ITALIAN PEACE TREATY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25178, 8 May 1947, Page 7

ITALIAN PEACE TREATY

Marshall Urges U.S. Ratification ’ STATEMENT TO COMMITTEE (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 6. “If the United Slates fails to ratify the Italian peace treaty the whole world situation will begin to dissolve,” saia the United States, Secretary of state, General G. C. Marshall, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which is holding hearings On the Italian, Bulgarian. Rumanian, and Hungarian treaties pending a debate by the Senate on their ratification. General Marsnall further warned the Senate that rejection would mean that the United States had again begun what it did ip 1920. He added: “The world would lose all confidence in our leadership If the Senate fails to ratify the Italian treaty speedily.” General Marshall said that those who opposed the Italian treaty imagined that the United States could dictate new terms. “I don’t think we can, or should,” he said. He emphasised that his experience in the Moscow negotiations made even more emphatic his belief that the treaties should be ratified as quickly as possible. Nothing had occurred since the treaties were signed in Paris to render ratification unwise He read a letter from President Truman in which the President said that ratification of the Balkan peace treaties was “vital to our foreign policy. Failure to ratify them would be a great misfortune, and. a blow to this country in world affairs.” Answering a question by the chairman, Senator A. H. Vandenberg, whether delay in ratification would help or hurt the chances of obtaining agreement on Austria and Germany, General Marshall said rejection or postponement would be exceedingly harmful, .making it difficult, if not impossible, to work out the peace treaties for Austria and Germany. He added: “The situation would so deteriorate that I don’t know how we could proceed with further negotiations as the integrity and consistency of the United States are a tremendous factor in this matter.” Asked specifically about Trieste, General Marshall admitted that the situation there was explosive now but it would be much more explosive and go from bad to worse if the treaty were not promptly ratified. General Marshall said ratification would not only further the Truman policy in stemming Communism but would strengthen the democracies in meeting any possible aggression against Italy from Jugoslavia