PEACE CONGRESS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 71, Issue 37, 23 November 1950, Page 6

PEACE CONGRESS

CALL FOR MEETING OF “BIG FIVE” CONCILIATORY ATTITUDE OF ' RUSSIANS (N.Z.P.A.-Iteuter—Copyright). (Rec. 9.55 a.m.) WARSAW, Nov. 22. The second World Peace Congress ended its six-day session here to-day with a call for a meeting of the five Great. Powers to “discuss and iron out current difficulties.” Congress decided to appoint a “World Council for Peace,” composed of peoples of all nations, and to “draw the attention of the United Nations to its existence.” The declaration adopted by Congress—described as “a charter for peace”—urged a reduction of all armed forces, the unconditional prohibition of atomic weapons and bacterial and chemical warfare, an end to racial discrimination, arid peace with a united demilitarised Germany. It said the Korean war should be dealt with by the full Security Council, including representatives of Communist China, and called for the end of foreign intervention in Formosa and Indo-China. -> The resolution called for the appointment of an international commission to “examine crimes against humanity committed in Korea and, in particular, to examine the question of the responsibility of General MacArthur.” • Chinese insistence that General MacArthur ' should be branded an “aggressor” delayed the final session of Congress. Kuo Mo Jo, the Chinese writer and leader of 48 Chinese delegates, kept the Congress Political Committee at work by pressing for “positive action” against General MacArthur. He urged a formal resolution naming General MacArthur personally. The Russian delegates argued that a more tactful approach .should be made in any declaration committed to paper. The Russians have pursued increasingly a conciliatory line during the whole of the Congress, their main insistence being on the need to broaden the movement. Congress originally was due to end yesterday, but was extended for the passage of a string of resolution manifestoes and appeals to the United Nations. Delay in closing the Congress disrupted the delegates’ travel arrangements. Most of them to-day were still waiting to collect passports, which were taken by Warsaw police when they arrived. Instructions have now reached the British consular authorities in Warsaw to impound the passports of the Australian delegates—in the unlikely event of any of the Australians calling at the British Consulate. The Australian Minister of Immigration, Mr Holt, ordered this action because delegates defied the endorsement on their passports that they were not. useable for travel to Communist countries.—Reuter.