24 MAY 1946, Page 1

The Americans on Paris

The slightly disturbing symbolism of the American eagle, which carries an olive branch in one claw and a sheaf of arrows in the other, has already been remarked. It may be said of this week's speeches by Mr. Byrnes and Senator Vandenberg, giving their views on the Paris Conference, that the latter inclined to the olive branch while the former nodded almost imperceptibly towards the arrows. In general ME. Byrnes' statement was a model of clear and sober reporting. He pointed out that a settlement on Italian reparations was blocked by the insistence of the Soviet Government on a share which it is difficult to justify ; that the American views on trustee- ship for Italian colonies have still to be squared with British and French opinion ; that a settlement on Trieste was prevented by

Russian and Yugoslav insistence on a demarcation line unduly favourable to the latter ; that Soviet opposition prevented an economic settlement in the Balkans ; that Soviet opposition prevented the fixing of a date for the full peace conference ; and that Soviet reserve prevented progress on the American 25-year plan for German disarmament. Mr. Byrnes' firm statement that, if the peace confer- ence is prevented from meeting this summer, the General Assembly of the United Nations must recommend a settlement could be construed as an anti-Russian statement. But he was patient as well as firm. And Senator Vandenberg put nearly all the emphasis on patience. This bodes well for the future of American foreign policy. In fact the whole tone and substance of these speeches indicate a rapidly growing maturity in the American attitude to international affairs.