Evening star., 1952-04-20
Acheson Labels
Red Peace Bids
'Booby-Traps'
Editors Are Warned
West Must Ignore
Soviet Soft Music


challenged Russia yesterday tt
prove the sincerity of its --latest
peace offensive" He told the
American Society of Newspaper
Editors that without proof the
West must ignore Moscow's "soft
music"
The editors concluded a three
day convention at the Hote
Statler last night with a banquet
at which they heard Alexander F
Jones. editor of the Syracuse
IN. " Herald journal and DR.
Alberto Gainza Paz, ousted editor
of the Argentine paper La Prensa
"Details on Page A-4).
They also saw John M. High.
tower, Associated Press writer
receive the eighth annual Ray.
mond Clapper Award of $500 fol
Exceptionally meritorious" work
"Details on Page A-4.
Secretary Acheson addressed {
luncheon meeting. He warned o1
booby-trapS in the current Sovie
proposals for greater East-West
trade and for a unified Germany
He said these and other issue.
have been debated with Russia
through the postwar years, but
never have been solved because o1
the Soviet's desire for "perpetua,
chaos.
Cites 1850 Peace Appeal
"The Soviet so-called peace Of
fensive,'" he said, might be more
persuasive if our memories were
50 short that we forgot the Stock
holm peace appeal of 1864
peace appeal which was imme-
diaely followed by the Communist
attack on Korea. -.
I'm the light of all of this, we
are entitled to ask for some tan
gible evidence that there Has been
a shift in the Soviet position.
I'VE are willing and eager tc
resolve any or all major frictions
by peaceful negotiation when anc
If there appears to be any honest
and reasonable basis for negotia.
tlonS. But We can not take a ster
backwards.
There Is only one way Il
hasten the day when we may hope
for peaceful actions, not words
from the Soviet rulers-and thai
is to push resolutely forward or
our present course. This may bt
a long campaign. It will take
nerve and steadfastness. We mus
be firm"
Cunning Proposal.
Secretary Acheson said Moscow,
recent economic conferenc,
brought a cunning" proposal t,
step up East-West trade in botl
consumer and military goods. H,
said Russia could buy the con.
sumer goods any time it wanted
But the West. he said, will con.
tlnue to bar shipment of strategic
goods to the Soviet.
Secretary Acheson warned tn,
editors, however, that Soviet prop.
aganda on the trade issue will b,
immeasurably more effective j.
the United States shuts out for.
eign goods from this country. H,
indicated Americas failure to pur.
chase goods from it's allies woult
mean that the United States sim
ply would have to give these allie
more help-and get nothing ply
Sical in return.
He said the main objection t,
the Soviet proposal for a unified
Germany was Russia's insistenc,
that the new German government
be barred from participating il
Western European unif1cation.
Could Not Be Free.
"A united Germany cut off from
the defense with and by the Wes
could not be a free Germany,
Secretary Acheson said.
Soft music has been coming ou
OF Moscow about peaceful consist
ence. about peaceful trade an,
German unity" he said.
This reminded him of a "golde1
apple" tactic used in a story from
Greek mythology. He said all tn
gods except one were invited t,
a wedding. The Goddess of Dis
cord was left out, but she threy
a golden apple over the fence
hoping to cause a ruckus anon,
the guests and break up tn,
party"
Several apples have beer
tossed over the Iron Curtain thi
spring." Secretary Acheson said
Happily, they have not produced
discord."
, Law Slows Re-