Evening star., 1954-10-01
Mendes- France Fails to Add
Stature Despite Political Gains
French Chief Rubs
Leaders Wrong Woy
In Presenting Case
By Crosby S. Noyes
Fcrsiun ccrresrcndsns ef The Star

LIVELY - sNDI -
Foreign Correspondent ef The Star
LONDON, oct. Although
French Premier Mendes-France
is making impressive political hay
at this nine-power conference.
his success on q personal level
has been less spectacular. Here
is the picture given by one
highly qualified witness Of the
personal tug-of-war going on
here behind the cheerful COM
muniques:
The success of the London
conference is the result Of q
determination on the part Of the
other eight ministers to reach q
settlement. It has little to do
with the powers of persuasion Of
the French Premier.
Although this time Mr.. Mendes-
France is far better prepared
than he was at Brussels, he still
has the knack Of rubbing his
colleagues the wrong way In pre-
senting his case.
The general criticism is that
Mr.. Mendes- France is almost
totally lacking in a sense Of
humor. Perhaps as q result of
his Brussels experience, he is
sensitive to the slightest hint
of criticism. The atmosphere at
conference sessions is anything
but relaxed and well-meant ef-
forts to break the tension with
humor have fallen fiat. Above
all else it seems that Mr.. Mendes-
France hates to be laughed at.
Harps on Own Problems.
Among the Premier's more ir-
ritating habits Is his own con-
slant harping on his own politi-
cal problems. Admitting that no
one can quite rival the insecurity
Of a French Premier, some Of
the other ministers with trou-
bles of their. own find them
selves increasingly bored by the
French theme.
Another cause Of friction is the
French device of extracting an
isolated article from the de-
funct EDO treaty and arguing
that because other ministers ac-
cepted it once they should not
object to it now as part of the
new plan. On several, occasions
his colleagues have had to re-
mind Mr.. Mendes-France tartly
that what was acceptable as part
of EDO is not necessarily palat-
able as an ingredient Of the new
dish he is cooking up.
Sometimes I think he just
doesn't understand at ALL" sighed
an observer recently, "and some
times I think he understands too
much"
The Mendes- France method
of negotiating, which reminds
some Of his fellow ministers of
experiences with the Russians,
has not endeared him with the
others. On a discussion of arm
aments control, for instance, the
French yesterday submitted q
detailed and highly-complicated
plan which drew ire from all
sides. Belgipln's Paul-Henri
Spaak then of7ered q sifnplifled
counterproposal which every one
including Mr.. Mendes-France
seemed to indorse warmly. But
just when an agreement seemed
in sight the Frenchman sudden
iy reversed his field, resuming
the argument for his original
proposal. The session ended on
q confused note which included
an understandable amount Of
evaporation.
Atmosphere Is Chilly.
Whatever outward appear
ances may be the feeling be-
tween the French and American
delegations here is still distinctly
chilly. Observers at conference
sessions have the strong i'm
preston that, although Secre-
tary of State Dulles has decided
as a matter of policy to Coop