CHALLENGE TO SOVIET

Evening Star, Issue 25893, 10 September 1946, Page 7

CHALLENGE TO SOVIET

Stuttgart Speech

The French view of the speech is either non-committal or unfavourable. This was to be expected, in view of American reluctance to accept the safeguards which the French consider necessary to prevent future German aggression. It is recognised that considerable persuasion will be necessary to induce the French to accept a greater measure of German self-govern-ment and anything but international administration of the Ruhr. ■ British opinion unreservedly, welcomes Mr Byrnes’s clear affirmation of America’s intention to retain her army of occupation in Germany, and to cooperate wholeheartedly ia the ' of European problems. < The Times ’ points opt that, although this American interest has largely been taken for granted, recent reductions in the size of the American

Welcomed "New Deal" Programme for Germany Russian Reaction Awaited (NI.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent,) ‘ (Rec. 10.25 a.m.) » LONDON, September 9. , The British Press, without exception, welcomes Mr Byrnes’s Stuttgart speech as a new initiative on the whole diplomatic front, and as one of the most important developments since Potsdam, It is generally believed that the speech has British official approval, but the official Russian reactions, which are still awaited, will decide whether the speech heralds a completely “ new deal programme for Germany as a whole, or will, be reduced to an attempt by Britain and America to offer the Germans a more attractive alternative than political and economic alignment with Russia.

occupation forces and the paea.nt which the Americans were proceeding with the development of German self-govern-ment encouraged belief in some Quarters that they intended to free themselves from their responsibilities in Germany as soon as possible. It, is difficult to ascertain Russian reactions, as none of. the Russian-con-trolled newspapers in Germany has published a word 'of comment upon the speech. All they published, was the hand-out released by the Soviet news agencies, which was relegated to second page news. Definite (Russian reactions are expected, however. 1 The Times' special Berlin correspondent says it is believed there that M. Molotov cannot ignore the points which Mr Byrnes thrust before him with vigour. The proposals will entail complete revision of their present policy in Germany.