MOLOTOV’S SPEECH

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25021, 1 November 1946, Page 7

MOLOTOV’S SPEECH

Comment In London “PROPOSALS NOT ATTRACTIVE ” (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (R ec. ? ,P-m.) LONDON, Oct. 31. (jfncials m London are not attracted' either of the two proposals which Mr Molotov put before the United Nations Assembly, namely that each power should disclose the number of troops it maintains in *nofi-enemy countries and his proposed reduction of armaments. <<r 3? e _.diplomatic correspondent of The Tunes” points out that such disclosures would be instructive only if they precisely detailed the number of troops and their exact stations, and it is highly unlikely that any power would be willing to do so at present. Certainly, the British Government, with its special responsibilities for defending and patrolling the long straggling lines of the empire, would not want to be under any such obligation. s The correspondent adds that there is the warmest agreement with Mr Molotov s desire for a reduction of annaments, but experience before the war showed that an international agreement could be effective only if all powers agreed to the fullest inspection e £ ms factories, and-there is little likelihood that such an agreemoot would be forthcoming at present Mr Stalin professes not to believe that tension between the United States and Russia is increasing, but his agent m New York, Mr Molotov, has, for most intelligent Americans, spoken* as though it were, and has done nothing to alleviate it, says the Washington correspondent of “The Times.” * Perhaps, some say, the Russians are dimly groping for some new method of approach to the west, and if this is so it should be recognised and encouraged, but what new method of approach to Soviet Russia short of virtual abdication can be adopted by tne West is something which -American students of affairs find it difficult to discern.

The Washington “Star,” doubtless ironically, says the most hopeful in* terpretation of Mr Molotov’s speech is that he is determined ‘‘to make it as difficult as he possibly can for anyone to come to terms with him.” General Eisenhower, in a speech obviously referring to Mr Molotov’s comments before the United Nations Assembly, described as absurd the charge that the United States army is a threat to other countries. General Eisenhower said the badly diminished United States forces in occupied territories were there solely to enable the United States to fulfil its pledge to establish peaceful governments and economies. The forces were so thinly stretched as to merit continuing attention lest their weakness should encourage defiance and invite unrest or uprising.