Evening star., 1954-10-03
Allies Agree on Major Issues
In Move To Arm Free Germany;
Pact Signing Scheduled Today
Control Deadlock
Broken; Ministers
Hope for Success
By Crosby S. Noyes
Foreign Correspondent Of The Sta'

In principle was reached today
on all major issues at the nine
power conference. Ministers are
keeping their fingers crossed
against the possibility that some
further hitch may develop.
Another session was scheduled
for tomorrow morning. At the
last minute, Secretary Of State
Dulles cancelled his scheduled
fight back to Washington.
CThe Associated Press quoted
high diplomatic sources as
saying they did not anticipate
any last-minute hitch in sign
ing of the agreements todayo
The deadlock which has tied
I'D the meeting for the last two
days broke tonight with COM
promise agreement on the prob
lem Of armaments control within
the projected Brussels treaty or
ganization. The question of how
to harness and limit the power
of a rearmed Germany has been
the point of bitterest controversy
from the beginning.
T Exact Terms Unknown.
Since last night 1t had caused
q very serious crisis in the ne
gotiations and more than once
threatened the success of the
entire conference. The exact
terms of the compromise agree
ment are still under wraps. But
it Is understood that new con-
cession by German Chancellor
Adenauer was decisive in break
ing the deadlock. French Pre-
mier Mendes-France also seems
to have retreated from his ear
lier demands for a rigid and far
reaching system Of controls.
This much is certain: If the |
conference goes on to q success
full conclusion on the basis OF |
the agreements that were !
reached tonight, the result will
be considered highly satisfactory
to the United States. The Amer
ican delegation is now convinced
that the plan worked out here
would salvage a very substantial
part of what was promised under
the edo treaty.
Although from the American
point of view some of the most
attractive aspects of the EDO
treaty have been abandoned in
the Brussels plan, other compen-
sations have been added. In place |
of a supranational organization
promising eventual unification |
of Western Europe. the new plan |
offers the active participation OF
Britain in the project.
Above all, it is felt that the |
Brussels plan provides the an
swer to the basic issue: The
problem of restoring German |
sovereignty and of tying the Ger
man defense contribution into
the framework of the NATO al |
lance.
Brussels Support Seen.
In view Of these facts there is
no doubt that Secretary Dulles
will recommend the same sup
port of the Brussels treaty or
ganization as was promised for
NATO.
The prospect Of success, how
ever. was not reached painlessly.
The announcement that the end
was in sight came after a day |
of bitter wrangling and con-
fusion during which one COM
promise solution after another
was turned down. It began at |
1890 when Mr.. Mendes-France |
and Mr.. Adenauer held a half
hour conversation to discuss the |
dilemma that had arisen the |
night before. Briefly the situa-
ton was this:
With all major issues settled |
except the problem of ornaments
controls, Mr.. Mendes-France |
had brought the progress of the |
conference to q sudden halt. |
Defying recommendations of an
expert committee, he insisted on |
spelling out the terms under |
which the ornaments industries |
of the various nations of Western |
Europe would be limited and reg
ulated. other ministers held that |
such precise limits could not be |
set in the course of the present |
conference. They argued that |
once the general principles were |
agreed on details should be left |
to the agency for arms control |
to be set up under the Brussel |
organization itself.
Two Plans Offered.
To bridge this gap, two COM
promise proposals had been sub