Quibblers' Diary
The humiliating and discreditable proceedings of the Foreign Ministers' deputies in Paris are, to all appearance, as far from any conclusion as ever. They could have been concluded to great advantage weeks ago. if the Allied trio had had any sense of statesmanship, or perhaps any freedom of action under their instructions, they would have grasped with open arms the proposal Mr. Gromyko put forward a fortnight ago. Instead, they have been quibbling ever since about whether " reduction of armaments " or " level of armaments," juxtaposed in any case, should come first in the resolution. What can it matter ? Obviously the Foreign Ministers cannot discuss the one without the other, or argue the question of armaments at all without arguing the reasons why an increase of armaments is considered inevitable. The idea that the deputies' resolutions are going to be a strait-waistcoat by which the Foreign Ministers will be constricted without appeal is absurd. The agenda is a general guide. At least twice during the discussions something has been put forward by Mr. Gromyko regarding which the other three might perfectly well have said, this will do." Instead the hair-splitting pursues its intolerable course. It was on November 3rd that Russia proposed a Four-Power Conference. There is no agenda for it yet. It is desirable not merely to want results but to look like wanting them. As it is, failure to close with M. Gromyko means that M. Gromyko puts up his price.
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