FOREIGN MINISTERS LIKE SCHOOL DEBATING SOCIETY

Chronicle (Levin), 8 April 1947, Page 5

FOREIGN MINISTERS LIKE SCHOOL DEBATING SOCIETY

Reeeived Monday, 8.10 p.m. LONDON, April 7. "Wiitli the opening of the fil'th week's deliberations, hope of the Foreign Jlinisters' co.Jifereiiee reaching agrcement on any major issue has faded, says tlie Daily Teiegraph 's Moscow correspondent. The Mpiisters' essential task — to estabiish some i'orm of government f(j>r (lermany — is as far from accomplishment as ever. The !Minis!0rs' meetings are like a school debating society with eacli little ppint argued, accented, rejected or far niore likcly referred to the deputies for further consideration. M i( Alarshall is feeling his way but is taking too long about it. Levin is handicapped by British economic difficulties. M.j Lidauit is pinioned by foar of offending tlie ('omniunists at liotnk AIi. Molotov is apparently constitutionally unable to appreeiate Oe'many's econpmie difficulties. There is little hope in Afoscow. over the week-end that the Foreign Alinisters would reach agreement at the present conferenee, cn the basic. question of (lermany 's economic unity, states the Tiuies. A leading article said a peculiarity of the present Foreign Alinisters' conl'erenee is that it is threatcned to be baulked by an ssue which is technical rather than political. Al the western Allies recognise the vastness of the Russian war loises and the justice of her reparations' claims. Nevertheless th ?y cannot agree to Russia taking reparations from current Germai production on a seale which will disrupt German and Enropian economv. The danger is that-Mr. Molotov may not realise that the stand which Mr. Bevin and Mr. Marshall have taken over reparations, is this time not one on which they can afford lo give gronncl.