THE NATIONS: Yet Another Forum?

As a by-blow of the Foreign Ministers Conference in Brussels, the Big Three agreed that they would send a conditional yes to the Big Fourth's proposal for another talk on Germany. In its note of Nov. 3, Russia in effect had demanded that Britain, France and the U.S. keep West Germany disarmed, remove their occupation forces and give rearmed, Sovietized East Germany an "equal" share in a "unified" nation.

The governments of Britain and France, prodded by their neutralist and third-force factions, were more ready than the U.S. to see a chance for a deal that might appease the men in the Kremlin. But, in the interests of unity, each of the Big Three replied to Moscow's overture with identical notes. They blamed Russia for remilitarizing East Germany and for rejecting the Western proposal of free elections as the basis of a united Germany. They agreed to another talk, provided that the agenda were broadened to include all causes of "present international tensions."