SPIRITED REPLY TO CHARGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26227, 10 August 1946, Page 7

SPIRITED REPLY TO CHARGE

EXISTENCE OF BLOC DENIED (Rec. 1.30 a.m.) PARIS, Aug. 9. Mr Molotov’s charge that an “ AngloSaxon bloc ” determined the conference voting procedure was “ loose and wicked talk” said Mr James Byrnes in a speech at the Paris conference. “Why- are all who don’t agree with Russia a bloc? ” he asked. “ I think that those nations which sent their sons overseas to fight ■'.he war should have the right to participate in the peace. I take exception to Mr Molotov’s charge that those who want to recognise these rights are fomenting a third world war.” “We of the Allied countries should show that we are worthy of our sons and daughters,” Mr Byrnes continued! “To make peace we must be inspired by the’ will to make peace. Why should we have this struggle about the right of nations to participate in peace? We all agree that the final texts of the treaties are to be drawn by the Foreign Ministers’ Council, and that to be effective they must be ratified by the States who are members of the council."

Mr Byrnes pointed out that when the New Zealand amendment for a simple majority was defeated by 11 votes to 9 no one suggested that a Russian bloc operated against it, but when there was a 15-6 vote the charge had been made that it was defeated by an AngloSaxon bloc. “ What loose, wicked talk.” he said. Mr Byrnes argued that the voting had shown that, according to Mr Molotov. France, Norway, China, and Brazil must be included in the Anglo-Saxon bloc. ”We will make concessions. We are not going to gang up against any nation.” he said, “ but we will not make all the concessions. Britain, which for almost a year fought in the cause of freedom almost alone, is attacked for daring to stand up for its convictions. The United States, which pursued a policy of friendship with all peaceloving nations, is accused of leading a bloc. We have not fought to dictate to our Allies or to let them dictate to us.”

Mr Byrnes was greeted with loud applause as he walked to the rostrum. The Russian interpreter, while he spoke, gave Mr Molotov a running account of Mr Byrnes’s speech. The conference, by 15 votes to six, defeated Russia’s amendment seeking a return to the original text of the Big Four proposals on procedure, providing that only conference recommendations passed by a two-thirds majority should be forwarded to the Foreign Ministers’ Council.