A MOLOTOV-BYRNES TALE

Evening Star, Issue 26000, 15 January 1947, Page 5

A MOLOTOV-BYRNES TALE

THE YANK SCORED (From Our Correspondent.) (By Air Mail.) LONDON, Jan. 8. A typically subtle diplomatic story is going the London club rounds. It is manifestly quite apocryphal, but is worth retailing for its own sake. In New York, so the tale runs, Molotov buttonholed Byrnes outside the official conference room, and asked could he tell him how many atom bombs it would take to destroy Belgium. The U.S. Secretary of State said lie was quite unable to give an answer.offhand, having no knowledge of these .things, but he would make inquiries. In due course he met Molotov, again outside the conference room, and fold him. he had made the necessary inquiries. Three atom bombs would be needed to destroy Belgium. Molotov thanked - him, and asked could he say how many would he needed to destroy Holland. Again Byrnes protested that, without making inquiries, he could not possibly say. However, lie again inquired, and informed Molotov five bombs would be needed. “ And how many,” asked Molotov, “ would it take to devastate Russia?” “ Oh,” replied Byrnes promptly, “nine!” .. UNRECORDED HISTORY, A delightful story is going the clubland rounds also about iM. Vysbin sky, one of M. Molotov’s able diplomatic assistants, when he was in London shortly after the war., It was : told to me' as. true, and, comes at any rate within the category of ben trovnto si non vero tales. It seems M. Vyshinsky asked to be shown' one of our badly* blitzed East End suburbs. Accordingly he was taken round Bermondsey. He agreed the devastation»was appalling, but observed that, we seemed to be doing nothing in particular to clear up the- mess. His cicerone, a stalwart British trade unionist, admitted this was so, but pointed put we-were desperately short of labour, let alone materials. M. Vyshinsky commented that after - the relief of Stalingrad, though that place was far worse damaged, they set every man, woman, and child at work putting; things right. “ Ah,” replied his British escort, “ you could do that, but we can’t; we have too many Bolshies!”-