Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-16
THE WORLD SCENE
Suez Crisis: Confusion

sea and air, and seize the canal
and its installations.
There was little doubt anywhere
that such a punitive action would
bring determined Egyptian armed
opposition. And however futile the
defense made by Col. Nasser's little
army. 1t was certain that shooting
at Suez would involve almost i'm
mediately the entire Middle East.
French Sumner Down
The French, in the opinion of
Premier Guy Mollet, were ready to
use force without further delay. But
after flying to London with Foreign
Minister Christian Pineau for talks
with Sir Anthony and Foreign Sec
rotary Selwyn Lloyd the French
leaders appeared content to CO.
ordinate their policy with that Of
the British. That policy then seemed
to be aimed at sparring for time
through a formal appeal TO the
United Nations.
On Monday. Col. Nasser moved
to head off in advance any Western
charge that he was refusing to ne
gotiate over the Suez issue. An hour
after Mr.. Menzies' plane took of
from Cairo for London, the Egyp-
tain government issued formal
memorandum proposing the estab-
lishment of special negotiating
body to work out a settlement. The
proposal was communicated to all
governments with which Egypt
maintains diplomatic relations.
Although technically a counter
proposal to the Dulles plan, the
Egyptian note contained no specific
suggestions looking toward basis
for some compromise. But it recalled
the previous offer of Egypt to enter
into a new international agree
ment "reaffirming and guarantee
ing" freedom of navigation in the
canal
But the Vests response to the
Nasser proposal was harsh. Sir An
thony and Mr.. Mollet, publicly TAX
ing grave" view of the situa-
ton, agreed on a program to bear
down on economic measures against
Egypt.
AS a first step in the campaign,
the Suez Canal Co., at its head
quarters in Paris. announced that
its Egyptian pilots on the Suez
Canal-all but a few of the total
pilot force-were authorized to quit
their posts. In addition. some 300
other key personnel, technicians
and engineers. were also cleared to
leave.
Something New Is Added
Then on Wednesday came the
biggest bombShell of all. To an I'M
easy and restless House of Com
MONS Sir Anthony revealed new
tactic-a users association" to
operate shipping through the Suez
Canal, employing its own pilots and
collecting all tolls
The Prime Minister'S speech was
threatening: If Egypt refused to
cooperate with the users associa-
ton plan. Britain and other coun- I
tries would be free to act" And
Sir Anthony made plain that the
United States had agreed to the
association" plan. Later, "agreed"
turned out to be something of an
understatement.
Sir Anthony's speech to the
House seemed, at first reading, to
imply that the Big Three-Britain,
France and the United States
would comprise the users associa-
tion And initial reaction to the
plan ranged from downright I'M
favorable to hope tinged with
doubt.
Close observers of the Suez con-
troversy's stormy course viewed the
association idea as either completely
unrealistic, or deliberate plan to
provoke Col. Nasser into retaliatory
action sufficient to justify armed
intervention.
Then, on Thursday, some of the
barbs were taken off the fence,
Britain's note suggesting the users