Evening star., 1953-05-22
Big 3Leaders
Facing Critical
Test on Unity
Plans for PurIey
Delayed by Fall Of
French Government
BY John m. Hiehtower
Assoeicted Press Stoff Writer

Big Three leaders meeting next
month face critical test of their
ability to forge new allied unity
for firm dealing with Russian
or out of conference with So
Wet Premier Malenkov.
Unless they can close ranks,
some observers here doubt that
they would dare undertake sub
SeQuent Big Four negotiations
and give Russia an opportunity
to try to exploit their differences.
Presumably they will also have
to decide on what terms they
might be able to do business with
Malenkov-what they could Of
fer and what they could request
in the event of Big Four con-
ference.
That the Western alliance is
beset by difficulties and differ
ences became apparent all over
again yesterday.
Hardly had the announcement
been made that President Eisen-
hover, Prime Minister Churchill
and French Premier Mayer would
meet about mid-June, probably
In Bermuda, when Premier May
er'S government collapsed.
Time Will Be Lost.
His was the 18th French cab
inet since World War II liberia
ton. Some time, automatically
speaking, will now be lost while
France puts together a new cab
met - time which might have
been used in working up an
agenda for the conference and
carrying on preliminary diplo-
macy.
In the very announcements
about the conference, differing
views became clearly apparent.
Mr.. Mayer said the three would
discuss the feasibility of a ses-
sion with Premier Malenkov, and
Mr.. Churchill said he hoped the
meeting would pave the way to
such a session.
But in Washington the White
House steadfastly declined to
link the meeting of the three
with a possible Big Four get
together. At the State Depart
ment all emphasis was placed on
the chance that the Western
chiefs of government will have
to develop greater unity among
the Western powers.
President Eisenhower took the
Initiative in suggesting the Big
Three talk. The White House
announcement said it would be
an informal high-level meet
ing" Indications were that the
President had developed the
idea into a decision Wednesday
with unusual speed.
The preliminary considerations
have not been disclosed. But it
is known responsible officials
have been increasingly concerned
that the Western powers were
pulling apart and that such a
situation could benefit only Rus
sia.
Recent Differences.
Recent differences, all of which
seem likely to come up in some
manner. include the trans
Atlantic word battle between
Senator Mccarthy. Republican,
of Wisconsin, and Labor Party
Leader Clement Attlee; French
and British support for a meet
Ing with Russia under condi-
tions not favored here, British
advocacy of eventual Red Chi
neSe membership in the United
Nations, and some apparent con-
troverSy over United States con-
duct of the Korean truce negoti-
ationS.
Deeper difficulties apparently
lie in the field of inter-allied
confidence. Diplomats report
friendly foreign governments are
not sure of the strength and
direction of the Eisenhower ad-
ministration's leadership. They
had hoped, for example. for
stronger stand on lowering
American tariffs and increasing
European imports to achieve
Western Europe's goal Of trade,
not aid"
On the other side, American
officials. and particularly Secre-
tary of State Dulles, have
sharply prodded Western Euro
pesn nations to get ahead faster
with European defense meas
ureS.
Meanwhile, Chairman Wiley
(See BIG THREE. Page A-3)