CRITICISM IN U.S.

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28552, 3 April 1958, Page 13

CRITICISM IN U.S.

Press Views On A-Test Ban (Rec. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK. April 2. United States newspapers have continued to be critical of the Government for allowing the Soviet Union to score such a “devastating propaganda lead” by announcing its intention unilaterally to suspend nuclear tests The “Cleveland Plain Dealer” said in a leading article: “With its unilateral announcement that it is halting all hydrogen hnd atomic weapon tests. Russia exploded a devastating bomb in the ideological struggle for the conquest of the uncommitted parts of the world.

“Washington,, in a pre-prepared announcement, seeks to detract from the gesture calling it propaganda. Of course it is propaganda. but of the most effective sort It is sure to win the plaudits of millions who are growing more fearful of nuclear tests their immediate consequences through fallout and their longrange implications of world devastation.”

The Providence (Rhode Island) “Journal” said the Soviet announcement was "a smashing propaganda victory.” “The damage to the American position is greater because our own handling of the issue of suspending tests has been so much more timid and awkward.

"Nothing could reveal our psychological weakness more than the fact that Washington had publicly anticipated the unilateral Soviet declaration halting test explosions. yet when the blow fell, we could do nothing but repeat stale Complaints about the ‘insincerity’ of the action.”

The “New York Times” said today that the proposal of the 15 NAT O, nations that the Union take part this month in diplomatic exchanges among Foreign Ministers as a preliminary to a possible “summit” conference was “surely the logical method of procedure, even though it is not the procedure on which the Russians had been Insisting." “What they have been demanding is a summit meeting to be held without adequate preparation. at which they could secure tome sort of de facto recognition of the legitimacy of the puppet governments which they control, exclude even from discussion all questions which are displeasing to them, and sound off with their never-ending blasts of propaganda. “No doubt this is still the sort of summit meeting they would prefer.

“But if they have any serious desire to lessen existing tensions they will promptly accept the proposal which the 15 Western nations have made to them.”

The United States Would now go ahead with'lts planned series of tests, beginning this month, in order to try to develop smaller and “cleaner” tactical weapons, said Mr Dulles.

On a summit conference, the United States and its Allies now await a reply from the Soviet Union to the suggestion made in Notes, delivered in Moscow on Monday, that diplomatic preparatory talks begin in Moscow in the second half of April. Mr Dulles said yesterday that the United States still wanted East-West differences narrowed before deciding on a summit meeting.

He said he would expect that the exploration of the issues would be primarily conducted at diplomatic levels.