Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-12
THE FOREIGN SCENE
More Suez Tension

With Egypts belligerent Presi-
dent Canal Abdel Nasser apparent
ly boycotting the whole idea, %
nations had indicated by yesterday
their intentions of taking part in
an international conference August
Is on the subject of the Suez
Canal.
Nothing since the Red invasion
Of South Korea has spanked such
an international uproar as the
abrupt Egyptian action two weeks
ago Matchmaking the Suez Canal
Co.
Q Britain and France have mobil-
lied ground and naval forces.
. Col. Nasser has created ma
tional Liberation Army" to defend
the canal zone against whatever
may transpire.
. The Soviet Union, while accept
ing an invitation to the Suez con-
ference, has challenged the right
of the Big Three to call it.
. The worlds neutrals. led by In
dian Prime Minister Nehru, have
insisted that Egypt has acted
within her rights as a sovereign
and independent nation.
And President Eisenhower will
meet today with congressional
leaders of both parties. He and
Secretary of State Dulles will brief
the lawmakers on the gravity OF
the Suez crisis. Mr.. Dulles is ex-
pected to make plain his belief
that % Britain and France are
in no mood to back down on their
insistence that Col. Nasser be forced
to internationalize the canal, and
90 that the United States Will
not participate in armed interven-
ton in Egypt, if it comes, but will
stand aloof in the hope that the
Soviet Union also will refrain from
direct participation.
Defense From Kremlin
The Soviet government, in an
nouncing its reluctant decision TO
participate in the August Is con-
ference in London, stated fatty
that the Egyptian government was
entirely within its rights in ma
tionalizing the Suez Canal Co. The
Moscow announcement said Cairo
posed no threat to the continued
operation of the waterway, and
contended that the naturalization
decree only insured for Egypt the
profits from the operation OF the
canal which up to now have been
the property of the shareholders.
In the Russian note, delivered in
Moscow on Thursday to diplomatic
missions there, the British and
French charges of Egyptian bad
faith in the naturalization were
described as utterly inadmiSsible."
The SovietS went on to label the
military preparations of Britain and
France as challenge to peace"
thus paving the way for a COM
plant to the United Nations Sc
curity Council.
And perhaps indicative of trouble
ahead, the Soviet statement ques-
toned why the Big Three were con-
cerned only with the internationali-
zation of Suez. The text asked:
-. there ore q number Of importont
canals and stroits which have on inter
notionol importance. As the triportite
statement touched upon the problem Of
the internotionolizotion Of the Suez
Conol, so, logically, the question crises:
Why is the Suez Canol singled out OF
number Of no less importont SEQ stroits
and eonoIs?"
This passage was immediately
construed to mean Soviet inten-
ton to bring up the matter of the
Panama Canal, a wholly owned
United States Government opera
ton, if the Big Three persist in
the move to effect some interna-
tional control of the Suez. Al
though the Panama and Suez sit
uations are by no means similar,
the argument of internationaliza
ton as essential to vital waterways
seemed sure to provide plenty of
grist for the Communist propa-
ganda mills.
Besides its unequivocal defense
of Col. Nasser's action Matchmaking
the canal company, the Russian
statement also demanded that %
additional nations, including Com
munist China, the East European
satellites. and all the nations of
the Arab bloc be asked to join the
conference. In caustic terms, the
Communists said that these ma
tions, too. would be interested vi
tally in the maintenance of free
navigation through the waterway
linking the Red Sea with the Med
iterranean.
A Chonge Of Tone
Yesterday, Britain appeared to be
toning down the military note she
had sounded earlier on the Suez