AMERICAN REACTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 25678, 29 December 1945, Page 5

AMERICAN REACTIONS

ALL FORECASTS SURPASSED WASHINGTON, December 28. The number and scope of the decisions reached at Moscow have surpassed all forecasts. Washington officials, however, acknowledge privately that Britain, and America made sweeping concessions to Russia, especially regarding the control of Japan and the atomic bomb. Presumably, the American delegatoin agreed to many provisions only as a means of obtaining strong Russian participation in the United Nations Organisation. In the meantime, some Congressional circles have criticised the communique as " a retreat from London." and are particularly disturbed by the agreement on. atomic energy.

■ A responsible official said that General MacArthur's powers remain untouched in spite of the -establishment of a four-Power Council for Japan. He pointed out that the council had been given only the functions of " consulting with and advising the Supreme Commander." Furthermore, the method of voting enables the. United States to block undesirable decisions, such as any attempt to change the existing American directives which General MacArthur is carrying out. The first reaction in Washington was that the conference had improved relations between the Great Powers, but had reaffirmed the principle that the Great Powers have the right to dominate United Nations affairs, even in the field of atomic energy, says a ' New York Times ' correspondent. Those who believe that peace is impossible without a " Big Three " agreement and were disturbed about the effects of a " Big Three " stalemate on the forthcoming United Nations Organisation Assembly meeting in London were pleased. On the other hand, those who hoped that the " Big Three " would gradually guide the world to a point where all nation's were equal before law, and no nation had the power of veto, were disappointed. They argue that the principle of big power control in the long run is not conducive to peace.