Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-14
Bargaining on Berlin

It is noteworthy that Rhode Islands
Democratic Senator Pell, one of the Pres
ident's close social and political friends,
has spoken out as he has in connection
with the resumed talks between Secre-
tary of State Rusk and Soviet AmbaS-
Sador Dobrynin. In the Senator's view,
the talks should not be allowed to bog
down in futility. Instead, he hopes that
our country will at long last take the
diplomatic initiative" in seeking "some
sort Of resolution Of the Berlin problem"
The Senator has his own prescrip-
ton for the SituaU.on. He holds that both
the United States and the Soviet Union
have reason to feel that the time has
come to thaw their frozen bargaining
positions. AS far as our own country
is concerned, he holds as follows: what
we must gain :. is clearly defined
corridor Of land access to West Berlin,
backed up by ironclad guarantees for
the freedom of West Berlin together
with the Vests complete freedom to
garrison West Berlin. To achieve these
ends, we can afford to acknowledge the
continuing existence of two German
governments and agree upon the Oder
Neisse frontier" between Poland and
Germany.
In sum, it would seem that Senator
Pell, whether or not he reflects or
has influence on Mr.. Kennedy's think
ing, is in favor Of some down-to-earth
Soviet-American horSetrading. Thus,
pending the eventual creation Of "uni-
fled, neutral, diSarmed and democratic
Germany" he would have the United
States extend de facto recognition to
the East German regime and do business
with it in exchange for the "ironclad
guarantees" on Berlin. AS he has put it,
ut is very much in our national interests
to do so, since there Is no situation in the
world today where our forces and our
flag occupy more vulnerable position
than in this island of freedom surround
ed by Communist East Germany"
The Senator feels that there are
many steps that can be taken toward a
genuinely trustworthy settlement Of the
issue. BY way Of example, he has sug-
geSted that certain key agencies Of the
United Nations be transferred from Gen
eva and Paris to East Berlin, and he has
also called for "a mutual Stacking off of
propaganda and intelligence operations"
in the cruelty divided city. Further, to
quote him again, along the lines Of the
cooling-down of temperatures and the
amelioration Of relations between East
and West would be the legitimization of
today'S almost half billion dollars worth
OF annual trade that exists between
Western Germany and Eastern Ger
many"
In some respects, Senator Pell's
views seem to involve a lot of wishful
thinking. He himself does not deny the
mild impeachment, but he has made an
effective point in declaring that 1--WE
should bear in mind what Lord Palmer
ston once said, We have no eternal allies
and we have no perpetual enemies. Our
interests are eternal and perpetual and
those interests 1t is our duty to follow
This means that policies must be deter
mined by national interest, that national
interests can and do change in a chang
ing world :. and that the policies in
themselves are not immutable."
Well said. The gentleman from
Rhode Island has addressed thought
provoking speech to the Senate, and
MesSrs. Rusk and Dobrynin could do
worse than read and null over the
text of 1t.