1 NOVEMBER 1957, Page 4

Patchwork

By RICHARD H. ROVERE New York New York A T the close of the second day of the Nov AT Macmillan-Eisenhower conferences' an unidentified spokesman for the conferees told the press that there had been very little tali about the Middle East. Asked why, he said: 'W'ij, talk stop the Russians?' Of course it won't, but all anyone can do in a conference is talk, and the slight attention paid the Middle East (it comes last in the communiqué and gets a very speedy brushing off) is a measure of the difficulties ilia! must have been encountered in the discussions °1 it, From the American point of view, this is understandable. For our part, we are up to out ears in policies, and there is nothing that we C01() initiate now without repudiating some existing doctrine or treaty organisation. For us, there it little room for manoeuvre diplomatically because we see the problem in ideological terms, and out ideology in matters of this sort is rigid.

No doubt, though, it was a good thing to have the Heads of Government come together and remind the world of Article Five of the North Atlantic Treaty and reaffirm Anglo-American solidarity and promise a major effort on the pooling of scientific and technological under' takings. More is being made here of the last pout than of anything else, and while it will take sone doing to create the statutory authority for pooling' the prospects are fairly good. Sputnik has had $ humbling effect on us, and only the most foolish of Congressmen are talking now of the danger of having our 'secrets' stolen or our precious 'know-how' shared. The majority almost certainlY grasp the simple point that no one can steal what we haven't got and that we are in a position is which we almost certainly stand to gain b) sharing. The President can probably get 00 amendments he wants to the Atomic Energy MI to permit 'close and fruitful collaboration 0', scientists and engineers of Great Britain, the, United States, and other friendly countries' Indeed, it is being said here that he is likely t° have an easier time arranging that sort of inter" national collaboration than he will in seeking to arrange a fruitful collaboration of our 0°,, Army, Navy, and Air Force scientists and engineers.

The thing one feels here in the immediate after' math of the conferende is that it didn't and 13r°' ably couldn't address itself to the true concerns of the moment. Pooling is fine, but the Russian achievement with sputnik has been to create an illusion of a Russian patent and to embolden the Soviet leaders to more and more venturesonle: ness. What seems from an American point °' view to be needed today is a really thoroughgoing review of American policy, and that is what we are least likely to get. Little Rock and SPUtill,P have reduced the President's authority in In5,, own party and throughout the country, and tbei have strengthened no one else. Republicans et° more divided than before, Democrats are roe divided than before, and it is difficult to imagine where leadership is going to come from in the next three years. If imagination and bold under ,i takings are called for, it is hard to see who ye° imagine and undertake.