Evening star., 1954-11-19
kendes-Frarlce
Sees Approval
OF Paris Pacts
Ratification Not
Bargaining Point,
Premier Declares
By Froncis P. Douglas

Pierre Mendes- France prom
ised today that the French Ma
tional Assembly will ratify the
Paris agreements before the end
of the year.
Ratification" he said fatty,
''is not a matter of negotiation
with the East; it cannot be re-
garded by the East as a trading
point"
He added that ratification can
not be an obstacle to easing East
West tensions, "if every one gen.
timely wants that easing"
The French Premier addressed
the National Press Club at a
packed luncheon meeting. His
speech came in the midst of talks
with President Eisenhower, Sec
retary of State Dulles and other
officials.
H0n0rs Unknown Soldier.
Earlier in the day, in solemn
ceremony, he had placed q
wreath at the Tomb of the Un-
known Soldier in mist-shrouded
Arlington National Cemetery.
The Premier outlined his at
titude toward the latest Russian
bid for a European conference
to be held November 20. He
warned against "improvised and
spectacular conferences intended
principally for propaganda"
He thus aligned himself with
the position of other Western
leaders who have regarded the
Russian proposal as a diversion
ary move to place stumbling
blocks in the way of ratification
OF the Paris agreements.
MIR. Mendes-France also gave
his explanation of the meaning
OF peaceful co-existence" and
his position was rapallel to the
American position. He said:
"The East and West may not
be able to resolve all major
questions on which our two
worlds are in disagreement.
Spectacular and global settle
ments may be unlikely. How
ever, by finding solutions to
specific tensions we may gradu-
ally approach the solution of
our larger problems. This, it
seems to me, is the constructive
meaning Of the search for peace
full co-existence."
Neutrality Position.
Mr.. Mendes-France had an
answer for those who believe he
tended to favor a position of
neutrality between East and
West. 2
"In this great struggle Of the
free world against totalitarian-
ism. France is on the front line,"
ne asserted. "She is as exposed
to propaganda and subversive
1nfiltration as she is to military
aggression. In fact, aggression
by force is less likely in Europe
than an insidious conspiracy
that could foster a destructive
fifth column.
Subject as she is to this
menace, France must demon
strate that she is capable of
rapid economic and social prog
ress under conditions of freedom;
otherwise peSsimism and dis
couragement will make new con-
verts for totalitarianism."
Better Than EDO.
Mr.. Mendes-France said "the
highest military authorities agree
that the defense system which
we are now setting up will tech
nically assure the security of the
West better than the system
(EDC) previously proposed"
In his one specific reference
to Germany, which also has the
task Of ratifying the Paris agree
ments, Mr.. Mendes-France said:
The problem of enabling the
German people to make a con-
tribution to the defense of the
West could no longer be post
poned. It could be solved only
by arrangements assuring the
wholehearted cooperation be-
tween the French and German
people which is the essential
condition to European unifica-
ton"