Soft Talk

That sly old cynic Andrei Vishinsky has treated the current U.N. Assembly to honeyed words mixed with his usual vinegary fare. Russia's Foreign Minister recently deplored what he called the U.S. "get-tough" policy toward the Communist world. He sighed for a get-soft line: "Why not go back to the old wartime . . . cooperation . . .? Then things may change . . . We should get together and see what can be done."

Next day the U.S.'s John Foster Dulles replied. What Vishinsky called get-tough was more justly described as get-strong. Peace would never be won by words but by deeds. Dulles listed five areas of tension where Russia could show by deeds what she professed by words:

1) Austria--despite four years of negotiation (257 conferences), despite concession after concession to the Soviet Union, still no peace treaty.

2) Germany--cut in two by the Iron Curtain, and the rift made more dangerous by rigged elections in the Soviet zone (TIME, Oct. 23).

3) Korea--a nod from Moscow could have stopped the Red attack at any time.

4) U.N.--no genuine Russian cooperation for machinery to combat aggression.

5) Japan--no response to a U.S. proposal for discussion of a peace treaty.

Last week, Russia's U.N. delegates returned to the get-soft theme. In the Assembly's First Committee, Deputy Foreign Minister Jacob Malik said: "There may well be agreement tomorrow. Let us find a path toward it." Privately, he told Dulles that Russia was ready for exploratory talks about a Japanese treaty.

Syria's Faris El Khouri and Iraq's Mohamed Fadhil Jamali moved into the picture with another Assembly resolution entitled "United Action for Peace." It recommended that the Security Council's permanent members (the U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China) "meet and discuss ... all problems which are likely to threaten international peace . . ." The big powers would report back to the Assembly the outcome of their umpteenth get-together.

"We are ready to do it," announced Dulles. "The door is open." He added a firm note of caution and skepticism: "I can't say that I entertain great hopes from these conversations, but one can never tell." In Washington, Dean Acheson echoed the U.S. Assembly delegate. Until Russia's attitude changed, observed the Secretary of State, the West must continue to build up its strength, lest weakness tempt Communist aggression.

By week's end the Iraq-Syrian resolution came up for decision in the Assembly's Political & Security Committee. By unanimous vote, the resolution passed.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.