DELAYS AT UNCIO

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24582, 2 June 1945, Page 7

DELAYS AT UNCIO

Inconclusive End Feared

leadership of BIG FIVE

(N.Zj PrCaS Association—GopVHght) (Rec. 10 NEW Irdftfc Mar Si. *4 “UNCtO appeared to-night to be bogged down so badly that its chances Of 100 per cent, success may be endangered unless the Big Five settle their own disputes and then reassert their leadership in order to dnye agreements through to acceptance by the small and middle Powers. "Some delegations are already saying that the conference may not end before June 25. , , . “Unless something drastic is done to re-establiSh the Big Five's authority and hurry things along, UNCIO may ehd as the Dumbarton Oaks conferehce did. Without a, final deCiSiOn.and with a face-saving statement that 80 per cent, agreement had been reached and that the other 10 per cent, will be settled some time in the future.’ The UNCIO committee on the General Assembly’s .political and security functions decided by 26 VOtes to 3 that the SfefcUrity Council should include in its reports to ah account of hi£«isiir6§ aaoptea or applied by the Couhcil to maintain international peace and security.. This decision is hailed as a vietpry for the smaller Powers, strengthening the Assembly’s authority. At me same time, the language of the decision removes the authority sought, by some countries to permit the Assembly to make recommendations to individual member nations, , , . However, the Assembly is enabled to sit in- judgment bn the Security Council, being free at any time to make recommendations to the Council except regarding matters which the Council is considering of acting Upon. The trusteeship committee has agreed to make independence the jectlve for areas under trusteeship, but to leave olit “self-government” as the pledge to other dependent areas SUCh as colonies. Dr. Wellington KOo with* drew a Chinese amendment which would have included “independence within the general policy. The chairman or the trusteeship committee (Mr Fraser, New Zealand) expects the committee to complete .its ,work and report to the Commission early next week.

TRIAL OF WAR CRIMINALS

PROPOSALS BEFORE COMMISSION

(8.0. W.) RUGBY* May 81. War criminals’ procedure reached a nCW stage of clarification W-dUy With tne publication of LOtd Wright’s speech as chairman at the opening session in London of the United Nations War Crimes Commission* the proceedings of which are expected to last for three! dt four days. The time had come, said Lord Wright, When the rherfe cdlleCiioU of material must change into action. Justice* to be effective. mUst be expeditious, and any avoidable delay WaS mischievous. "One of the main conclusions reached by the. commission is that membership of a particular Organisation Which Has systematically organised and effected the perpetration of atrocities is. prima. facie. evidence of guilty complicity,” he said. The cdtnmis9ion > Tecommended > that all members of the Ofestapo or Of particular sections df the S.S.—Where the evidence Was hot so clear against a particular, member—be held in protective custody if they werfe tp be apprehended apart from proof of a specific offence, , It might be possible, he added, fot an accused member.to show.that HO was, in rtb way implicated. He might displace the prima facie evidence |f he could produce adequate proof. Inis , would apply,' for irfstance, to the German Government, > • n The investigation of atrocities Undef German occupation constituted in enormous, unexplored field. In Germany itself too. the respective national offices Would have to send investigating teams, to co-operate with the military in collecting evidence and tracking dowri witnesses and criminals. The whole Idea Was that each df the United Nations should do its owti Work iri Bringing to justice those enemies who had committed offences against its nationals. The problem of the major war criminals—thfe key criminals—had to a certain extent been solved, but a great many such criminals, including gauleitOrs- and camn commandants, remained, and the hatidhal offices hftd the duty of investigating SUch cases, though the crimes might have been do'mmitted oh Aids territory. The military* Said Lord Wright, had attacked with great determination and ingenuity the problem of the. apprehension of criminals named fay Ahe commission, a great Humber of whom hart fallen into the bag. The Jews presented a particular oroblem, The campaign for their racial extermination had special features which did not generally fall within the sphere of the national offices* as, for instance, iri the ease of German .Tews murdered iri Germany. Normally, however, where Jews belonged to One of the United Natiotls its national 'Office would Collect evidence arid submit reports. . ■ The number of war criminals listed on charges brought by various Allied nationals. Lord Wrisht added,- totalled 3085 Germans. 110 Italians, two Albanians. 17 Bulgarians, two Hungarians, and two Rumanians. Germans in key positions listed by the commission on a general charge of systematic terrorism numbered 961. STATUS OF TANGIER SPAIN TRYING TO SAVE FACE NFW YORK, May 51. Spain is negotiating with Britain, America and France for the return of Tangier to some form of internatiohaf status, says the Tangier Correspondent of the Associated Press, Britain and America are acting together to guard against the zone reverting to its former virtual French domination and control. It is understood that Britain and America will .maintain garrisons In

rangier when dr perhaps before a workable agreement is concluded. British and American warships Will also enter Tangier as a symbol of their future intentions. . 1 Spain finds herself in the embarrassing position of having semed something she cannot pretend to retain and she is desperately trying to save face and extricate herself from a difficult position as diplomatically as nncsihle.