FOREIGN RELATIONS: Letter-Perfect

Tension-easing notes in Moscow and Washington last week: <J Russia’s Khrushchev sent a letter to President Eisenhower offering to buy U.S. products—paper-processing machines, refrigerators, automatic vending canteens, etc.; offered to sell some U.S.S.R. raw materials, e.g., manganese, platinum, chrome; dropped a broad hint that the U.S.S.R. would like some U.S. credits to buy U.S. heavy machinery. First U.S. reaction: credits doubtful; trade maybe. <I The U.S.’s Eisenhower got ready a letter to send to Khrushchev saying that it would be all right for the U.S.S.R. to bring along some qualified scientific delegates from Poland and Czechoslovakia to the all-but-scheduled U.S.-U.S.S.R. talks at Geneva on whether international inspection of a nuclear tests stoppage agreement can be worked out. Prognosis: the U.S. has all but decided to negotiate an inspected tests stoppage with the U.S.S.R. if adequate inspection systems can be agreed on.