Evening star., 1955-05-10
NATO
Continued From First Page


on behalf of the President"
Mr.. Hagerty was reminded
that previously the President has
said he saw no reason for Big
Four conference at the sum
nit" at least until meeting at
the foreign ministers level had
paved the way for it, and was
asked if there had been any
change in this view.
His only response was to re-
mind the questioner that Mr..
Eisenhower also often has said
that he would go anywhere and
do anything he thought might
advance the cause Of peace.
Mr.. Eisenhower informed Re-
publican congressional leaders of
the latest developments concern
ing a possible Big -Four confer
ence at a meeting in the White
House this morning.
Senate Republican Leader
Knowland told reporters later
that "the matter apparently is
under active consideration"
Asked whether he believed that
q Big Four meeting now would
serve the purpose of world peace,
Senator Knowland said II don't
think anybody will know the am
swer to that until the meeting is
held" He added, Il think the
hope is it would"
Doubts Legislative Bids
The Senator said he doubted
If any member of Congress
would be invited to such a con-
ference, because they could not
go without including similar
representatives from the other
three on its serving the pur-
pose the President has in mind"
Chairman George, Democrat,
of Georgia of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee said it
is his understanding that Mr..
Dulles favorS a preliminary
meeting of foreign ministers be-
fore any conference of the heads
of state. He said Mr.. Dulles
went to Paris with that idea in
mind. He said it had been Sir
Winston Churchill's original
idea. however, that the heads of
state should meet first and let
the foreign ministers work out
details later.
Other Comment
Senator H. Alexander Smith.
Republican, of New Jersey.
foreign relations committeeman,
said it seems difficult to me for
them to move on a top level at
the first instance.
Senator Wiley. Republican, of
Wisconsin, another committee
man, said that if the President
had arrived at a decision that
a top-level conference would be
productive then I'm in favor
of it,"
At his news conference only
last Wednesday, the President
said a top-level meeting that
would bring him face to face
with Soviet Premier Bulganin
was possible, if a prior meeting
of the Big Four foreign ministers
"leads to something that might
demand higher concurrence"
But he added then, AT this
moment ! see no reason for
that summit meeting"
In a March 80 news confer
ence, Mr.. Eisenhower said he
would hesitate to be a party to
a meeting where people would
have right, merely because you
meet. to expect more than you
really believe you can deliver"
But, he said. "the United States
Government is ready to do any
thing" and I'VE will meet on
any basis as long as we are not,
in so dong creating an impress
sion we think is damaging"
Favored Different Level
The previous week. on March
%. the President said: There is
no place on this earth to which
I would not travel. there is no
chore l would not undertake. If
I had any faintest hope that, by
so doing. would promote the
general cause of world peace
He said then he believes there
must be new exploratory talks
with the Russians. but that he
thought they should be taken UP
first on a level different from
that Of the chiefs of state.
Apparently the President is
being swayed now by British and
French views that a meeting Of
the Big Four chiefs of state
should be held this summer for
n oeperal discnsSi0n 0f East