said to-
day the United States side of the
two-power meeting is being worked
up on the assumption that Mr..
Churchill will want to go into the
whole range of policies governing
relations between the two big
Western powers and Russia, as
well as specific Anglo-American
issues. Both the State and De-
fense Departments are at work on
the detailed listingS.
Mr.. Churchill sent word about
two weeks ago that he did not plan
to draw up an agenda for his Sc
ries of meetings with the Presi-
dent, beginning January 3. The
American Embassy in London has
been directed nevertheless to seek
the fullest possible information on
what the Prime Minister has in
mind in coming here.
Mr.. Churchill also told an
American diplomat in London he
did not plan to ask for American
financial assistance. The prob
lem of United States aid is. in
fact, being worked out ahead OF
his visit by officials Of the two
countries at lower level.
Talks May Suffer, They Say.
Washington authorities believe
that unless some specific infor-
nation about Mr.. Churchill'S con-
cept Of the talks is forthcoming.
they may not be as profitable as
they could be. Even at best. it
is expected that several disagree
ments will develop over such issues
as the Churchill proposal for a
meeting with Prime Minister
Stain of Russia, the organization
of Western European defenses and
Anglo-American differences OF
policy in the Far East.
Present indications are that Mr..
Truman will bear down heavily
on all three of these questions:
/. The President has said re-
peatedly he does not look forward
to a meeting with Stain unless
the Soviet Premier comes to
Notwithstanding every one
here considers a practical impos-
sibility.
2. Recent Churchill statements
bearing on the defense buildup in
Western Europe are described by
administration leaders here as dis
appointing. Mr.. Churchill has
said he does not consider the dam
ger of war with Russia as great
now as it was at the time of the
Berlin crisis three years ago.
American officials are appre-
hensive that this means he be-
lieves there is less urgency in get
ting on with the task of rearma- |
ment; they believe the danger of
an aggressive Russian move is
greater now than it was three
years ago, due to the Western
buildup, and will remain great
until the West has military power
In being to make any Communist
aggression too costly to undertake.
British Recognize Reds.
8. The difference between the
two countries in the Far East
revolves around their basic at
titudes toward Red China. The
British recognize the Communist
regime, while the United States
holds to its recognition of the
Chinese Nationalist government
on Formosa.
This has been a sore point for
q long time and leads to diff
ferent approaches to the question |
of how to deal with the Chinese
Reds in any political negotiations
which would follow agreement on
q cease-fre in Korea. Such a
difference would make the situa-
ton critical if, for example, the
British sought to recognize Com
munist China's claim to Formosa
and membership in the United
Nations. The United States has
taken a stand against both claims.
There is a growing feeling here
that unless Washington's attitude
on these and other questions can
be made clear to Mr.. Churchill in
advance, the British Prime Min
lister may be disappointed in his
WASHINGTON visit