ATOMIC BOMB CONTROL

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26633, 19 January 1952, Page 7

ATOMIC BOMB CONTROL

Soviet Plan Goes To Commission (Rec. 7 p.m.) PARIS, January 18. The United Nations Political Committee yesterday referred the Soviet proposal for simultaneous prohibition and control of the atomic bomb to the newly-formed Disarmament Commission for further study. The committee, by 53 votes to 5, with India and Argentina abstaining, decided to refer to the commission five of the eight points of the Soviet plan. All five, points deal with disarmament. The committee rejected outright the plan’s three remaining points, which brand the North Atlantic Pact aggressive, call for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Korea within three months, and urge the signing of a five-Power peace pact. The vote was on a resolution by Britain, the United States, and France, which also called for reference to the commission of any other proposals on disarmament which might be made during the present Assembly session. America has promised to make “important proposals” to the commission, which must meet by February 10. Urging that the Soviet proposal be accepted without being referred to the commission, the Soviet Foreign Minister (Mr Andrei Vyshinsky) said that talk of a Soviet attack on the Atlantic countries was empty and fabricated. He referred to the recent speech by the British Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) at Columbia University and said that Mr Eden had proved the aggressive character of the Atlantic bloc, using phrases about defence to cover up its real intentions Taxation and Defence Mr Vyshinsky said that the United States needed extra taxes to cover the financial deficits caused by defence, and there would be new heavy burdens for the common man. “We warn all and sundry—do not put the noose around your necks. Abandon the baneful policy of economic suicide,” he said. He alleged that the American troops would like to stay in Korea for ever. Britain also believed that her troops should stay in Egypt as long as the purposes of the British Government made this necessary. Mr Vyshinsky said that unreasonable demands made by the American military authorities in Korea did not hold out much hope of agreement on an armistice. There was no reason to say that the Soviet Union could bring about a cassation of hostilities It was not correct for the United States Secretary of State (Mr Dean Acheson) to say that the Soviet Union wanted atomic prohibition on paper only, as the Soviet conception was that control and inspection must be on a continuing basis. International control meant that there would have to be supervision of the activities of atomic establishments, including verification of their accounts and supervision of the observance of the rules of technological control.

The Soviet plan was a serious step forward in answering the question of how they were going to prevent the threat of a new war and strengthen peace and friendship, he said.