Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-31
MoIotoy All Smiles
AT Party, or Was He
Really Sinking!
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not shake the determined good
humor of the Soviet delegation.
In the end. Mr.. Molotov-de-
scribed by an American spokes-
man as bland, benign and sInil-
ing-assured his colleagues that
he didn't expect any special priv
ileges when the conference re-
sumed on Red territory next
week.
This left only procedural
point to be decided: Who would
preside over the first meeting in
Eastern Berlin? Under a system
of rotation, it was Mr.. Eden'S
turn to preside. but he volun-
teered: II shall be very happy
to be presided over by Mr.. Molo-
tov in the Russian Embassy"
Mr.. Molotov. after a little
Alphonse and CASTOR act, smil-
ingly agreed to take the gavel
on Monday.
Everybody exited laughing.
MOlOtOv Sets Tone.
It was appropriate that MIR.
Molotov set the tone Of this
meeting-the wind-up session Of
a week of vital conferences that
have found the West taking the
preliminary points and Mr.. Molo-
tov stealing the show.
After the first meeting last
Monday, interest centered on
Russia's opening attack on West
ern policy and Mr.. Molotov's
proposed agenda. which put
China and a Big Five conference
ahead of Germany and Austria.
Western reaction was gloomy.
On Tuesday, the Allies &C
cepted the Russian agenda and
Mr.. Molotov promptly proposed
q Big Five conference in May
or June. The following day. he
pursued hisarguments, blandlv
ignoring allied demands that the
point be dropped and the Ger
man question taken up. There
was much talk of possible new
trade agreements (of interest
to the British and hints of peace
in Indo-China (of interest to-
the French.
On Thursday. the Russian re-
treat got under way. Mr.. Molo-
tov agreed to defer debate on his
proposals until a restricted Ses-
sion of conference sometime next
week. Then. at the last minute.
he surprised the allies by propos-
ing a world conference on dis
armament in the coming year.
Would Bow to Majority.
On Friday. the retreat gath |
cred momentum. Mr.. Molotov !
quickly agreed that his second !
proposal should also be put over
for closed session. Turning to /!
the German question. he raised |
the issue that representatives of !
both East and West German !
governments should be invited to |
participate. When the allies OBJ I
jected and launched into their
proposals for free German cleo
tions. he limited strongly that if
the question of German partici-
patton we're formally decided
against him. he would bow to
majority will.
The West, however, was still
cautious. None of the essential
issues raised has been settled,
except for the question Of Ger
man participation.
The TOUGHEST issue of them
all-the question of Big Five
conwerence on the Far East
is sure to reappear like Banquo's
ghost later on in the show. On
this point. the allied position is
still not altogether clear. But
from what has been said so far,
the implication is that the West
would be willing to meet with
Red China. providing that the
CONFERENCE were confined to spe-
cif1c problems in that area and
providing that all interested
states were invited to participate.
There is also an uneasy feeling
that Mr.. Molotov knows precisely
what he is doing and why he is
doing it. In the preliminary
stages, Western concessions on
the conference site and agen6a
undoubtedly won sympathy and
approval throughout the world.
1t is believed quite likely that
Mr.. Molotov's opening proposals
are merely the skirmish line
from which he was prepared to
fall back with a great show of
Cancellation after exploiting
whatever propaganda advantages
presented themselves.
Certainly up to this point the
Soviet delegation has yielded on
no question which involved basic
principles of their European
policy. Far from having pene-
trated the major Russian defense
line. the allied advance in the