Show Big 4 Ministers Open Meeting PARIS Ajril 25 INS The INS The big four foreign ministers' ministers conference to draft peace treaties for Europe's axis satellite nations nations nations na na- na- na opened formally shortly after 5 p. p m. m 9 a. a m. m mst Thursday Thursday Thursday Thurs Thurs- day in the famed Victor Hugo room of Luxembourg palace The four statesmen delegated by the Potsdam conf conferees rees to fix the postwar map of Europe entered t the e palace through the red and gold draped portal of the presidents president's entrance over which fluttered the flags of their nations Outside the courtyard catching only a glimpse of some of the dIstinguished distinguished distinguished dis dIs- dis- dis visitors stood a silent crowd of several hundred persons Streets leading to the palace were fringed with spectators for a mile Before the palace conference got under way Britain's foreign secretary secretary secretary secre secre- tary Ernest Bevin met the other foreign ministers at a luncheon given by French Pres Felix Gouin Bevin arrived by plane Thursday morning Strict Secrecy As was anticipated strict secrecy secrecy secrecy se se- se- se crecy shrouded deliberations First item on the agenda was vas believed to be a report from the foreign ministers ministers' deputies who have been deadlocked since September on the peace treaty drafts for Italy Finland Finland Finland Fin Fin- land and the Balkan satellites Disposition of Trieste claimed by Italy and Yugoslavia is considered considered considered con con- one of the chief stumbling blocks block to drafting a treaty for Italy but according to reports the special allied boundary commission which recently toured the disputed area decided to recommend award of Trieste to Italy and a large part part of the Venezia Giulia hinterland to Yugoslavia via Byrnes mes Confident Secy of ot State Byrnes appear appeared d confident as he entered the pal pal- ace He smiled broadly while other maintained an inscrutable calm Before leaving for Cor Paris Bevin told intimates he hc expects some measure of success He was reported reported reported re re- re- re ported as viewing security as the fundamental task facing the conference so M long as such security embraces the future of Germany and early economic rehabilitation of Europe Deputy foreign ministers with See Page 2 Column 1 Big 4 Meeting Opens Formally at Paris Continued from rage Page Ono One Secy of State William Villiam Dunn representing tho the U U. S S. S went into a huddle this morning as a prelude t to their superiors superiors' meeting this at afternoon The Tha four deputies who have have 0 been debating proposed p pro r o p o 0 s sed e d peace treaties In London since January met to draw up a statement of what they have hava agreed upon It will Indicate what hat ground the tho for for- foreign or- or eign ministers must cover to reach concrete solutions Initial efforts effort of the ministers will be concerned largely w with wit I t h drafting peace treaties with ith Italy Hungary Romania Bulgaria and Finland Treaties agreed on then will be submitted to the tho interested interest interest- ed nations for discussion and rati taU iea tion U. U S. S Secy of State James F. F Byrnes already has held a three- three hour strategy session with his aids It was called shortly after a big four preliminary commission revealed it had reached an accord that Trieste on the basis bash of lation figures is Italian not Yu Yu- Although the session sC held in Byrnes hotel room roam was shrouded in secrecy an American spokesman spokes spokes- man said the secretary of state is la prepared to demand that treaties with defeated axis satellites assure assure assure as sure the economic stability and political independence of ot all nIl concerned con con- The informant said Byrnes Is determined to stand firm against tho the soviet union on at least three U. U S S. S demands demands- That Italian Italian Italian Ital Ital- ian colonies be put under an international international inter Inter- national trusteeship and not a single soviet trusteeship that no heavy reparations be exacted from Italy and that the Islands be given to Greece The spokesman said he felt that the three points of insistence indicate indicate in indicate in- in Byrnes is not in a a. bargaining bargaining bargain bargain- ing mood He added If we ve were minded bargain-minded we could have conducted bargaining in m the London deputies' deputies meeting without calling a 3 special Paris Pans conference |