Bearish

Cautious Mike McDermott, U.S. press chief in Moscow, and a Roman Catholic, wondered if it was proper for the conference to meet on Good Friday. George Marshall wrote on McDermott's note: "The struggle for peace is appropriate on any day." But work on the German treaty was so hopelessly deadlocked that the Friday meeting had to be canceled anyway.

A Little Progress. Last week the Ministers managed to agree that central administrative agencies should be established in Germany, and, three months later, a German Advisory Council which the U.S. hopes will take over as a provisional government. But disagreement remained on everything else, including the composition of the council. The Russians wanted it to include the Organization of Free German Women, the Farmers' Aid Society, and the Culture Bund--all Communist fronts. Replied Ernie Bevin: "We should consult well-known groups, rather than these others. As a very old propagandist of the Socialist Party, I know a lot about . . . why they exist."

Furthermore, Bevin said: "Nothing I agree to politically for Germany can go into effect until a workable settlement has been reached economically." That was the rub. Marshall offered a slight concession to the Russians' demand for reparations from German current production; he declared that the U.S. would "study" the demand on condition: 1) that the Soviets would agree to leave in Germany certain factories originally slated to be removed to Russia and take their reparations only from these factories; 2) that current production reparations must not increase occupation costs, or retard German self-support. Under these terms, Russia, which needs its reparations now, might not begin to receive payments for five years.

A Big Laugh. There were other matters to preoccupy the delegates. Correspondents reported the sudden popularity of the "Champagne Cobbler" ( 1/2 jigger syrup, 1/2 jigger lemon extract, 1 jigger curac,ao, 1 jigger cognac, 1 chunk of pineapple, add champagne to taste, serve chilled. Price: $6.60). Even Molotov showed signs of gaiety. One evening, when movies were being shown at the Aero Club, he took special interest in a Russian animated cartoon involving the capers of three big bears. He was observed in convulsions of laughter and clutching his paunch when the biggest bear managed to outwit ths whole menagerie.

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