Statesman's Job

The U.S.-drafted peace treaty for Japan, one of the most generous and sensible in history, seemed to have cleared the last big hurdle. The British had opposed it chiefly because the U.S. wanted the Nationalist government to sign the treaty on behalf of China, while London thought the Communist Chinese government should. The U.S.'s John Foster Dulles, who drafted the treaty and went to bat for it in London, proposed a compromise: let Japan herself decide which Chinese government would sign.

The British cabinet, sure that Japan would choose the Nationalists, said no. Undismayed, able Diplomat Dulles went on negotiating. He convinced Foreign Minister Herbert Morrison, who in turn convinced the British cabinet; last week the British agreed to the U.S. compromise.

In a quick side trip to Paris, Dulles also got French agreement on the treaty draft, lost no time worrying about the Russians, who announced again that they would have nothing to do with it. The treaty was just about ready for signature by the wartime allies (Russia excepted), probably in August.

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