Evening star., 1953-11-29
Eisenhower r-Du!Ies
Reaction Is Awaited
On SoViet's S Big 4 Bid
By the Assoeioted Press


BY the Asseeioted Press
The United States, Britain and
France have begun exchanging
ideas on RuSsia's Big Four con-
ference bid which officials now
regard as the opening gun in
. Soviet drive to kill of the
planned European defense army.
Secretary of State Dulles ex-
poets to confer with President
Eisenhower tomorrow when Gen.
Eisenhower returns from his
Augusta, Ga, holiday. Firm de-
cisions on United States policy
toward the newest Soviet move
may be made at that time.
Farley Opens Friday.
The Russian drive appears to
be of such a determined nature
and on so broad a front that
only solid unity on the part of
the Western Allies can effectively
stand against it in protection
of Western defense plans, diplo-
mats said.
The hardening of such a front
will be the major task of the
meeting which Gen. Eisenhower,
Prime Minister Churchill and
French Premier Laniel will open
at Bermuda, together with their
foreign ministers, next Friday.
But officials reported that al
ready the message exchange
among the American, British and
French foreign officers shows
close agreement of views on the
essential nature and direction
of the unfolding Soviet cam
paign.
Russian Stall Suspected.
The initial reaction, in brief,
was this:
Britain welcomed Russia's note
of Thursday night as acceptance
of Western proposal for a Big
Four meeting on Germany. The
French government took the
line that it might mean the be-
ginning Of a happier climate in
diplomatic relations with Rus
sia. The United States called it
a diplomatic retreat aimed at
stalling Western defense plans
notably the European Defense
Community which France still
has not approved.
Evidence that the Kremlin is
moving on a broad front to
achieve its stated purpose of
blocking the European defense
plan under which West Germany
would rearm on the anti-Com-
munist side was found by au-
thorities in these developments:
l. Soviet Premier Georgi
Malenkov received British Am
bassador Sir William Hayter in
what was officially regarded as
a courtesy call. But it was the
first time that the Russian who
succeeded Stain had personally
received a major Western repre-
sentative. United States diplo-
mats would not be too surprised
if the purpose was to boost Big
Four meeting prospects.
Reds Oppose German Rearming.
2. The Communist-run World
Council of Peace at Vienna in
dorsed a Moscow proposal for a
four-poWer session. 1t called on
the European people to prevent
the ratification" of the EDO
treaty and West German rearm-
ing. If the people do this. it
said, the way will be open ito
agreement on the German prob
lem between the four powers"
3. The Polish Government,
through which the Kremlin
sometimes works for its diplo-
matte objectives in the West.
has recently circulated notes
among the Western powers and
Germany's neighbors against
the plan to make Germany an
integral part of the Western De-
fenSe system.
Gen. Eisenhower was in COM
munication with various Wash
ington officials yesterday by tele-
phone but his office at Augusta
did not disclose with whom he
had talked. In advance of the
meeting tomorrow between Gen.
Eisenhower and Mr.. Dulles, au-
thorities said there was no firm
decision on American policy to-
ward the Big -Four proposal, but
privately most officials seemed
certain that eventually such
meeting would be held.
The conditions under which it
is held and the purposes, how
ever, may well be the subject of
further negotiation between Mos
COW and the West.