The Key West citizen., 1954-10-07
Molotov's Bid For 4-Power
Talks Gains German Support
BY TOM RsspY

BONN, Germany Wi--SOviet For
eign Minister v. M. Molotov's bid
for nGv fpur.power talks on Ger.
mwn Identification gained quick
support today In the West German
Parliament.
The powerful Socialist party
Chan e llor Konrad Adenauer's
chief opposition-demanded some
new active step by the West to
meet with the Russians on the ques-
ton Of German unity. 1t also urged
the formation of European Sc
curity pact within the framework
Of the United Nations.
Western observers viewed Molo-
tov's proposal as the opening blast
in the Kremlin drive to torpedo
West German ratification Of the
recent London rearmament agree
ment. The first West German re-
actin indicated the Soviet move
may give the Chancellor trouble
in his campaign to win approval at
home for the London defense ALI
ance with the West.
The Socialist position was out
lined to Parliament by Party
Chairman Erich Ollenhauer. He
told the West German lawmakers
that without new effort to reach
agreement with the Soviets on Ger
man unity, the London Agreement
is a useless" approach to a solu-
ton Of Europe's problems.
He declared the rearmament of
West Germany would be expensive,
dangerous" and, in the long run,
no contribution to the worlds Sc
eurity.
Ollenhauer's demands differed
little from Molotov's proposal,
proposal, made at an East Berlin
rally last night on the eve of the
fifth birthday anniversary of the
Communicated East German Re-
public.
Calling for immediate Withdraw
al Of occupation troops from Ger
many and new talks on German
Identification, the Soviet foreign
minister said:
"The Soviet government express
their readiness to discuss propos-
ais made by the participants in
the Berlin conference as well as
any new proposals on free German
elections"
Though Molotov did not specifi-
cally commit his government TO
free alderman elections, in effect
he offered the Germans the hope
they could reunify their country on
that basis if they give up rearming
and alliance with the West.
In contrast to that, Molotov re
peatedly warned the West Ger
mans that acceptance of the Lon
don agreement to give them SOW
ereignty and arms within The
NAT0 alliance would end all pos
sibility of reuniting their divided
country.
AT the Berlin conference early
this year, the West proposed free
alderman elections as the frs
steps towards unification. Under
this plan negotiations for a peac,
treaty would follow the formation
of an alderman government.
Molot0v turned the idea dowl
then. He insisted instead on tn,
immediate conclusion of a peac,
treaty which Western diplomat,
said. would leave a unified Ger
many virtually defenseless on tn,
Red army's doorstep and witt
East German Communists in ke,
government posts.
Speaking to an audience las
night that included ranking Eas
German officials and representa-
tives of dozen Communist coun
tries, Molotov also asserted;
1. Russia is prepared to discus,
with the Western Powers at an,
time any method for reunifyinl
Germany.
2. Whatever the West does, tn,
Germans eventually viii unify
themselves.
3. To ease the tense situation tn,
Russians are prepared to with
draw from Germany as long a.
other powers do the same.
Shrewdly timed, the new Mos
cow attack came just before the
West German Parliament opened
debate today on the London Agree
ment and as the French Nationa
Assembly gathered to hear Pre-
mier Pierre Mendes-F Frances re
port on the power talks.
There was no immediate com
ment from the West German gov
ernment.
In the United States, both tn,
State Department and the Sum
mer White House in Denver re
fused to comment on Molotov',
speech.
Molotov as usual struck ou
against aggressive circles in tn,
United States" who he charged
were fostering a policy leading
to a new war. He repeated the per
ennial Soviet demand for conclu
sion Of a German peace treaty
based on the Potsdam Agreemen
of 1945. That pact provided for tn,