Evening star., 1954-04-30
By Crosby S. Noyes
foreign Correspondent Of The star

Foreign Correspondent OF The Stof
GENEVA, April 3O.-Reports
trickling into Geneva from Pres
ident Eisenhower's news confer
ence yesterday have caused the
greatest CONSERVATION and con-
fusion in the American delega-
ton here.
To emphasize the isolation of
this conference, top delegates
still are protesting ignorance
Of what the. President actually
said.
The reports themselves are
confusing. The first stories
carried strong implication that
Gen. Eisenhower had implied a
settlement in Indo-China on the
basis Of partition of the country
between the Communists and
French Union forces by suggest
ing an arrangement similar to
that in Germany and Berlin.
Later reports indicated the
President had specifically denied
he was talking about partition.
Although they, are unsure
where they stand. the American
spokesmen are insisting that
partition in -Indo- China is still
out Of the question so far as the
United States is concerned. It
is felt strongly among observers
here that such a suggestion would
amount to an open admission
of bankruptcy of the allies po-
Sition in Southwest Asia.
Press Conference Remarks.
Cat his news conference,
Gen. Eisenhower said the
United States delegation at
Geneva was trying to steer
course between two extremes
one unobtainable and the
other unacceptable. He said
it would not be acceptable to
see the whole anti-Communist
defenseS in that part of the
world crumble but that, on
tine other hand, we cannot
expect a wholly satisfactory
solution at this time.
(The President then re-
marked that the most that
can be hoped for at Geneva
is some practical basis for
getting along with the Com
muniStS in Asia. He COM
meuted that although problems
with Russia in Europe have
not been solved, East and
West are getting along there
without fighting
asked then if he meant to
imply that he would be agree
able to a partition of Indo-
China, as Germany is divided,
Gen. Eisenhower emphasized
that he did not mean to in
dorSe even by indirection any
particular step to stop the
Indo-China fighting.
Reds Have Initiative.
Already there is evidence that
the initiative at this conference
is very much in the hands of
the Communists.
In the present phase it is clear
that the Communists are not even
considering the possibility of a
political settlement in Korea.
They are playing the issue strict
ly for its propaganda value,
and-in the opinion of people
who should know-they are do
ing a Shrewd job of it.
Secretary of State Dulles, who
planned to expose the Red Chi
nese before the bar of public
opinion, is finding the going
much tougher than he could
have expected. His case on Ko-
rea may be grounded solidly on
history and law and it undoubt-
edly makes a strong appeal to
Europeans here. On the other
hand, the Communist case is
aimed squarely and accurately
at Asians and is grounded no less
surely on nationaliSm and anti
foreign" sentiment in the coun-
tries involved. 1t is childish to
believe that this battle of words
can sway fixed opinions on
countries Immediately involved
or arrive at any solution of the
Korean problem. but things said
here can have q profound effect
on such fence-sitting countries