The New Zealand Herald AUCKLAND, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1945 AGREEMENT AT MOSCOW

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25395, 27 December 1945, Page 6

The New Zealand Herald AUCKLAND, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1945 AGREEMENT AT MOSCOW

The price of cordiality and agreement at Moscow appears to have been Anglo-American willingness to give in to .Russia. M. Molotov has won most of the points on which he was adamant at the September Council of Foreign Ministers. He then insisted on three major propositions concerning the peace treaties. Because of the Kremlin's proved insistence on the letter of agreements, these propositions should be compared word for word with those now accepted in Moscow. M. Molotov's original terms were "that the four Powers, excluding China, should sign on points agreed on for a treaty with Italy; that Russia, Britain and America should sign agreements relating to treaties with Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary; and that Britain and Russia should sign agreements relating to Finland." M. Molotov insisted that these ideas fulfilled the agreement at the Potsdam Conference, and that the Council of Foreign Ministers had no authority to depart from its decisions. In his final statement when the Council broke in a tense atmosphere, lie said: "The Soviet people believe that once a decision is reached it must be carried out." To emphasise his adherence to the letter of Potsdam, M. Molotov added: "Russia will insist that the terms of the Potsdam Agreement relating to signatories to the peace treaties with European countries must be carried out." With these remarks lie went backto Moscow, leaving the democracies of the West to lament the apparent failure of the first post-war meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the principal Allies and to brood on the darkness of the international scene. It now seems that the lamentations of Western Europe and America encouraged the Soviet Union to maintain her attitude. From all sides there were demands that unanimity must be achieved among the Big Three. If they could ! not agree on fundamental issues I there was no hope for the peace of the world. Britain and America must take the initiative. M. Molotov appears to have noted the practical unanimity of these cries, and therefore all he need do was wait. In the end Mr Bevin and Mr Byrnes had to go to Moscow. There they have succeeded in whittling down M. Molotov's September proposals a little. He has gained his point that the Powers he enumerated should deal with the several peace treaties, but instead of their signing the agreements as the final act they are now to "work out the peace terms." These are then to be submitted to a conference of the Council of Foreign Ministers and representatives of all other of the United Nations who actively took part in the war. The report from Moscow also says the final text of the treaties will be drawn up after the conference. Most people will draw the inference that the conference will have the right to amend the drafts of the treaties. This, however, is not expressly stated. It may be expected that M. Molotov will make all the concessions he is likely to make during the preliminary discussions, and that when he comes to the conference he will put the results before it for acceptance or rejection but not for amendment. After being fix-m with Britain and America he is unlikely to back down before the small Powers.

Whether all this is for the good of the world or whether it contains the seeds of future conflict is a question difficult to answer. The Treaty of Versailles was framed chiefly by Wilson, Lloyd George and Clernenceau. But while they were drafting it and afterward when they submitted their work for approval, they were subjected to pressure from all sides. They had to give way on many points. Clernenceau had to trade his demands for the Ruhr for an Anglo-American pledge of help against aggression. Benes was told he would have trouble with the Sudeten Germans if he insisted on geographical" instead of ethnological boundaries for Czechoslovakia. The Poles were advised to curb their eastern ambitions. The compromises of Versailles can be attributed to the unwillingness of any of the Great Powers to support its opinions with force. Both Marshal Stalin and M. Molotov know their history and they also have long memories. They are determined that above everything else they will safeguard the interests of the Soviet Union. They saw what happened after the First World War. They firmly believe that Russia was the greatest factor in defeating the common enemies in the Second World War and that therefore they have the right to the greatest say in shaping the future of Europe. Mr Bevin and Mr Byrnes have won something from M. Molotov but only by meeting him on the plane of power politics. Nothin 0 seems to have been gained for upholding the ideals of the United Nations.

DISTINGUISHED SONS The death of Sir William Marris, Indian administrator and classical scholar, removes one whose career reflected much honour on New Zealand. Sir William belonged to a group of brilliant students who graced Canterbury University College in tho early 'nineties and of whom tho brightest star was the late Lord Rutherford. Others in it included two whose life services were retained for this country—Professor .Tames Hight, later to be rector of the college, and Sir Apirana Ngata, one of the very few Maoris who have graduated both M.A. and LL.B. Unlike Lord "Rutherford, Sir William Marris was not born in this country, but he received his entire education here, beginning at the Wanganui Collegiate School. During a career of more than 30 years' steady advancement in Tndia, his avocation was rendering Homer, Horace and Catullus into English verse. His achievement in this gave vicarious laurels to Professors Haslam and Macmillan Brown, who had been his mentors in classics and

English respectively. It was not an unworthy parallel to that of Professor Gilbert Murray, the Australian whose translations of Greek drama have won an enduring place in English literature. Murray, however, left the land of his birth at the age of eleven, and England could claim credit for his education. Since Sir William's student days a long procession of young New Zealanders have gone overseas to pursue careers that would have been denied them in the Dominion. Brains will always continue to be an article of export from this country. New Zealand regrets the loss of brilliant sons, and should realise that unceasing efforts must be made to retain at least some and to win others back with offers of satisfying work and adequate material rewards. HOLIDAY ROAD DANGERS In proportion to the volume of holiday traffic, far too many road accidents have been reported in the past few days. All the familiar types are represented, including those involving persons other than motorists. Reasons are not far lo seek. The ordinary uncertain human factor operates, of course, and in addition many drivers have been saving up petrol for the holidays and lack experience ; tyres are apt to be worn and liable to fail, and cars to be poorly maintained, their brakes particularly. It is generally agreed that road manners have deteriorated and driving rules are not well enough observed. Sparse traffic deludes drivers into thinking that care can be relaxed. The holiday feeling of release and exhilaration is also in part to blame ; liquor is sometimes a factor. Some of these conditions must remain until control of motoring returns to normal and the various authorities can again set proper standards of driving and car maintenance. Meanwhile careful motorists and third parties can only hope for their own protection that carefree and jiotentially reckless drivers will take notice and try to cultivate some sense of responsibility during the remainder of the holidays.' One thing all drivers should remember is that numbers of* cars they meet contain whole families, including young children, and that a collision may take a heavy toll in suffering and injury, if not in loss of life. Constant vigilance, courtesy and consideration for others, and common sense —these are the .best preventives of danger on the roads. They should be practised today in readiness for the future, when, as everyone expects, motoring will be the pastime of far more people than were able to indulge in it before (he war.