NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE latest news from Moscow suggests that the Foreign Ministers have at last begun to agree on something. It is only the early, and least controversial, part of the Austrian treaty, and difficulties about the later part, particularly Russia's comprehensive annexation of industrial concerns in Austria on the ground (often highly disput- able) that they were German in origin and therefore " German assets " for reparations purposes, seem likely to precipitate the old divisions again. That, however, may be needless, though very natural, pessi- mism. The conclusion of a satisfactory treaty with Austria would be of immense importance. It would add something material to the precarious stability of Central Europe ; it would enable occupation forces with which Austria is at present gravely burdened to be with- drawn ; and it would redeem the Moscow Conference from complete sterility. Apart from Austria, things at Moscow have gone from bad to worse. It was reasonable to hope that, whatever might happen to the discussions on Germany, the Four Power Treaty which America has repeatedly offered would be concluded without difficulty. It now seems unlikely that it will be concluded at all. Its value would have been great. It would have thrown the whole power of the United States on the side of peace in Europe for at least forty years ; it would have made a new assault on the liberties of the world by Germany impossible ; it would have given to Russia in particular a security which would have dispelled all her anxieties. Yet it is Russia which makes any progress with the treaty impossible. M. Molotov, obsessed with the desire to secure joint control of the Ruhr while refusing joint control of Germany as a whole, and still demanding as reparations German exports which are urgently needed to pay for indispensable imports, refuses to consider a plain defensive treaty unless all these extraneous and inadmissible provisions are incorporated in it. That ends the matter, and ended it to all appear- ance is, in spite of Mr. Marshall's talk this week with M. Stalin. What is equally sinister is the apparent attempt of Russia to insert in a new Anglo-Soviet treaty clauses inimical to the United States. It is impossible not to regard all this as gravely disturbing.
